The Week Ahead: Five 'must have' bets for the coming seven days

Editor
10 August 2015

Tim Sherwood teams tend to score and concede goals in decent numbers

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

The football season is underway, the final golf major of the year starts on Thursday and there is some good quality tennis and cricket on so plenty for Luke Moore and Dan Thomas to get their teeth into as they bring you their five best bets of the week...

"The American is having a fine season, with seven top 10 finishes in 15 starts in 2015, and he looks a decent enough price to finish in the top five this week."

1) Rogers Cup Tennis
Back Serena Williams to win outright at 2.68/5
Starts Monday
Coverage on Betfair Live Video and Sky Sports

Our colleagues at Abelson make a persuasive case for a value bet on Victoria Azarenka in Toronto but I can't leave Serena Williams unbacked at better than 6/4.

We're getting a bit of extra juice in the price because of Serena's injury issues - she has only just returned after elbow problems - but given that she won the French Open when she was barely able to stand up given sickness issues, I can't see that being a problem this week.

The draw has been kind to the American, with what looks like a serene run to the final, and while likely opponent Azarenka will be a tough nut to crack if she is the opponent as expected, Williams should have enough in the tank to land another title and give us a winner in the process. DT

2) Portsmouth v Derby, Capital One Cup
Back Both Teams to Score at 8/11 (Sportsbook)
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 1

The reason the Sky cameras have decided to head down to Fratton Park on Wednesday night in the Capital One Cup is presumably because they fancy the chances of an upset when League Two Portsmouth entertain Championship side Derby.

Pompey started their season off with a superb 3-0 win, while Derby could only muster a 0-0 draw, but the Rams remain far superior in ability and experience than the south coast outfit, and for that reason it is worth backing both teams to score at 8/11 on the Sportsbook.

Pompey are usually good for a goal, but they're no great shakes defensively. Derby should have enough about them to get through, but expect goals. LM

3) US PGA Championship
Back Dustin Johnson for a Top 5 Finish at 5.59/2
From Thursday
Live on Sky Sports 4

If Serena is one of sport's 'safer' bets, Dustin Johnson certainly isn't, possessing a skill for imploding in spectacular fashion, as Romilly Evans discusses here.

But while DJ backers won't want to be reminded of his finishes at the US Open and Open this year, the American is having a fine season, with seven top 10 finishes in 15 starts in 2015, and he looks a decent enough price to finish in the top five this week.

The last time the US PGA was at Whistling Straits, in 2010, Johnson finished fourth with his length off the tee a huge asset around the 7,500 yard course. Of course, he should have been in the play-off with a bizarre two-shot penalty at the 18th costing him dear, but he'll be super careful this time around. We hope... DT

4) South Africa v New Zealand, first T20
Back New Zealand at 2.77/4
Friday, 17:00
Live on Sky Sports 2

No Ashes action this week but cricket fans are in for a Friday treat as two of the most entertaining one-day outfits in the world come head-to-head in a T20 clash in front of the Sky cameras.

New Zealand come into the game in decent nick having swept Zimbabwe aside by 80 runs in a T20 game, which followed a 2-1 success in the two sides' ODI series. They face a Proteas side who come off the back of an ODI series defeat in Bangladesh, although they did come out on top in the two T20 clashes.

South Africa have quality throughout the team and are rightly favourites but I don't make Kane Williamson's men as big an outsider as the Exchange market and they're the value bet here. DT

5) Aston Villa v Manchester United
Back Over 2.5 Goals at 2.01/1 or better
Friday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 1

Both these teams' games delivered just one goal each at the weekend, but it's difficult to imagine that happening again at Villa Park on Friday night.

Tim Sherwood sides tend to score and concede as a rule - 55 goals scored in his 18 games in charge - and Manchester United under Louis van Gaal have largely been the same.

Evens or better rates as an excellent price for two teams that have exchanged 11 goals between them in their last three meetings, including a 3-1 United win last time out. LM