Boris Johnson is on course to remain UK prime minister for another year at least, according to online betting sites, as he’s surged in popularity over the last month, with odds of 1/4 for a 2022 exit.
Johnson has been in charge of the country during its biggest crisis since the second world war but appears to have ridden the worst of the storm as we head towards the summer months. The UK has one of the worst Covid death rates in Europe yet Johnson’s popularity has steadily risen since the government delivered on its promise to exit the EU in the New Year.
However, despite delivering on Brexit and rolling out a very successful vaccine program throughout the UK, it’ll be interesting to see if the sheer weight of Dominic Cummings’ allegations, amongst many other things, will see the hot water Johnson currently resides in reach boiling point? And while the 2022 exit at 1/4 looks very short, a few bookmakers were offering prices of 1/7 just a few days ago, which would suggest that BoJo is heading in the ‘right’ direction.
Meanwhile, according to Paddy Power, Johnson is 7/1 to lose his job as UK prime minister before the end of 2021. That price has steadily risen as the year has rolled on and, with an 81-seat majority in the Commons, it appears unlikely the PM will be ousted by his own party before next year.
The next general election is not scheduled until the summer of 2024, yet the Conservatives could look to trigger a snap election before then – a challenge Labour would most likely take up.
Who are Johnson’s potential successors?
Should Johnson meet his end, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is the favourite to become next PM, priced at 16/5.
Second-favourite is labour leader Keir Starmer, but his ascension would involve his party winning a general election, but he’s available at 41/10. Michael Gove can be backed at 8/1, while Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab are at 24/1 and 20/1, respectively.
BestofBets.com spokesperson said: “Despite the turmoil at the top of government over the past 18 months, Johnson is still resonating with the British public.
“Delivering Brexit came hand-in-hand with January’s launch of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out which to date has fully immunised over 25m people with a second dose.
“And although this is great, the recent headlines in the press appear to have spurred on the political betting markets and if the latest betting is anything to go by, Boris will most likely leave within 12-18 months.
‘As to who will take over, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is the 16/5 consensus favourite ahead of Labour’s Keir Starmer at 41/10, meaning no clear frontrunner has yet been established but that could easily change.”
Sports-specific betting guides by Best Of Bets
Whether you are sharpening your staking strategy or learning the markets, these sport-by-sport guides are designed to help you bet smarter. They complement our news coverage and odds insight with practical, actionable advice you can use today.
Our team reviews the UK’s leading bookmakers and surfaces value across pre-match and in-play markets. Use the banners and links on this page to compare prices and sign-up offers from the brands we recommend, subject to eligibility and T&Cs.
How to bet on major sports with smart strategy
The most effective bettors build a repeatable process: research, price estimation, market selection, and disciplined staking. This section outlines how that process adapts across football, horse racing, tennis, cricket, golf, and combat sports.
Always shop around for price, as a small odds edge compounds over time. Click through our bookmaker partners via the on-page banners to check today’s prices and promotions, and remember that odds and offers can change quickly.
Football betting guide: markets, tips and value
Football offers deep markets, from match result and Asian handicap to player shots, cards and corners. Your edge comes from combining team news, schedule context, and your own fair odds versus what the market is offering.
Prioritise leagues you know and cut noise by focusing on repeatable stats like expected goals, chance quality, and set-piece threat. Avoid chasing late steam moves unless your data agrees with the price shift.
Key markets explained and how to price the odds
Match result and double chance are straightforward, but handicap and goal lines often hide better value because pricing errors are less obvious. Build a simple model from expected goals, adjust for home advantage and rest, then convert to probabilities.
For player props, anchor your projections to minutes expected, role, and opposition style. Price sensitivity is high on low lines, so small edges matter more.
Data sources, team news and injury information
Focus on verified team news, manager press conferences, and late line-up confirmations to refine minutes and roles. Travel, fixture congestion, and tactical matchups often matter more than headline form.
Use rolling ten-game underlying metrics to smooth out variance. Re-check your numbers 60 minutes before kick-off in case of rotation or weather shifts.
Horse racing betting guide: cards, form, pace
Racing is a price-driven sport where value appears when the market misreads pace, draw, ground, or intent. Start by profiling race conditions, using the horse’s past efforts at today’s trip, class, and going.
Estimate likely pace maps to flag front-runners with an uncontested lead, or closers favoured by strong early fractions. Each-way terms can be powerful in large, competitive handicaps.
Form reading, speed ratings and draw bias tips
Blend visual form with speed figures and collateral form lines to calibrate ability. On turning tracks, draw and early position can swing results more than raw talent.
Ground changes on the day can invalidate historic ratings, so be ready to reassess. Watch market drift or strength for stable intent, but do not follow it blindly.
Staking plans, bankroll and each-way management
Keep win bets for condensed fields with a clear pace or class edge. Use each-way when place terms are generous versus your estimated true place probability.
Stake to a percentage of bankroll, not to a hunch. Variance in racing is high, so smaller, consistent stakes preserve your position for the next edge.
Tennis betting guide: surfaces, stats and form
Player performance is highly surface-dependent, and recent form can be misleading if it ignores surface switches. Model hold and break rates by surface, then adjust for fatigue and travel between events.
Head-to-heads matter only after accounting for context such as surface, player age curve, and injury lay-offs. Tiebreak frequency helps when pricing over/under games.
Break points, hold percentages and scheduling
Hold percentage is the backbone of set and match pricing, while break point conversion regresses toward a player median. Use rolling 52-week surface splits for a balanced view.
Scheduling quirks, late finishes and travel can reduce serve speed or footwork the next day. That can tilt value towards unders or opposing a favourite in early rounds.
Cricket betting guide: formats, odds and value
Format dictates volatility: T20 prices swing fast, while Tests reward patience and weather reading. Always price powerplay intent, boundary rate, and death-overs specialists for white-ball games.
Team selection by venue is pivotal, especially spin versus pace balance. Batting order clarity drives true player-run lines and top batter markets.
Pitch reports, weather impact and innings timing
Pitch type and dew factor can flip the chasing advantage in limited overs. Use toss outcomes to refine totals and match odds rather than to gamble on coin flips.
In Tests, deteriorating surfaces and overheads alter wicket probabilities session by session. Calibrate draws and session markets to real-time forecasts.
Golf betting guide: outright, each way and stats
Outright markets are long-odds by nature, so disciplined each-way staking and place terms are key. Identify course fit using strokes gained profiles and historic performance on similar layouts.
Consider weather wave splits on coastal or exposed courses. First-round leader bets are sensitive to tee-time and wind windows.
Tournament profiles, strokes gained and trends
Strokes gained off-the-tee and approach usually predict consistency, while putting is volatile week to week. Course setup can favour bombers or precision players depending on rough and green speeds.
Use three-year event trends cautiously, as field strength and setups evolve. Build shortlists from ball-striking form, then price each candidate versus market.
Boxing and MMA betting guide: odds and props
Styles make fights, so matchup analysis outranks records. Price bouts by pace, cardio, defence and path to victory rather than headline knockout rates.
Prop markets like method of victory or rounds often carry better edges. Beware judging tendencies in certain jurisdictions for close fights.
Round betting, judges, styles and contextual form
Pressure fighters versus counter-punchers create predictable tempo arcs, which inform round-timing bets. Southpaw versus orthodox dynamics affect lead-hand exchanges and scoring optics.
Mixed martial arts demands wrestling and grappling assessment alongside striking. Camp changes and weight cuts can materially alter durability and gas tank.
Comparing odds, boosts and free bet offer terms
A 0.05 swing in decimal odds can change the long-term yield more than most people realise. Always compare top book prices before placing a bet, and consider exchange prices for reference where permitted.
Use our on-page links to the bookmakers we recommend to check today’s boosts and sign-up deals. Only claim offers that fit your staking plan, and remember that T&Cs and eligibility criteria apply.
Offer eligibility, key terms and qualifying bets
Read qualifying stake size, minimum odds, expiry times, and payment method exclusions. Free bet stakes are often not returned with winnings, which changes your expected value.
Opt-in requirements and bet builder exclusions are common. Track your offer deadlines so you do not place rushed bets that break your process.
How to extract value without chasing promotions
Treat promotions as a bonus to an already positive expected value selection, not as the reason to bet. If a boost moves a fair price to an overlay, that is actionable, otherwise pass.
Avoid building multi-legs just to meet offer criteria if it dilutes your edge. Discipline will protect your bankroll and reduce regret.
In-play betting strategies across popular sports
Live betting rewards speed and structure, not impulse. Pre-build scenarios and trigger points so you know when to act and when to leave prices alone.
Anchor your in-play decisions to the pre-match model and only adjust for genuine information like injuries, tactical changes, or weather shifts. Momentum is often overstated by the market.
Latency, cash-out, partial hedging and limits
Expect delays between seeing an event and prices updating, especially on streams. Do not chase stale numbers that will be voided or limited.
Cash-out can be a useful hedging tool, but it is priced with margin. Consider manual hedges where markets are liquid and time allows.
Bankroll management and safer gambling toolkit
Set a monthly betting budget you can afford to lose and stick to it. Stake a small, consistent percentage per selection to manage variance.
Gambling is for adults aged 18+ only. If betting stops being fun, stop and use safer gambling tools provided by licensed operators.
Deposit limits, time-outs and reality checks
Use deposit limits and loss limits to manage spending across accounts. Time-outs and self-exclusion can help you take a break when needed.
Enable reality checks and activity statements to track behaviour. Reviewing your history keeps you accountable to your plan.
Recognising harm and where to find support
Warning signs include chasing losses, hiding spend, and betting with borrowed money. If you recognise these, stop betting and seek independent support.
Operators must provide links to help services and offer account-level tools. Use them early rather than late, and prioritise your wellbeing.
Matchday checklist and quick research workflow
Effective prep reduces errors and emotion. This two-step checklist helps you go from shortlists to selections with confidence.
Price your picks, compare top odds, and confirm stake sizing. If the market does not offer value, the correct bet is no bet.
Pre-match data checks and value confirmation
Confirm team news, surface or going, weather, and schedule factors. Re-run your fair odds and compare to multiple bookmakers via our on-page links.
Record the closing line to review your read after the event. That feedback loop is how edges grow over the long term.
Ready to put your process into action? Compare the latest odds, boosts and sign-up deals from our trusted UK bookmakers using the banners and links on this page, and always check eligibility and T&Cs before you join.
Bet responsibly, keep gambling fun, and only for 18+ adults. If you are unsure about any market or term, ask the operator’s customer support before you place a bet.
Please gamble responsible – online gambling is for 18+ aged adults only. Please review the terms of the online casinos and bookmakers we advertise here on our site.
What are Best Of Bets’ sports-specific betting guides?
They are practical, sport-by-sport tutorials that show you how to research, price markets and stake sensibly across football, horse racing, tennis, cricket, golf and combat sports.
How do I build a smart betting process for major sports?
Follow a repeatable four-step routine—research, fair price estimation, market selection and disciplined staking—then adapt it to the nuances of each sport.
How can I compare odds and sign-up offers on BestOfBets.com?
Use the on-page banners and links to our recommended UK bookmakers to check today’s prices, boosts and welcome deals—always check eligibility, key terms (like minimum odds and expiry) and that free bet stakes aren’t returned.
What football betting stats should I prioritise for value?
Focus on team news, expected goals, chance quality, set-piece threat and schedule context, and only back prices that beat your fair odds.
What matters most when betting on horse racing?
Read the race conditions, pace maps, draw and going, blend visual form with speed ratings, and consider each-way terms in big handicaps.
Which tennis metrics help predict matches?
Model hold and break rates by surface, adjust for fatigue and travel, and use tiebreak frequency to price totals.
How do pitch and weather influence cricket bets?
Account for format volatility, venue-specific selection, dew and toss effects in white-ball games, and session-by-session conditions in Tests.
How should I approach golf outrights and each-way staking?
Build shortlists via strokes gained and course fit, consider weather wave splits, and use disciplined each-way staking with fair place terms.
What should I know about in-play betting, cash out and latency?
Pre-plan triggers based on your pre-match model, adjust only for real information, be aware of streaming delays, and remember cash-out includes margin.
What safer gambling and bankroll tips do you recommend?
Set a budget you can afford to lose, stake a small consistent percentage per bet, and use tools like deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion if needed, 18+ only.
