The Sports Bookie Blog

Bookmaker suspends PFA betting

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has suspended betting on this season’s PFA Player of the Year award after an ‘avalanche’ of bets on favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. The Manchester United midfielder opened betting as the 4/9 favourite, but caused the bookmaker to cancel betting after the number of bets, including ’several substantial four figure sums’ drove his price down to 1/10 in less than 24 hours.   

“We tried to keep the market open as long as possible but punters just kept coming for the Portu-geezer,” said a Paddy Power spokesperson. “A Ronaldo win will certainly cost us but we’re hardly the first to have been put on our backsides by his wizardry this season.”

Here’s an example of why we have accounts with multiple bookies - and why you should too if you’re serious about improving your betting profits.

Bet365’s top numbers man, Nigel Ridgeway had the following to say about Saturday’s Tottenham vs Arsenal game

SPURS TO NICK NORTH LONDON GOAL FEST!
We’re getting down to the business-end of the season, and Spurs are fancied to get the job done against Arsenal in Saturday’s north London derby at generous odds of 17/10 (2.70) with bet365, who are once again betting every Premiership game to 107%.

All the recent signs suggest that the two teams are closer in quality now than they have been at any time since Arsene Wenger’s arrival, and the time looks right for Spurs to beat their local rivals for the first time this millennium, but have a bigger bet on the ‘overs’ at bet365’s 4/7 (1.57). Spurs have scored in every league game this year, except against Chelsea and Man United, and the three previous encounters between these two this season have all gone ‘over’.

Home-Draw-Away (1X2)
Tottenham 17-10 (2.70)
Draw          9 - 4 (3.25)
Arsenal       6 - 4 (2.50)

The crew from Paddy Power, top Irish online bookie say the following… fairly lightheartedly - but compare the differences in odds between the 2 bookies for 1X2 pricing. Where will you place your bets?

STONE MAD!!
Apart from the 6 sides in involved in a relegation battle, with 48 goals conceded this season Tottenham have the worst defence in the Premiership. That’s why we were somewhat surprised that Spurs’ assistant manager was so fulsome with his praise for Michael Dawson. We agree with Chris Hughton when he says “Michael has been a real rock for us” but only in the sense that he doesn’t tend to move much and when he does, it can cause havoc for those around him! After much promise, this season has petered out for Spurs and they desperately need to beat Arsenal to have concrete hopes of getting into the UEFA Cup! (Sat 12.45pm Prem+)

Win-Draw-Win
Tottenham  8 - 5 (2.60)
Draw         11 - 5 (3.20)
Arsenal       8 - 5 (2.60)

When I posted this item the best price around on an Arsenal win was at Betsson - but don’t take my word on it, compare the latest live bookmaker odds here at bookielabrat.com

Victor Chandler’s grand gesture to pay out on horses that fell during the Grand National has cost him a cool £300,000!

A total of 14 horses fell over the 30-fence course - they’ve even awarded free bets to backers of Monkerhostin and Cloudy Bays who actually refused rather than fell! (And who says he doesn’t deserve the title Gentleman Bookmaker?)

Free Bet Funds available now! If you placed a bet on a Grand National faller your free bet is in your VCBet account now.

Guys - Remember, you must use your Promo Cash within seven days.
Use it or lose it…

Online bookie, Gamebookers is running a competition exclusively for European punters* offering winners tickets to Europe’s biggest final  - the Champions League final in Athens on May 23.

This fantastic prize includes two nights’ accommodation in a five-star hotel in Athens and €1,000 spending money. Nice.

How do I enter?
To be entered into the prize draw, log in to Gamebookers (or register and open an account if you do not already have one…) and place a bet of at least €20 on the outright winner of the Champions League. You’ll get one entry to the draw for every €20 you bet.

The competition closes May 2, 2007, at 00:00 CET

*To be eligible to enter you need to have a real money account at Gamebookers and not be domiciled outside Europe nor in a Restricted Territory: Bulgaria, Myanmar, India, Afghanistan, Cook Islands, France, Cuba, Guatemala, Iran, Iraq, Israel North Korea, Libya, Nauru, Nigeria, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, USA and China

>>GO TO GAMEBOOKERS

Who the hell are Gamebookers?
Gamebookers used to be a great online bookie - one of our favourites, especially for player promotions and rewards (like free World Cup shirts…) and an outstandingly easy to use web site - but since they’ve been owned by the Party Gaming crew they seem to have ‘lost the plot’ a tad.

Gamebookers is Antigua licensed and now operates as the trading name for Party’s Denicrest Sports (Antigua) Limited. We still rate them as a safe, reliable bookie, but they have not retained the shine of their former years.

Ah, right… we’re not so sure Paddy is playing by the rules on this one - isn’t he s’posed to give us at least SOME chance of winning our cash back?

West Ham v Chelsea - Wed 8pm Sky Sports 1
Paddy Power will refund all losing 1st/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast single bets on this match if West Ham win this game. Max Refund €300/£200 per customer.

… and here are Paddy’s latest Win-Draw-Win (1X2) odds on the game…
West Ham  11 - 2 (6.50)
Draw         11 - 4 (3.25)
Chelsea      1 - 2  (1.50)

If you’d like a punt at the Correct Score you can also take on some ‘betting insurance’ on Wednesday’s West Ham vs Chelsea game at Bet365

Bet365 Big Match Correct Score FREE BET Offer

Have a winning correct score bet at Bet365 on a ‘Big Match’ and Bet365 will give you a free correct score bet to the same stake value on the next Bet365 ‘Big Match’. If your free bets wins you qualify for another free bet on the next big match. (Maximum bet is £50 or currency equivalent per match).  All bets 90 minutes play only. [I’m picking 2-0 myself… or at a push 2-1]

How this Big Match offer works is that you keep picking winners and the crew at Bet365 will keep giving you free bets!

PS: This offer is available on selected televised games every week of the UK football season - check the bet365.com web site for details, it’s hidden under ‘Promotions’

PPS: No US bettors were invited to partake in illegal online gambling activity as the result of posting this blog…

Manchester United are odds-on for the FA Cup following their 4-1 demolition of Watford.

A pair of goals from Wayne Rooney and a goal each for Cristiano Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson ensured a smooth passage to Wembley for United, who are now odds-on across the board for an FA Cup triumph.

Chelsea face Blackburn on Sunday at Old Trafford in the second semi-final as big favourites to make the final.

Chelsea are priced at 1.60 for the win (at Interwetten), while Blackburn are as big as 6.50 (at PaddyPower)

OUTRIGHT FAVOURITES
Ahead of the second semi-final the best odds outright winner odds are :
- Man United 1.80 (4/5) at Bet365
- Chelsea … 2.38 (11/8) at BetFred
- Blackburn 15.00 (14/1) at BetFred

Betting on the FA Cup Semis? Here’s a couple of money back specials at two of our top rated online bookmakers.

Shev’s Special: Blackburn v Chelsea  FA Cup Semi-Final (Sunday, 16:00 - Live on SS1)

Betfred will refund all losing correct score, first/last goalscorer and scorecast single bets on the Blackburn v Chelsea game as a free bet – if Andriy Shevchenko scores the last goal! Own goals do not count and the maximum free bet you’ll get back is £100 (or your currency equivalent) per customer.

BetFred.com also has a free-to-enter Golden Goal competition running on this same game. Why not try your luck predicting the time of the first goal in the Blackburn v Chelsea on Sunday? I’m picking 06:01. You can win a £100 free bet!!  (If you get it pretty close but not exact, Fred also pays out £50 or £25 free bets to the closest entry)

And of course top Irish online bookie and special bet/novelty bet specialist PaddyPower has a Money Back Special on this game…

Paddy’s graphics team haven’t got the promo image on site yet (so I’ll update this post when it arrives) but here is the offer: “Shoot-out of Luck“ - Paddy Power will refund all losing single 1st/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast bets on the Blackburn v Chelsea FA Cup Semi-Final if the match goes to a penalty shoot-out.  Max refund €300/£200 per customer.

Are You in 7th Heaven? 

Paddy’s paying out again! Man Utd v Roma…

No question about this one! As Man Utd won this match by 3 or more goals, Paddy Power are refunding all losing 1st/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast single bets on the match! Max Refund €300/£200 per customer.

We rate this savvy Irish bookie highly for special bets and novelty betting opportunities. The Football Money-Back Specials at Paddy Power are always worth a look and pay out surprisingly often! Check out our latest bookmaker review of PaddyPower.com here.

A summary of the latest Football news headlines brought to you by UK’s Globet Sports Bookmaker and the team at BookieLabRat.com. 

Man Utd’s Ferguson shrugs off Roma ref moans
Some Roma players have accused Ferguson of criticising Fandel in an attempt to put pressure on Michel.  Defender Christian Panucci said: “Ferguson is nervous and that’s why he criticised Fandel. He’s experienced and trying to put pressure on the referee for Old Trafford.”  The United manager showed little interest in the criticism yesterday and chose instead to spell out his belief in his team. “I think the players have proved they can handle pressure,” said Ferguson. “There’s always tension when you come to this time of the season. This is when things are decided. The nature of this club is to recover well from defeat. “Losing a game is not an unusual fact of football life. Everyone loses at some point but it’s what you do about it that makes a team.”

Roeder can’t believe criticism copped by Arsenal’s Wenger
Before yesterday’s 0-0 draw with the Gunners, Roeder said: “My respect for Arsene Wenger and what he has achieved at Arsenal in the past 10 years could not be greater. “One of the reasons for this is Arsenal’s continuity and I was surprised to hear criticism levelled at him on Saturday night. “But football is such a focal point in people’s lives these days and all managers know what the climate is, but we stay in the game because we love it.”

Chelsea’s Drogba: I’ll never play for Premiership rival
He said: “It is out of the question that I could play for another English club. “I would like to spend many years here while continuing to play at my best level. It was not for nothing I decided to extend my contract with Chelsea. “It is more than two years that I have worked like a madman for the club and I still want to win trophies with them. “In any case, this team can go very far. Its room for progress is enormous. It is built to win trophies.”

Tottenham concern as Lee may miss season
According to reports in South Korea, Lee will be sidelined for at least three months after tearing the outer ligament in his left knee during last Thursday’s 2-1 Uefa Cup quarter-final first-leg defeat in Sevilla.  Tottenham, though, regard that assessment as premature and are expected to release a statement regarding the extent of Lee’s injury today, says the Guardian.

We think PaddyPower.com’s promotions team may have gone a bit far with this cash back offer over the Easter weekend.

Entitled “Crist Has Risen” even we think it is in pretty baaaad taste. “Crist” of course referring to the intrepid little winker Cristiano Ronaldo.

The graphic on Paddy’s web site that usually accompanies all his cash back offers seems to have taken a hit. Gone walk about. Hhmmm. P’raps they’re just replacing the image with something a little less inflammatory/offensive? In the interim, here is the original Winker pic - this was a stunner (…even more so as I was at the game in Portugal).

OK, so here’s the not-so-tasteful Money-Back Special offer: Paddy Power will refund all losing 1st/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast single bets on Saturday’s Portsmouth v Man Utd match if Cristiano Ronaldo scores the last goal of this game.  Own goals do not count and a maximum refund of €300/£200 per customer is on offer.

Portsmouth v Man Utd  - plays Sat 5.15pm and is live on SS1.

Have a look at Paddy’s Weekend Special ”Denied’ Accumulator free bet offers:
If only one team fails to win Paddy’ll will give you a FREE BET to the same stake on the 1st Goalscorer in the Liverpool v PSV Champions League 1/4 final 2nd leg on Wednesday night!

>Lucky Dip: Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Coventry and Plymouth all to win   105/1
>Dreaming of Europe: Reading, Blackburn, Newcastle, Bolton and Hearts all to win         103/1
>Promotion Pushers: Preston, Southampton, Cardiff, Wolves and West Brom all to win   75/1
>North West Kings: Liverpool, Bolton, Preston, Blackburn and Tranmere all to win             90/1

Check out more Weekend Football accumulator options on site at PaddyPower.com