Best Of Bets

Category: News

  • BestofBets Joshua vs Usyk Betting

    With Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder’s much-anticipated WBC trilogy fight to come on October 9th, first this weekend, Anthony Joshua defends his undisputed WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

    Billed as ‘The Perfect Storm’ 31-year-old Joshua makes the second defence of his crown since defeating Andy Ruiz Jr. in their Saudi Arabia rematch back in December 2019 and will fight in north London for the first time since his epic bout with Wladimir Klitschko, under the Wembley arch in 2017.

    Set to be roared on by 60,000+ fans just miles from his native Watford, Joshua faces one of his toughest challenges to date in former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk. In just his third fight at heavyweight since moving up, it will be another British-Ukrainian duel in the capital, with both men having won Olympic gold during London 2012.

    At his natural weight, Joshua is heavy favourite to beat a durable fighter in Usyk at the longest price of 7/15 with SBK. Usyk meanwhile, is currently available at 9/4 with William Hill, UniBet and all other major bookies to inflict a second career defeat on the Briton.

    Usyk has never been stopped during his 18-fight professional career, with Joshua himself only once beaten inside 12 rounds – his infamous Madison Square Garden loss. If we consider also that Joshua has gone the distance in two of his last five fights, punters are beginning to come round to the idea that Saturday’s bout could go to the judges’ scorecards. BetVictor are offering a price of 6/4 for it to happen. If the fight does go to a decision, that could open then open up the possibility of the draw to further muddy any fight with Fury or Wilder, and SBK’s value of 23/1 could yet be made to look silly.

    If we examine potential methods of victory meanwhile, Joshua is 11/10 with PaddyPower to win via KO, TKO or DQ. An Usyk win is more likely to come via decision at 4/1 with BetFred or SkyBet, but it should also be noted that Usyk has 13 KOs to his name, and for the Ukrainian to beat Joshua by KO or TKO, Betfair, William Hill and Bet365 are carrying long, but not implausible odds of7/1.

    Could Joshua be looking for a statement win meanwhile? After his experiences against Andy Ruiz Jr, it could be another watchful night for the Briton but for Joshua to win during rounds 1-6, SkyBet’s boost of 7/2 from 5/2 is one to ponder.

    In other fight specials available, the last time Joshua faced Ukrainian opposition in north London, both he and Klitschko both hit the canvas, followed by AJ’s spectacular 11th-round demolition of Dr. Steelhammer. The potential for a repeat this weekend is there and for both fighters to be knocked down and either Joshua to win or for the fight to go the distance, both PaddyPower and Betfair have odds of 10/1 well worth a dash. For both men to be knocked down outright, the same bookies’ Power Price is out to 15/2 from 7s.

  • BestofBets – Ryder Cup bets

    BestofBets – Ryder Cup bets

    It’s time to dust off those team colours when the USA and Europe meet for the greatest prize in tournament golf once more, as the 43rd Ryder Cup begins at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin on Friday.

    Having regained the trophy at Le Golf National in 2018, Team Europe arrive in the Badger State after their emphatic 10 ½ – 17 ½ victory in the shadow of Paris three years ago. Despite having won on US soil twice since the turn of the millennium though, two of Europe’s last three trips to American shores have resulted in defeat including at Hazeltine in 2016. The memory of Medinah back in 2012 lingers fondly however, after their remarkable comeback in Chicago but the statistic remains, that in six of the last seven Ryder Cups, the host team have been victors.

    As captains Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker throw down on the shores of Lake Michigan, the US are favourites to regain the trophy, boasting one of their strongest teams in recent memory, with no less than eight players ranked in the top 10. The hosts are 1/2 with all major bookies.

    Team Europe should not be written off by any stretch though, and with world number one Jon Rahm the visitors are also banking on the same winning formula of experience from Europe’s old heads. That comes in the form of wildcard picks Sergio Garcia – the leads points scorer in Ryder Cup history – and the man who epitomises the competition, Ian Poulter. The men in blue are 5/2 currently with both Betfair and PaddyPower to retain.

    Many pundits are predicting a similar scoreline of five years ago when Davis Love III’s team won by a resounding six-point margin, and for a US win by 4-6 points, Bet365 are offering a 15/4 price. A narrow 1-3-point win for the visitors meanwhile – having won by that difference in five of the last nine Ryder Cups – is available at a boosted 5/1 price with SkyBet. As defending champions, it should also not be forgotten that Europe only need to reach the magic 14-point mark to retain, so could a draw yet play out? Only once has that occurred in the tournament’s now 94-year history, but at 14/1 with MansionBet, could 1989 repeat itself? Stranger things have happened, right?

    No less than nine rookies will play at Whistling Straits this weekend, and of the six US players, Xander Schauffele or new FedEx Cup winner Patrick Cantlay are tipped to take the most points at 3/1 and 11/4 with William Hill. Scottie Scheffler’s inclusion could yet be a masterstroke by Stricker though, and his value of 7s with Bet365 may be worth an outlay.

    If we examine the overall points market, from a European point of view, Poulter will again hope to have a major say in the Ryder Cup’s outcome but is regarded as the least likely of the wildcard picks to make an impression. Surely then, BoyleSport’s 5/2 odds for Poulter as winning captain’s pick looks value? More widely, For the Englishman to be the top combined points scorer meanwhile, lofty odds of 28/1 with BetVictor and SkyBet are not to be sniffed at, nor are his chances of top performer of his five compatriots at 19/4 with Bet365. Could Poulter then repeat his four-point haul of 2012? 13/2 with SkyBet is also appealing.

    For the Americans, Justin Thomas is fancied to take home the most for the US at 11/2 widely, but what of a resurgent Jordan Spieth? Runner-up at Royal St. George’s back in July, the Texan has become a growing force this season once more. His 15/2 price across the board looks value.

    Finally, it wouldn’t be a Ryder Cup without a hole in one and BetFred can oblige you at a very decent 9/2, whilst for another novelty punt, an ace during Day 1’s foursomes or fourballs for either the US or Europe is 7/1 with SkyBet.

  • NFL: Carolina Panthers vs Houston Texan

    NFL: Carolina Panthers vs Houston Texan

    The Carolina Panthers are off to a 2-0 start after wins over the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints and judging by the team’s recent performances, and latest odds, the Panthers are likely to move to 3-0 after Thursday night’s game against the Houston Texans.

    Texans’ starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss Thursday’s game so instead, rookie Davis Mills will start.
    The Panthers defence has been fierce through two games and has applied a ton of pressure on the quarterback. They recorded six sacks and 10 QB hits on Zach Wilson and followed that up with four sacks and 11 QB hits on Jameis Winston. Those stats make you feel for Mills considering this will be his first NFL start; even more so as Darnold has so far delivered everything the Panthers needed from him…and even more.

    Latest from Oddschecker:

    Carolina Panthers 5/18

    Houston Texans 17/5

  • BestofBets GW5 Premier League bets

    After a midweek of frenzied European action, the Premier League returns this weekend headlined by Sunday’s London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

    Having suffered their first loss of the season away to fellow capital opponents in Crystal Palace, Spurs return home to face joint-top Chelsea, who have conceded just one goal in four this term. With Romelu Lukaku hitting a brace against Aston Villa in Gameweek 4 and netting in midweek against Zenit, the Belgian will be huge threat to the hosts here, indeed Chelsea are resounding favourites at a best price of 5/6 with BetFred and SpreadEx. Whilst the draw could tempt a few also at 11/4 with Bet365 and most major bookies, it is worth considering however, that Spurs bucked 5/1 initial odds to beat the champions Manchester City on opening day in their own back yard. Could Nuno mastermind another win here, now with Harry Kane back in the ranks? 4/1 with SBK says they can.

    For those eyeing the scorer markets meanwhile, the double of Kane and Lukaku both to score will be popular come Sunday afternoon, and at a boosted 6/1 from 5s with SkyBet, punters could cushion the blow of Monday’s return to work

    To begin the weekend’s action however, Newcastle United face Leeds United at St. James’ Park, with Magpies’ boss Steve Bruce in desperate need of home comforts. With just a point on the board and with games on the road at Watford and Wolves to follow before the international break, the visit of the Whites looks like it could be pivotal to Newcastle’s short-term hopes. On paper, this looks like it could provide a spark to GW5’s action with quite a few goals. A high-scoring draw could tempt, at 11/4 with Betfred and Betway, but perhaps the smarter move is to back over 3.5 goals at a very decent value of 7/4 with Betfair.

    How about another goal-glut for Manchester City at home to Southampton? We backed the Cityzens to take Leipzig apart in midweek by four goals and more and having netted a colossal 16 times in the last three at the Etihad, The Saints look like they could be in for another long afternoon on Saturday. Despite the fact Pep Guardiola’s men have scored five goals in each of the last three at home, they are still available at a very healthy 9/2 to hit five more with PaddyPower.

    Liverpool too are comfortably backed to pick up a win at Anfield versus Crystal Palace – as short as 1/4 with SpreadEx – however, The Eagles do have previous with their opponents on Merseyside. Far from us to go against the growing Red wave, Odsonne Edouard introduced himself in explosive fashion off the bench last time out versus Spurs, and the Frenchman may be forced to settle with another spot as Patrick Vieira’s sub this weekend. To back Edouard to score anytime once more might require a deal of patience here, but at 4/1 with Betway, it could be a gamble that pays off.

    Finally, the other game that jumps off the fixture list for GW5 is West Ham’s home clash with Manchester United, as Cristiano Ronaldo looks to continue his hot streak since returning to England. The Irons meanwhile, will be forced to do without the in-form Michail Antonio after his late sending off against Southampton, and that puts the Red Devils in the box seat versus former employee David Moyes’ side. Nevertheless, calling the result looks tricky, but could CR7 grab another brace at one of the few Premier League grounds he is yet to play at? BetVictor and PaddyPower is the place to go at a very generous price of 4/1.

  • BestofBets Italian GP betting

    It’s time to visit the ‘Temple of Speed’ once more this weekend, as Round 14 of the Formula 1 season moves to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.

    Completing three successive race weekends across Europe, Max Verstappen again leads the World Drivers’ Championship albeit by just three points following wins on home turf at both Spa and Zandvoort, looking to make it a triple of wins in Italy.

    For the first race weekend in some time however, the Dutchman is not favourite to take the chequered flag in Lombardy, with Lewis Hamilton marginally the bookies’ choice for his first win in three, at 11/10 with Betfred or boosted to the same price with SkyBet. Verstappen is yet to win at Monza in comparison with Hamilton’s five victories, and perhaps, his 6/5 odds with Betfair, PaddyPower and William Hill reflect this.

    Before the race proper however, F1 Sprint qualifying returns to the weekend’s agenda, with Friday classification followed by sprint the day after to determine the grid. Having made its debut at Silverstone earlier this summer, it was Verstappen who took P1 in Britain, but again here, Hamilton is still considered the slight favourite to secure only his fourth pole of the season over his rival. Whilst Hamilton remains 6/5, Verstappen is holding firm at 6/4, both with Betfair and PaddyPower.

    With three separate segments to the weekend, eyes could also turn to the hat-trick market – that being the winning triple of wins in quali, sprint and the race itself. For Verstappen to be your pick here, SkyBet have another boost on offer at 7/1 that is well worth a ponder.

    Away from the track, the big news in the paddock has been the continuation of the F1 merry-go-round ahead of next season, with George Russell now confirmed to join Mercedes for next year. With Williams having named Alex Albon to fill the Briton’s seat, will Russell now be looking to offer hints to his new boss Toto Wolff of what to expect next term? Sprint could increase the King’s Lynn driver’s chances of making an impression this weekend and to finish in the points, Russell is 2/1 with BetVictor and Betfred.

    Pierre Gasly’s sensational maiden win in F1 for Ferrari’s sister team AlphaTauri last season remains the talk of this particular region in northern Italy, but could the Frenchman get anywhere near the podium alone this weekend? Gasly came home fourth last weekend, holding steady from Q3, and to make the top-six once more in Italy is 13/8, again with BetVictor.

    For Scuderia themselves meanwhile, it would not be an Italian GP without the tifosi and a large helping of rosso, and The Prancing Horse may yet move into a gallop. Charles Leclerc looks probably the best bet to do so having won here with Ferrari two years ago, however, Carlos Sainz Jr. finished runner-up with McLaren last term. How about a Ferrari top-six double then? SkyBet will accommodate at 11/8.

  • Hungary v England betting

    As England play their first international since Euro 2020 on Wednesday, the Three Lions will look to ease their Wembley final heartache from earlier this summer against Italy.

    Sitting pretty atop Group I in World Cup Qualifying with three wins from three, by far England’s toughest game of the entire campaign comes next however, as Three Lions travel to Budapest to face Hungary at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium.

    With the Mighty Magyars unbeaten in the Group thus far like the visitors, Gareth Southgate’s men are still significant favourites to go to 12 points and take a big step toward the World Cup in Qatar next November. England are 2/5 with most major bookies including SkyBet, Bet365, Betfred, William Hill and Paddy Power to take the win on the banks of the Danube.

    But Hungary should not be taken lightly after ruffling more than a few feathers in the Group of Death during the Euros. If we consider also they have scored three times in each of their three qualifiers to date, most importantly, Hungary now have their talisman in the form of Dominik Szoboszlai back and ready to fire after injury. Could Hungary hit two at least more versus England? With Adam Szalai in decent scoring form for both club and country to boot, for the hosts to score twice, Bet365 are offering 6/1 odds well worth exploration.

    A Hungary win is surely too much to expect given England’s attacking wares, so what of the draw? The last time England failed to win a qualifier away from home was less than two years ago during October 2019 in a 2-1 defeat to the Czech Republic, and this does feel like it could be a difficult evening, with a partisan crowd set to roar the hosts on. As such, 7/2 odds on the draw with BetVictor or 17/5 with UniBet looks very good value indeed.

    The individual goalscorer market, similarly, looks like it could carry decent merit. We already spoke of Szoboszlai’s return to the Hungarian fold but having yet to fully impress for new club RB Leipzig after crossing the Red Bull divide from Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, the playmaker will be keen to put on a show versus the Euro runners-up. Szoboszlai is 7/1 to score anytime with Bet365, PaddyPower, Betfair and William Hill. For Both Teams to Score meanwhile, SBK is the place to go for strong 13/9 value.

    If you are one for a long-shot punt, roaming centre-back Attila Fiola is partial to a foray forward for his country and having netted against France in the Euros and in Hungary’s last qualifier against Andorra, Fiola carries a hefty 28/1 odds with Bet365 to score. If the hosts are behind late on, Fiola will be one to watch like a hawk and could bring some serious winnings to brave punters.

    Finally, from an England point of view, set pieces are again set to be the go-to route for goals, and Harry Maguire can still be fetched at a full 9/1 with Bet365 to score in 90 minutes. For a potential Three Lions scorer double meanwhile, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling’s goals led England through their summer odyssey only months ago, and for the two both to notch in Budapest, SkyBet are offering a relatively short but attainable 7/2 price.

  • EARLY SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (SPOTY) BETTING

    As Tokyo 2020 concludes this weekend and with August now with us, the contenders for Sports Personality of the Year 2021 are starting to take shape.

    An Olympic year usually features prominently on the annual shortlist for December, in fact, in every edition of SPOTY with a Summer Games in the same year, an Olympian has scooped the coveted prize since Sydney 2000. With the gold medal tally again mounting up for Team GB in Tokyo, its stars could feature heavily come the end of year gala.

    After winning an emotional and unexpected Olympic title at his fourth attempt, Tom Daley is currently favourite and can be found at the best price with Betfair at 11/2, but at 5/2 with SkyBet is for some, an even surer bet.

    Though the Plymouth diver will carry a sizeable share of the public vote, depending on how GB’s other hopes fair in the remaining days of the Games, Daley’s odds however, could drift.  Laura Kenny now has five Olympic medals after taking a silver in the women’s team pursuit, but her best chance to win gold in Tokyo for a third-successive Games remain in both the omnium and the returning madison events to come.

    Still a lofty 14/1 with MansionBet, perhaps though it is the other half of the Kenny dynasty, Jason Kenny, with the better chance and whose value is beginning to shorten with some bookmakers.  At one point holding a value of 25/1 with SkyBet only days ago, his own silver in the team sprint has seen his price cut to 16s with the same bookie and 9/1 on the Betfair Exchange. It should be noted however, that Bet365 retain his original market value from last week of 25s.

    Now level with Sir Bradley Wiggins on eight Olympic medals, a ninth for Kenny in either the men’s sprint or keirin, will surely slice his odds further in the races left in the Izu Velodrome. Should the colour of said medal(s) be gold, we could then be looking at odds in single digits very soon. It may well already be worth a punt on the Farnworth flyer.

    Adam Peaty’s chances cannot be ruled out either, as part of GB swimming’s most successful Olympics ever. After the Uttoxeter man became the first Brit in the pool to retain his title, Peaty still looks a decent shot at as long as 16/1 with MansionBet, but as short as 5/1 with BetVictor.

    In the football arena meanwhile, despite England reaching the final of Euro 2020, the Three Lions’ failure to beat Italy in the final will surely harm both Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling’s chances at 14s and 16s respectively – both with PaddyPower – so might it be another man on two wheels that could yet feature?

    Having already won SPOTY back in 2011, Mark Cavendish equalled Eddie Merckx’s Tour de France record of 34 stage wins this summer. With four cyclists having scooped SPOTY since 2008, Cav, at a best price of 10/1 with Betfair, perhaps looks the best candidate outside of the Olympic contenders so far.

  • THE OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING

    After a 24-month wait, the cream of golf return to home shores this week for the 149 th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in Kent.

    As Shane Lowry defends the Claret Jug he won at Royal Portrush in 2019, this will be the first time since 2011 the Open has taken place in the south of England.

    So, who do the bookies fancy this weekend?

    Smart money on Rahm

    The undoubted favourite is World number one and US Open champion, Jon Rahm.
    Bringing his wait for a major to an end last month at Torrey Pines, the Spaniard’s game is perfectly
    suited to the Links of Royal St. Georges and with soft conditions and good weather expected, Rahm
    is 17/2 with SportNation, but currently drifting.

    Brooks Koepka meanwhile, looks in strong shape again, to win his fifth major. Having featured in both the PGA and US Open prominently this year, Koepka came home T4 in the Open two years back.
    Still fetching 18/1 odds with MansionBet, William Hill and Bet365 though, the Floridian is approaching his best again and is worth a look.

    As is Louis Oosthuizen, after finishing runner-up to Rahm at Torrey Pines. Returning to The Open as a previous winner – albeit over a decade ago – the South African has been one of the most consistent players around this season and with Bet365 offering a top-five at 13/2, some may also fancy his still encouraging price of 35/1 outright, with BetVictor.

    Brit picks

    For British fans and punters alike, the return of The Open needs a home horse to back so to speak,
    and the best two nominees currently look like Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick – the latter of
    whom lost in a playoff at the Aberdeen Scottish Open last weekend.  Westwood in the same competition meanwhile, rather faded, but will have huge home support from  the galleries in Kent.

    If you’re keen to back either Englishman on home soil, MansionBet will give you 45/1 and 40/1 odds
    respectively.

  • ENGLAND vs DENMARK: BETTORS PREDICTING DENMARK TO CAUSE UPSET

    Following a dominant 4-0 win over Ukraine in the EURO 2020 quarter final, it’s no surprise to see England strong favourites to not only beat Denmark in the semi-final, but also win the tournament outright.

    A spokesperson from BestofBets.com said: “The build up to tonight’s game has been incredible and never, during this tournament, has more bets been place…everyone is getting involved.”

    “But it’s safe to say that although England is the favourite, they face no easy task as the Danish team has shown an incredible team spirit with a strong team ethic. They also boast a win over England when the two teams met in October 2020. A 1-0 win at Wembley will be in the memories of the Danes and they’ll be confident despite their underdog status. This past encounter may be the reason why Denmark have been well backed to defeat England. In fact, in the last 24 hours, Denmark has attracted an impressive 46% of total bets compared to England’s 43%.

    “Moreover, punters have parter with more than £27m in bets ahead of tonight’s clash, which makes the biggest betting bonanza during this tournament.”

    So far in the EURO 2020 tournament, wagering on prop bets has been the way to go. We’ve seen plenty of games make it to extra-time and have plenty of goals. There are so many prop bets available to wager on in the England vs Denmark odds markets. Here’s a few that could be popular with bettors in the build up to the semi-final.

    • Harry Kane is the favourite to score the first goal at 4/1
    • For Denmark, Kasper Dolberg has the shortest odds to score first at 10/1
    • Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen to score anytime in the game at 14/1
    • Jannik Vestergaard, Christensen’s centre-back partner, is also tempting in this market at 22/1

    England vs Denmark odds:

    • England: 7/10
    • Denmark: 9/2
    • Draw: 13/5

    Odds via: BestofBets.com

    So far in the EURO 2020 tournament, wagering on prop bets has been the way to go. We’ve seen plenty of games make it to extra-time and have plenty of goals. There are so many prop bets available to wager on in the England vs Denmark odds markets. Here’s a few that could be popular with bettors in the build up to the semi-final.

    Who will be man of the match for England vs Denmark?

    The man of the match market is always a popular betting option in the major games and it’s no different for the England vs Denmark odds. Our friends at BetVictor have priced up this market. Currently, Harry Kane is the favourite at 5/1 with Raheem Sterling not far behind at 8/1. Of the rest of England’s team, Mason Mount at 10/1 could be worth a wager, he’s likely to strip fitter than he did against Ukraine after his isolation and will ‘pull the strings’ in the England midfield.

    Denmark’s Pierre Emile Hojbjerg plays for Tottenham in the EPL and will know a lot of his opposition, for Denmark to win they’ll need their central midfielder to play well – his odds of 20/1 are definitely appealing.

  • EURO 2020 – SEMI FINALS BETTING

    EURO 2020 – SEMI FINALS BETTING

    And then there were four.

    Having seen 20 teams fall, Euro 2020 reaches the semi-final stage beginning on Tuesday, as Wembley now becomes the focus for the final five days of the tournament.

    Much like it did in 2018, football fever has again gripped the nation, with England in their second successive major tournament semi-final on the bounce.

    But this time, England are on home turf under the Wembley Arch.

    For football to indeed come home, the Three Lions face a rather sterner test than the limp Ukrainians they took apart in Rome on Saturday night.  The hosts however, are still regarded as strong favourites to reach their first final in 55 years, at 3/4 with SBK and 20/27 with MansionBet.

    But Denmark cannot be sold short at their chances of reaching the final.

    Alongside England, the Danes are the team who perhaps hold the biggest momentum going into the last four, also riding a wave of emotion. Their 9/2 price with Betfair, Betfred, PaddyPower and UniBet, looks surprisingly long, but therefore appealing.

    Extra time on Wednesday night is a more than likely scenario also, leaving the draw after 90 mins at 11/4 with SpreadEx, a more than accommodating punt.

    England are also yet to concede a goal at the tournament in five games, but for Denmark to finally break through are 8/11, or to notch twice at 4/1, both with SkyBet.

    In Tuesday’s first semi-final, the ever-impressive Italy are the bookies’ favourites to make Sunday’s final, but still at a very decent 6/4 with Bet365, Betfair and MansionBet.

    Could however, Leonardo Spinazzola’s absence greatly dent the Azzurri’s chances?

    Their opponents Spain have rediscovered their goalscoring touch as the Euros have rolled on, but La Roja still lack a clinical frontman.  That factor is greatly influencing Spain’s chances in the markets, but Luis Enrique’s men can still be had to win at 21/10 with 888sport and BetVictor, amongst others.

    For those of you with a keen eye on the race for the Golden Boot meanwhile, five goals is the current magic total, but it is dually held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick, both of whose teams have been eliminated.

    Having now scored in back-to-back games, Harry Kane looks to have got his mojo back, and is just two off that total, with three goals thus far.  For the England skipper to not only close the gap but to take the prize, SkyBet still have Kane at an enticing 8/1.