League One Saturday Tips: Back a Bet Builder to start the TV extravaganza

Can we net the Bet Builder for Sky opener?

Rotherham United v Ipswich Town
Saturday 16th April 12:30, live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event

The weekend starts here, well Saturday for League One fans with a triple-header on Sky and games that could go a long way in deciding the title. To have the top three playing all on the box is a real treat for us third tier fans, and as Martin Tyler says, it's live.

In a flash, the dreams have gone. Rotherham, the long-time leaders and my antepost winner tip, have completely imploded and are in danger of missing out altogether the way their form is sliding.

They were trading at 1.331/3 in the League One Winner Market no so long ago, but they have won just once in their last seven and have been defeated three in their last four. It's perplexing, as they have been the best side for the majority of the campaign with an impeccable defence, but to think they are fully seven points behind Wigan is astonishing.

The Latics are 1.111/9 for the title and Rotherham 17.533/2. Not only is my bet dead and buried it seems, but I went in on them to win the Papa John's Trophy at Wembley, but I have never seen a side play so badly for long. I backed them in 90 minutes for fear of after-timing, and it took them 120 minutes to win.

Tuesday's loss at Portsmouth by three goals to nil was another shock, and the fact Rotherham conceded goals from two set-pieces tells you where this team is right now. They never concede from set-pieces.

Manager Paul Warne was in apologetic mood, he said: "We've had a little bit of a slide and we need to put a flag in the ground now. I haven't got an excuse book. I think we've been outplayed and outfought, which isn't like us."

Ipswich have had an attack of the play-off wobbles too - again at just the wrong time. It's now one victory in five for the Tractor Boys although they still trade at 3.052/1 for the Top 6 Finish.

Town had all the possession for last weekend's 1-1 at Shrewsbury - a welcome correct score winner for the column too with an 84th minute leveller (nice when they go for you). For all of their ball retention, they can't seem to put sides away and in each of their last nine matches, all nine have hit Under 2.5.

There's very little value in that market unfortunately for Saturday with an offer of 1.674/6. The Under 1.5 Goals is a more generous 2.962/1, although that's still a little under what you'd usually expect.

With both short on confidence, with a game both dare not lose, I think the best way to play this is the draw and Under 2.5 on the Sportsbook Bet Builder, that way we can use the 2.5 bet to enhance the double to 3.259/4.

The stats from Opta back up a low-scorer, as Ipswich have only netted in one of their last five league trips to Rotherham (W1 L4), however that game was the Tractor Boys' joint-biggest away league win against the Millers (5-2 in November 2015). The hosts have won five of their last six league games against Ipswich (L1), keeping a clean sheet in all five of those victories according to Opta too.

KEY OPTA STAT: Rotherham have failed to score in consecutive league games at the AESSEAL New York Stadium for the first time this season (L2). The last time they went three home league games without scoring in the Football League was April 2017 in the Championship (run of four), while the last time they did so in the third tier was April 1997.

Where there's a Will there's a Keane bet

Wigan Athletic v Cambridge United
Saturday 16th April 17:15, live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event

The list of young, progressive coaches seemingly knows no bounds in League One, with managers like Steve Evans and Nigel Adkins making way for the likes of Liam Manning, Johnnie Jackson and Leam Richardson of Wigan.

The surge up to the summit of the table for the Latics has been impressive and they hold a four-point advantage as leaders. A run of just one defeat since mid-February has been fashioned by an expensive squad, and in truth, a number of their players should be in the Championship anyway. James McClean and Will Keane form part of their attack, and Keane is a good old fashioned playmaker number 10.

However, the perils of backing shorties in League One was laid bare on Tuesday with the Latics struggling to overcome Burton in a 0-0 at the Pirelli. The Brewers are well organised under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and are keeping clean sheets against bigger teams of late, and they kept Wigan quiet with another strong defensive display. Leam Richardson admitted his side lacked something from good positions in the wide areas, while JFH said his team made the league leaders look ordinary.

A price of 1.351/3 for Wigan is to be expected, as Cambridge are so hot and cold it's ridiculous. They were hammered 6-0 at Sheffield Wednesday recently, but earned a 0-1 success at Ipswich, swiftly followed by a 1-4 home drubbing against Wycombe.

The U's have conceded 39 on the road, and if the hosts can get their game plan of those fast transitions (as they have a lot of athleticism) and the ball out to the wide areas where they can cause problems, they should add to their tally of 13 home wins.

Cambridge have won only one of their seven away Football League games against Wigan (D3 L3), a 1-0 victory in April 1991 which remains the only clean sheet either side has kept in the previous 15 total meetings according to Opta, and as the two played out an entertaining 2-2 at the Abbey earlier in the season, I quite like the Over 2.5 Goals in preference to the BTTS bet, and we can back that at the bigger of the two at 1.9720/21.

If you are looking for a First or Anytime Scorer bet using the Bet Builder, Joe Ironside has 15 in 42 this season and takes penalties, while Sam Smith is a one-in-three striker for the U's. Those two are 7/2 and 9/2 To Score Anytime respectively, but with Keane netting in the draw between the pair in November - in a game in which Wigan completely dominated possession, he should see a lot of the ball again.

Keane has 22 in 48 this term and two in his last three matches. Backing him To Score and Over 2.5 in the Bet Builder pays 3.211/5.

KEY OPTA STAT: Wigan have won 13 of their home league games this season, only twice since 1999-00 have the Latics won 14 such fixtures in a single campaign in 2002-03 and 2015-16 (both 14).

Dons and Twine look too good to turn down

MK Dons v Sheffield Wednesday
Saturday 16th April 19:45, live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event

Sheffield Wednesday's 14 home victories at Hillsborough this term ranks up there with the best of them, but a mere six on the road calls me to question their price for Saturday's late game on Sky, as I would not have them favourites for this.

The Owls shade it at 2.546/4, the Dons at 2.8415/8 and the draw at 3.39/4. It could just about be a laying price at 6/4 with two running for you.

The more I look at MK's price, the more I cannot understand it. Their run of results lately at home reads impressively. Liam Manning's team have won four of their last five, with the draw against leaders Wigan 1-1.

Troy Parrott, the Spurs loan forward, has often been hyped, but he's enjoying a clear run and a scoring run too with two in two, but the player I admire the most is the excellent Scott Twine. A clean striker of the ball and expert from long-range, and I remember him scoring for Swindon on TV two seasons back - with another pearler.

The 22-year-old is destined for the Premier League in my opinion, and among some big names here - with the likes of goal-getter Lee Gregory for Wednesday, Twine is always at the top of the betting in the scoring charts. The fact that MK dominate so much of the ball gives him ample opportunity, and this is the game I am most confident with my selections.

As I cover bet, I would throw in the 0-0 and 1-1 Correct Scores as Wednesday might go looking for the draw and they are not an open side and three of their last five have ended either way with those stalemates.

Twine as First Goalscorer might be worth floating out there at 9/2 as he is a big game player, and doubling him up in the Bet Builder with MK Dons to win is a massive 9.57857/100.

KEY OPTA STAT: Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last three away league games (D2 L1), only once under Darren Moore have they gone four such games in a single season without winning, with that being in May 2021 as a Championship side (D1 L3).