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Hull v Leeds

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:44:20 +0200

Leeds-12.5

Leeds can move to within 2 points of Saints with the win and i believe they can do it by more than a couple of scores.

We seen a super performance by the Rhinos on their last away trip in London as Quins were hammered. Maybe they were not at their best last week against Bradford.It was a very close game. But it is a derby game, and the Bulls were always going to be right up for that. 3 wins in a row means Leeds have a bit of momentum and the pitches are perfect this time of year for their free flowing rugby.

Hull are a terrible run, 1 win from the last 6, and they were lucky to get that in a very close match with newly promoted Salford. Saints won here easily and Leeds hammered them when the sides met just over a month ago at Headingly.

On paper, its not a bad looking squad Hull have and to be fair a decent start to the season means the black and whites are very much in the running for the play offs. But its a side on the slide, still missing players through injury. Only 2 trys scored last week at Warrington, thats the 3rd time in 4 games Hull have only managed 2 trys or less. Theres a real lack of confidence with ball and hand and to be honest a lack of speed.

12 points is a big start i admit. But although it should be a tight start to the game i think Leeds will cover it in the second half. I like the fact Saints lost on Friday as this will have given the Leeds boys a huge lift knowing that gap could be down to just 2 points.

Hulls ex Leeds forward Jamie Thackrey launched an amazing attack on Brian McLennan this week. The Rhinos manager decided not to bite and instead leave his players do the talking on the park on Saturday.

Keith Senior should have a big game for Leeds. He plays his 500th game for the Rhinos and should line up against the Horne brothers. Hull have had big problems all year defending that right hand edge and there is no one better at busting the line or adding the finishing touches to a flowing move than the Rhinos centre. Im also expecting a big game from Scot Donald. Hes not quite been at his best since his return from injury but thats normal after a while out. I think this is the kind of game where we will see him back on top form as Hull are not the quickest side in super league.

Leeds -12.5 to beat Hull with bet365 at evens.

Tipster:Sandy
Pick :leeds-12.5
Stake:8/10
Odds:2.00 @ Bet 365 - {click here for 100 % deposit bonus + FREE live TV + best live betting platform}

Seppi vs Schwank

Tue, 12 May 2009 01:44:23 +0200

MUTUA MADRILENA - Madrid Open 2009 - Seppi vs Schwank

Looking over the matches that are available today at the Madrid 1000 Masters event, I spotted a few good matches to bet on, with good value.But one really caught my eye.

Now, when you first take a look at the odds, you might say that there isn't much value here, but I must say that there is.
First of all the odds are going down as we speak. I can't believe Pinnacle is still offering 1.58, while most of the other bookmakers are somewhere around 1.50.

That is for a Seppi win.

Taking in consideration what these two players have to offer, I can see only one winner here, and that is the Italian.

Schwank is a relatively big player, which doesn't have any big qualities, and that is reflected in the current ATP standings. His main weapons would be his serve and his forehand.
But if we are to compare these to Seppi's serve and forehand, you can have only one winner.

Both players enjoy playing on clay courts but again I have to mention here that the results and current form is on the Italian's side.

Still, I am worried about one thing, and this would be the only reason why I am not going full stakes on this, and that is that Schwank is a qualifier, which means that he is more used to the grounds here, than Seppi. The italian just came from Serbia where he was defeated by N. Djokovic in the semi-finals.

But the only time these two players met, Seppi started extreamly well taking the first set 6-1, but it's worth mentioning the conditions where a bit different there.

So, my bet tip is Seppi to win. Almost full stakes. Any odds over 1.55 are worth taking.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Seppi win
Stake:10/10
Odds:1.58 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

LA Dodgers vs Washington Nationals

Thu, 07 May 2009 19:30:28 +0200

The dodgers have notched up their 13 straight home win last night to set an all time modern day record for the most amoung of consecutive wins at home. Their 7 runs errupted in the 6th inning helped them a great deal to power past the nationals comfortably. The loss stretched Washington's away record to a horrible 3-9 and gives them little chance again today. The only glimmer of hope for them is that their starting pitcher have done considerably well for them this season with a 2-1 record and a 4+ era. But i do not think their bullpen will be able to handle a hot dodgers attack.

Randy wold for the dodgers have got a respectable rea f 3.93 in three starts and his prevoous start was a no decision. I think the dodgers at their homeground are a team that brings fear down the spines of visiting opponents and I can only see them winning yet another match to improve their record.

LA Dodgers -1.5 @ 2.35 with centrebet

Tipster:r3ds
Pick :LA Dodgers -1.5
Stake:10/10
Odds:2.35 @ Centrebet - {click here to get your £20 Free Bet from Centrebet}

Serra vs Blake

Fri, 08 May 2009 11:54:51 +0200

The first thing that caught my eye for this match were the odds.

Blake is favorite for this match, and I see no strong reason for that. I suppose the two consecutive matches won on clay here at Estoril have something to do with it. But as far as I'm concerned, the two wins are not so important. The first match was against Gil, a player with a lot of ambition and some qualities, but with lack of experience. The second match was against Frenchman M. Gicqeul, a player which is starting to show his age. Prior to this clay court tournament, Blake has played 2 more this season, one in Houston where he lost in the first match against Canas and the second tournament is the Rome Masters 1000 event in which he was defeated by Romanian qualifier V. Crivoi.

Blake's opponent will be another Frenchman, F. Serra. I would qualify Serra's game similar to the one Gil is playing, only Serra has much more experience to rely on.So far this season, Serra has played a few clay court tournaments, from which he even reached a final in Casablanca.The other 2 tournaments where the Masters 1000 events where he had an unlucky draw and played Karlovic in Monte Carlo and Stepanek in Rome.The last match here in Estoril was played against J. Monaco, and that win should give his a boost in confidence, as Monaco has been playing great tennis recently.

So, even with a small to medium stake, I have to place a bet here on Serra.I just can't trust Blake on a clay court.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Serra win
Stake:4/10
Odds:2.22 @ Bet 365 - {click here for 100 % deposit bonus + FREE live TV + best live betting platform}

Middlesbrough vs Man United

Fri, 01 May 2009 22:20:07 +0200

Manchester United will be keen on putting a spirited performance and grabbing a quick victory even if it is 1-0, so that his boys can have a rest before the game at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Manchester showed last week that they can come back from any position and from 2-0 down, came back to win 5-2. Following that they put on an outstanding performance in mid-week against the Gunners, and that is due primarily because of their defensive presence.

Rio Ferdinand will miss this game, which means Evans will probably partner Vidic in the centre of the park. Paul Scholes will probably get a game, as Sir Alex will look to have him in the centre of midfield against Arsenal in mid-week.

Boro have been struggling from the outset and their major reason is because of their lack of scoring form. Tuncay has been their top goal scorer with 6 goals, and they have managed 3 losses in their last 5 games, which tells you about their form as they get set to get relegated to the Championship this season.

Arsenal showed Boro last week, how the result was to be achieved, and expect Manchester United to play in similar fashion.

Tipster:rahul
Pick :Man Utd AH:-0.75
Stake:7/10
Odds:1.83 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Mark Allen v Ryan Day

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:33:23 +0200

Allen to win.

I am quite surprised at these odds given how well the young N Irishman played in the last round when beating the favourite for the tourney and the best snooker player ever to play the game. Allen did not get lucky, he did not face Ronnie off form and he didnt do it by playing cautious snooker. He took the Rocket on in attacking battle and deserved the win.

Ofcourse there is an argument for saying that game took a lot out of young lad who does not have a lot of experience at this level. But i expect his confidence to be sky high and this is a good draw because he will face a player that has previous for bottling it at this stage.

There is no doubt that Day is a class act. He is a superb long potter and break builder, but his main problem is in his mind. He simply does not believe in himself enough and over the last few years has looked like a possible champion in the earlier rounds but caved in when it gets to the semi final stage.

This is going to be a terrific game and it may be worth betting on the amount of hundreds in the match to be high. But the best value is with Allen. If he performs anything like the way he did against Osullivan he will win this. As i said Day has a horrible knack of getting to the business end of tourneys and totally losing his form at the most important time.

Allen to beat Day with sj at 2.10

Tipster:Sandy
Pick :Mark Allen
Stake:10/10
Odds:2.10 @ Stan James - {Click here for £ 25 Free Bet}

Monte Carlo Masters Combo Bet

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:19:04 +0200

The 3rd 1000 Master Event of the year started and we already have seen some nice matches.

In these early stages, there aren't that much single matches that you can take and place a bet on, and also get a decent value at the same time, so I prefer to go with a combo bet.

Today's multiple will consist of 3 matches.

F. Fognini vs. T. Berdych
Pick: T. Berdych win
Odds: 1.31

This match will be one of the first matches to take place today. I favor the cech player here, as he is the more consistent and experienced of the two. So far this year Fognini hasn't managed to procude any outstanding results, and I don't see him making any chances today. Berdych has proved that he can play well on clay, and if his main weapons, the serve and forehand, work anywhere at 70% capacity this should be an easy victory for him.

I. Andreev vs. Martín Vassallo Argüello
Pick: I. Andreev win
Odds: 1.33

Two play court players here, but again I do feel that the favorite, Andreev, should win this won.Recentlly, Andreev has had some problems, taking advantage of break point opportunities, and that's the onyl thing I'm worried about.But this is a big tournament, on his favorite surface, and there's no excuse for him if he does not get passed this round.

F. Lopez vs. D. Ferrer
Pick: D. Ferrer win
Odds: 1.22

Now the odds, are not that great for this match, but I just can't see any way for Lopez to win this one. Despite being a Spaniard, Lopez like the hard courts better, and his main weapons are the serve and the volley. The slow surfaces just do not fit Lopez that well. And when we take in consideration that Ferrer is one of the best returners on the tour than I can't skip this one and place a Ferrer win on the combo bet as well. Also the one with the better form is David Ferrer.

Total odds: 2.13

Medium stake.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Berdych, Andreev, Ferrer win
Stake:5/10
Odds:2.13 @ Unibet - {Click here for a £ 20 bonus}

Harlequins v Leinster

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:10:18 +0200

Quins to win

Harlequins have had an outstanding season and although many gave them little hope in europe they are now one game away from a semi final of the european cup. Its no fluke because the London side are also going superbly in the premiership. If they were to do the double it would be quite amazing but to be fair theres enough talent and class in that squad to go all the way in both comps.

Quins are also one of the best managed and coached sides in european rugby so i expect the tactics to be spot on by Dean Richards.

Lenister obviously have class, but it was a very disappointing qualifying campaign in by far the weakest of groups. Really Wasps should have taken advantage of their poor attitude when losing in France, but the english side blew it.

Ofcoure the Irish side are going well in the Magners League but lets be fair this is a massive massive step up in class.

Home advantage in these games is huge. The crowd will be right behind the Quins from the very 1st minute and we seen what they can produce in the groups with the backing of the fans as the favs for the tourney were beaten here

It was very interesting that Quins warmed up for this one with a 10 try smashing of Worcester and a fantastic win at Bath where the Quins defence was outstanding. Defending superbly and scoring heavily means the confidence is sky high.

Quins to beat Leinster with expekt at 1.80

Tipster:Sandy
Pick :Harlequins
Stake:10/10
Odds:1.80 @ Expekt - {Click here and get a 100% deposit bonus up to 35 Euros}

Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:54:08 +0200

In the semi-final I went with Murray and it payed off.Just as I expected the Murray slice was an important part of the match, and brought Murray a lot of points as most of the time he was able to change the rhythm of the match.Now, I don't believe that will be the key here in this match against Novak Djokovic.

Judging by what the two players have showed so far I personally expect a tight match. I would expect one that would be similar to when these to players met last year in Cincinnati, and Murray won 7-6 7-6. That match was also a final of the masters series event.

The way I see it, the two keys of the match will be how the two players manage to serve and how well they will be able to move on the court.Now, if Andy Murray comes out there playing at anywhere around 80% capacity, I see this one as a very simple match.We saw yesterday that despite Del Potro having the momentum in his favor in the 3rd set he still didn't manage to make much of it.

On the other side, Novak Djokovic played in the semis, the world no.2 Roger Federer. After a first set, in which he didn't play to much tennis, we experienced another of Federer's "downs" in a match.The wind also played a deciding factor in the match, as you can clearly see it was frustrating Federer. If the match would have been "wind free" I believe Djokovic would have had a more complicated match. Also, another thing that makes to think Murray is going to win this match, is the fact the in the last tournament, Djokovic has eliminated in the quarters by Andy Roddick 6-3 6-2, and judging by the way that match was played, I can see a similar if not identical type of match here today. Both Andy Roddick and Andy Murray can keep the ball in play for a long time, and have some great gets, which would force Djokovic to play closer and closer to the line, which will bring on the unforced errors.

Also keep in mind that it is common this season for Djokovic to be in some favorable positions in his service games, like 40-0 40-15, and then all of a sudden lose that game. I really can not back a player with such problems, especially if he is facing a player like Andy Murray.

The head to head between the two is 4-2 in Djokovic's favor but that doesn't worry me as I see a great opportunity today for Murray to reduce that difference.

Another thing I find interesting is that Djokovic is the 3rd player and Murray is the 4th player on the ATP ranking, and a win for Murray will bring him closer to that no.3 spot.

As, yesterday, I have to say that I'm not that please with the odds. WillHill offers 1.50 (I don't know how long) which has a bit of value in it, taking in consideration that most of the other bookmakers offer something around 1.40.

So, Andy Murray to win, medium stake for me.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Andy Murray win
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.5 @ William Hill - {click here for a 10 GBP Free Bet - enter the B10 code }

Del Potro vs Murray

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:46:23 +0200

Despite Del Potro getting the win yesterday against the world no.1 Rafael Nadal, I will still go with Andy Murray on this match.

It's true Del Potro did play a great match yesterday, and it could be a career defining moment for him, and something he can built on. But today he has to face Andy Murray, one of the most intelligent players on the tour in my opinion.

I see this match as one that could be over quite quickly if Murray plays anywhere near 80% of his capacity.If the serve works than this match should really be an easy one.Firstly Murray, is a player that like to dominate the rhythm of a match, he can both rise and slow down the pace of a match.He also uses the slice very effectively, which could be a crucial part of the match, as Del Potro is a tall player and doesn't like those kind of balls; and as we saw yesterday, Del Potro has receiving a lot of balls right in his hitting area.

Now, I waited to see odds for this event from am many bookmakers as possible.I am disappointed with the odds, and I don't consider they represent much value, but I do consider that the bet is still worth taking.Most bookmakers have the odds around 1.3 with a few bookmakers getting it up as high as 1.35-1.38.

A few more things could be said about this match, but they all would be in Murray's favor.

A small to medium stake, not because of the bet (the pick) but more because of the lack of value in the odds.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Andy Murray win
Stake:4/10
Odds:1.35 @ Expekt - {Click here and get a 100% deposit bonus up to 35 Euros}

Stepanek vs Verdasco

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:49:02 +0200

These two players have already met two time this season, with each of them winning one match.

The first one took place in Brisbane, in fact it was the Final of the tournament, and Stepanek won it with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 score. The second match took place just after about 2 weeks in Melbourne at the Australian Open. That match was won by Verdasco, with a convincing score 6-4, 6-0, 6-0. What is interesting, is that in the last match the first set was a very strange one with a few breaks of serves and both players having good moments but in the end Verdasco went on to win the set and the match. What is more interesting is the fact the Stepanek didn't even manage to take one game, after the first set. And we have to take in consideration that Stepanek, has some excellent serve and volley techniques, and for him to be unable to take one game, that says a lot.

Verdasco has played wonderful at the Australian Open. I don't expect him to play at that level today, but I'm sure he will be able to be one level above Stepanek.

Before this match, Verdasco played against him compatriot, F. Lopez. Now, I see this match as beeing the perfect "warm-up" match before a Stepanek match, because both Stepanek and F. Lopez have the same tactics. Both have a strong game around the serve and volley tactic.

Stepanek's last match was against F. Gonzalez, which we won in straight sets, 7-6 6-4, which was a bit surprising as I would have expected Gonzalez to take one set, but Gonzalez is a player that puts a lot on the forehand he has, and most of the times, that just isn't enough on the faster courts.

So, my money is on Verdasco to win this one.

The odds are around 1.5, with Expekt at 1.56. I can't say that there is much value in the odds, maybe something around 1.7 would have represented more value, but taking in consideration the form of the two players, I am willing to place a medium stake bet on this one.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Fernando Verdasco win
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.56 @ Expekt - {Click here and get a 100% deposit bonus up to 35 Euros}

Tennis Combo Bet - ATP Miami 2009

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:57:54 +0200

The early stages of the 2009 ATP 1000 Masters Tournament in Miami.

During these early stages I find it best to place combo bets (doubles or trebles) rather then go and place bigger bets on one particular match.

Today's combo consists of two matches. Jose Acasuso vs Janko Tipsarevic and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez vs Andreas Seppi.

Jose Acasuso vs Janko Tipsarevic
Pick : J. Tipsarevic win
Odds: 1.53

Jose Acasuso is more of a clay court player.He is tall and has a great serve, but so does Janko Tipsarevic which is a more consitent player on these types of courts where having a big serve and consistent ground strokes can bring you the Win.My only worry would be that Tipsarevic hasn't played to much tennis lately, but looking at the qualities the tow players have, I can only go with a Tipsarevic win here.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez vs Andreas Seppi
Pick: A. Seppi win
Odds: 1.44

Now, this isn't the best bet in the world, but again we have a case in which one player is more of a clay court player, and that is Garcia-Lopez, while Seppi, is a more consistent player on the hard courts.So, although the odds aren't that great I can only choose one possible outcome for this match, and that is, A. Seppi to win.

Total Odds: 2.20

Small stakes.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Combo bet : Tipsarevic and Seppi to win
Stake:3/10
Odds:2.20 @ Bet 365 - {click here for 100 % deposit bonus + FREE live TV + best live betting platform}

Vera Zvonareva vs Ana Ivanovic

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:39:47 +0200

WTA Indian Wells 2009 Final

Vera Zvonareva and Ana Ivanovic play in the 2009 Final of the WTA tournament in Indian Wells.

I am upset that in the semis I didn't place any bets on these two players as I favored both reaching the final.

Vera Zvonareva played against Azarenka in the semis, while Ivanovic had Pavlyuchenkova as an opponent in the semis.

My pick for this match is Zvonareva, and here are some of my reasons.

First of all, I don't consider Ivanovic, such a good player. As far as her tennis skills go I would rate them as above average. She is the type of player that when put under pressure, most of the times will crack. If she has an opponent that can serve well, and put most of the balls back in play, than Ivanovic has a problem.

Let's take a look at the matches Ivanovic player so far. The first match, was against A. Yakimova (6-4 6-3), a simple match against a mediocre player. The second match was another simple one, against G. Dulko, and I would have been surprised if she failed to win that one. Her third match in this tournament was the only one in which Ivanovic has had any type of competition. But as most of you know, Pennetta currently isn't in the great form she was at the ending of last year, but still managed to take a set from Ivanovic. In the quarter final S. Bammer had to withdraw, and in the semi-final, Pavlyuchenkova couldn't have created any sort of problems as he lacks the experiece. So far, looking at these matches, I have to state the fact that Ivanovic has not yet been tested during this tournament, and that could be a problem for her, as Zvonareva's game could come as a surprise for Ivanovic.

On the other side, Zvonareva's last 3 matches have been against top players like N. Li , C. Wozniacki and V. Azareanka. She won all of those matches in straight sets. The last match is the one I want to relate to the most, because Azarenka, has a similar style of play to Ivanovic.

The serve and forehand are the main weapons of both Azarenka and Ivanovic, but the way Zvonareva managed to break them down with Azareanka, I'm sure she will be able to do the same with Ivanovic. And also, take in consideration the fact that Azarenka was in a much better form than Ivanovic is.

The head to head between the 2 players is 4-3 for Ivanovic, so this would be the perfect time to make is 4-4.

Expekt offers 1.70 for a Zvonareva win, and I consider that to be a generous offer.Other bookmakers offer something around 1.6 or even 1.5.

Anything over 1.65 represents value in my opinion.Medium stake for me.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Vera Zvonareva win
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.70 @ Expekt - {Click here and get a 100% deposit bonus up to 35 Euros}

Roger Federer vs Andy Murray

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:16:42 +0200

Semi-finals at the BNP Paribas 1000 ATP World Tour.First semi-final will see Andy Murray take on (yet again) Roger Federer.

In the quarters Ferdasco didn't manage to get the job done and eliminate the world no.2 Roger Federer. He didn't even take at least one set, despite being in the position of serving for the second set. But what is interesting is that in the second set Federer managed to make his task a bit difficult, as he had obtained the break early but didn't manage to keep the break, and even more was broken twice in the second set to give Ferdasco the opportunity to serve for the set (a opportunity he did not take). That second set of the match reminded me very much of last year's matches that Federer player in the North American hard courts, just before the US Open. To be more precise, the match he played against Gilles Simon. There he had made a comfortable start taking the first set after which he lost the second and in the third set despite being able to take an early break, he did not manage to keep it, and further more the was broken again. This type of pattern is getting more and more obvious in Federer's game. And as I stated the the Federer vs Verdasco post this is mostly due to the back problems he's been having in the past year.

Despite winning with Ferdasco, I feel that Federer didn't play that great and got him self out of a few break points down situations and some 0-30 situations, just because Ferdasco wasn't making the most of them. Ferdasco has plenty of second serves from Federer but did not fully take advantage of them.

On the other side, Murray hasn't been playing his top tennis so far, during this tournament. The way he served could have been a lot better, and a plus of concentration on some ground stokes would have brought a plus consistency in his game. But the truth is that the matches he played so far did not require him to bring his A game to the court.

Murray head to head record with Federer speaks for itself: 5-2 in Murray's favor.

Judging by all the facts, I'd say that this is a 50-50 match. It can do both ways. It will mostly depend on the way the two players serve. And so far this week, Murray has been the one serving the best. Also, take in consideration the fact the Murray has spent less time on court and is much fresher (not that would make a major difference). Since the US Open Final last year, the two players have met another 3 time in which Murray won 2-1 but with Federer taking the first set in all 3 matches.

So, as i said this is a 50-50 match with Murray having maybe a little bit of edge and my money will be on him. The odds clearly represent value.Pinnacle is offering as high as 2.21. Any odds over 2.10 represent value in my opinion. Medium stake for me as, Federer is still Federer and you can never go against him with high stakes.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Andy Murray win
Stake:5/10
Odds:2.21 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Roger Federer vs Fernando Verdasco

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:13:45 +0200

An interesting match in today's night session at the BNP Paribas at Indian Wells.

The world no.2 Roger Federer will take on Fernando Verdasco, a player in a great form lately.

Most of the time when Federer was offered odds above 1.20 i would take them as in most cases they represented value.But today, in this specific match i will have to go with Verdasco.

The way I see it, the key of this match is the way the two players serve. And while Verdasco has been showing some incredible numbers, managing to put a lot of first serves in, Federer has been having problems in that department during the last year. At the ground stokes I would still rate Federer as the better player, but during the last year we did see moments in which Federer's main weapon (the forehand) has let him down. On the other side, I would not rate Verdasco's ground stokes as something incredible, but lately they have been very consistent and are similar to those of Nadal. In fact, looking at Verdasco's style of play this year, you have to say that he has stolen a bit from Nadal.

As most of you might know, Federer has had a back injury in the last month which forced him to pull out of the Dubai tournament and out of the Davis Cup matches. Now, if you ask me these back problems are the main reason why the had such a "bad" (by Federer's standards) season last year. If you have back problems you can't serve well.

So, on the one side we have Federer which in my opinion is in a physical state that has a few question marks, and on the other side we have Ferdasco whom is in the form of his life.

Federer already had some problems yesterday with Fernando Gonzalez, losing a set, and that is enough for me to go further and state that Ferdasco can go and win more than a set.

My pick here is Fernando Verdasco to win at 3.75 with Stan James.Small stake.

If you want a much safer pick you can go with Ferdasco (+3.5 games) which you could win even if Ferdasco fails to win.The odds for this pick are around 2.00, which is really good.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Verdasco
Stake:3/10
Odds:3.75 @ Stan James - {Click here for £ 25 Free Bet}

D Safina vs V Azarenka

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:30:27 +0200

Quater-Final match here at the WTA Indian Wells tennis event. Viktoria Azarenka will take on Dinara Safina.

I'm going to tell you from the very start that I'm going with a Azarenka win here, but with a small stake.

Here are some of my main reason.

First off all Azarenka is the player with the current form.She won the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, the last tournament she played. What is even more interesting is that she didn't lose one singles match this season. The only match she did "lose" was at the Australian Open where she had to retire but she didn't lose one single set in that match.

On the other side Safina had that good run at the Australian Open where she reached the Final, but was defeated in her first match at Dubai with a 6-4 6-2 score by Razzano.

Last year these two players had 3 encounters which were all won by Safina. This would be the statistic that worries me most. But the way i see it, such a statistic also indicated that sooner or later, a good player like Azarenka should be able to get the Win in front of Safina. But on the other side, if we look at the statistic that says that Azarenka did not lose one match this season, it might lead us to the conclusion that a loss (with Azarenka playing a full match) will come.

I have taken a look at the way the two players have served this week, and both have been showing some great numbers, only with Azarenka offering a few more break points.

Against her match with Vesnina in the last round, Azarenka had 62% of her first serves in and was winning about 64% of both first serves and 42% of second serves. Safina played Peng and had 69% of her first serves in and was winning 71% of first serves and 50% of second serves.I noticed that in all matches this week Safina had had some problems in the first set. 7-6 with Pironkova, 7-5 with Peng and 7-5 with Craybas.She could have finished all those sets easily but didn't, and that is something to look after.

The way I see this match, Safina could start well, even get a break in the first set, after which Azarenka will come back and even win the set 7-5 or 6-4. After the first set, Safina has the capability to raise her game, and could cause problems in the second set and even win it, but in the 3rd and final set I see Azarenka taking it.

I have taken a 2.27 odds on Azarenka at Pinnacle. Such odds represent value in my opinion as this is a close match and both players can take it, hopefully Azarenka as he has the better form.Small stake for me.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :V Azarenka win
Stake:3/10
Odds:2.27 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Tommy Robredo vs Marin Cilic

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:52:44 +0200

Tommy Robredo and Marin Cilic play tonight at the Indian Wells, BNP Paribas 1000 ATP World Tour, in what would be a profitable encounter for us bettors.

The first thing that caught my eye at this match were the odds. For a straight win on Cilic, you can find odds as with as 1.65 or 1.67. I would have expected something around 1.40. So, from the very start i have to say that any odds you can find on Cilic that are over 1.55, are of value in my opinion.

I tried to figure out why the odds are over my expectations. And the only reason i could come up with, was the fact that Robredo had a much more convincing win in the first match of this tournament, in which he defeated Igor Kunitsyn.While on the other hand M. Cilic had a little bit of struggle as he lost the first set in a tie-break before to win the next to sets with a 6-2 6-1 score.

Also the head-to-head between the two in 1-1.But the last meeting took place last year at the Rogers Masters where Cilic won 6-3 6-4.The first meeting took place back in 2006, and it is fair to say that Cilic is a much more experienced player now.

Cilic in a tall player with a solid serve and we know that Robredo isn't the kind of player that has a great record against players with a good serve. Another disadvantage for Robredo is the surface. Robredo is more of a clay court player, while this fast surface is much more favorable for a player with Cilic's qualities.Last 3 tounaments player by Robredo this season were on clay. It's not that easy to jump from one surface to the other.

If Cilic dosen't lose his concentration, he should be able to get the job done tonight in straight sets.

So, a bet on a Cilic win for me at 1.65 at Expekt. My stake is medium to high.

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Cilic win
Stake:7/10
Odds:1.65 @ Expekt - {Click here and get a 100% deposit bonus up to 35 Euros}

V Hanescu vs J Chardy

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:16:25 +0200

I have taken a look at all the matches from the Indian Wells tournament and this one between Hanescu (ROU) and Chardy (FRA) seems to be the most promising as far as i am concerned.

Last week the Davis Cup matches took place. Russia played against Romania.Hanescu is the no.1 player for the Romanians, only he lost both matches he played.One was against M Youzhny and the other was against Tursunos.While in the first match, the Romanian had very little to no chance to win as Youzhny played and amazing game; in the second match Hanescu had a 2-0 set lead but failed to take the match.

Tennis is a mental game in which the recent form gives you that extra mental edge.

The last tournament for Chardy has at Delray Beach. Not only does this tournament give Chardy an extra edge in front of Hanescu, as he is more accommodated with the time shift and the north American hard courts, but it also proves Chardy's current form as he reached semi-finals, defeating in straight sets players like Haas (a player with a similar style to Hanescu) and Baghdatis.

On the other side Hanescu's form isn't that good.Only 1 match won, from the last 5. But that's not such a big surprise as Hanescu's favorite surface is clay, rather than these fast courts.

So, for this match i have to go with Chardy to win.

The only thing i am a bit disappointed about is the odds.I would have wanted something around 1.50 - 1.60 as that would have had some value in it.But Stan James offers 1.44 right now, which isn't that bad. A medium to high stake for me.

Good Luck!

Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Jeremy Chardy win
Stake:7/10
Odds:1.44 @ Stan James - {Click here for £ 25 Free Bet}

Roma vs Arsenal

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:04:36 +0200

Arsenal head into this game after a resounding performance in mid-week against Burnley, and if you notice me mentioning in one of my earlier tips of Arsenal, they have really gone tight at the back.

They have only leaked 1 goal in their last 7 games, and rumours suggest that Wenger will play a defensive lineup after being 1-0 up with a victory at home.

Arsenal will know that 1 goal, will make it very difficult for Roma who will then have to score 3, to ensure they qualify to the next round. Walcott and Eduardo put in good performances earlier in the week, and this is definitely help them going front against Roma.

Totti and Pizzaro have recently got injuries and Cicinho is a major doubt after picking up a knick earlier in the week, which is definitely going to be difficult for them to contend with Arsenal's free flowing football.

One thing that Wenger will ensure that the back 4 keep it tight, with the other 6 players going to attack on the outset. With their great defensive record in recent weeks, this is a great bet to make.

Tipster:rahul
Pick :Arsenal AH:0
Stake:5/10
Odds:2.05 @ Bet 365 - {click here for 100 % deposit bonus + FREE live TV + best live betting platform}

Roma vs Siena

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:28:18 +0200

Roma head into this game taking on one of the worst away teams in the Serie A in Siena, and will be looking to take full advantage of this game to try and push Fiorentina and Genoa to get results on Sunday to battle with them.

Roma are boosted by the return of Francesco Totti, who will want to prove his fitness in this game to play on Tuesday in the Champions League. Roma have been impeccable at home and overall in the league and lost their first game in 2009, and on top of that have only lost 1 game at home all season.

With Perotta and De Rossi out of this fixture through suspension, a lot will rest on the shoulders of Totti and Julip Baptista, who has been in cracking form off late.

Siena have only won one game away from home, and with Massimo Maccarone, a Premier League outcast, being their top scorer for Siena with 4 goals, this will definitely not be promising for them to grab a result.

Roma to grab the three points here, probably with a narrow victory.

Tipster:rahul
Pick :Roma
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.71 @ Canbet - {click here for a £ 200 deposit bonus}

GS Warriors vs LA Lakers

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:30:48 +0200

As I have been in terrible form in the last 5, I shall return to a faithful teams that can deliver the results.

The Lakers head into Oakland to take on their division rivals the Warriors after a solid performance last night out against the Hawks, but the Warriors will depend a lot on their up tempo scoring to try and out run the Lakers.

The Lakers clearly have the size on their side and also a Kobe Bryant who is waiting to explode after scoring just 10 points last night. Pau Gasol was in incredible form with an awesome triple double against the Hawks.

The Warriors are dependent on the scoring of Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis and Jamal Crawford to do the bulk of the scoring and with Maggette coming of the bench, they have a great scoring threat, but they have lacked in defense all season without a big man in there.

This has resulted in the Wariors leaking 111 points per game, while the Lakers are only conceding 100 points, showing their grave importance to defence. The renaissance of Lamar Odom will also play an important factor in this game tonight.

Tipster:rahul
Pick :Lakers -4.5
Stake:8/10
Odds:1.83 @ Bet 365 - {click here for 100 % deposit bonus + FREE live TV + best live betting platform}

NY Knicks vs CLE Cavaliers

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:43:46 +0200

Cavaliers are taking on the Knicks and I was pretty upset that I didnt take the Lakers bet 2 days ago, but no worries, I shall make amends here.

The Cavaliers are looking in equally destructable form as the Lakers were and seeing how poor defensively the Knicks are, it could be a 10-20 points blowout for the Cavaliers.

In the 2 previous meetings this season, the Cavaliers beat the Knicks by 18 points and 30 points, with LeBron dominating the game at MSG scoring 50 points until it was bettered by Kobe this week.

The only half decent player for the Knicks has been David Lee who is averaging a double double this season and its no wonder why teams are looking out for them. Their big weapon is the 3 point shot, and against a more defensively minded Lakers, they struggled to get room to shoot. Taking on the Cavaliers is a whole nother ball game as they are one of the top defensive teams leaking out only 90.5 ppg.

All in all with the Return of Big Z, LeBron and Mo Williams, the Knicks dont have the defensive presence from stopping of any of these guys getting the job done tonight.

Tipster:rahul
Pick :Cavaliers -5.5
Stake:9/10
Odds:1.95 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Andy Murray vs Rafa Nadal

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:45:32 +0200

The tennis season has started and we already have had part of some great performances.Today Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal meet in the final of the Capitala World Tennis Championship.Remember this is only a exhibition event. Andy Murray passed by world number 2 Roger Federer in a relatively tight match with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6), and won his place in today's final.Watching the match, you'd have to say that it resembled very much with what we were used to in 2008, for the Murray-Federer match.Federer had the better start, even winning the first set and eventually Murray got back in the match and won it. If you ask me, from the start, if Murray wanted to and concentrated bettter he could have closed the match quicklier. Nadal on the other side played Davydenko, and knowing the positive record the Davydenko has against Nadal on hard courts, you would be expecting a tight match.Well, Davydenko did get the break early on, but Nadal began to show some great tennis, and the public was clearly on his side and Dadydenko's unforced errors began to multiply. The last time Murray and Nadal met, it was at the US Openm if i'm not mistaken, when Murray won in a very long match.I'm sure that Nadal didn't forget and will be looking for a win,but I have to say that i don't fully trust Nadal on the hard courts, while Murray is expected to do great things this season, and why not get things started the right way. I've placed a small stake on a Murray win ( remember this is only a exhibition event) as the odds are quite rewarding.
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Andy Murray win
Stake:4/10
Odds:2.43 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Fulham vs Chelsea

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:44:36 +0200

I'll begin my preview by saying that Fulham are on a 9 match streak with no loss.Ever since that 1-0 away loss at Everton on the 1st of November, Fulham has either managed to win a match or to obtain at least a draw. Now the question here is whether Fulham can keep it up.Anyone that follows the Premier League knows that Fulham isn't the same team that battled in the relegation zone.They have made some smart transfers and the results came almost right away.They now sit on 8th place in the league and have a very good home record, but a poor away record.6-2-1 is the home record while 0-5-4 is the away record. Now the way i see it, what better team to damage Fulham's streak and home record, than Chelsea.My bet here will be on a Chelsea win, although as i said Fulham's home record this season is impressive, but statistics say it can not stay like that for long.Also, taking a look at the teams that played at Fulham, only Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City would be considered teams that can create real problems, only at the time when these teams played against Fulham, they were not in their best form. He have talked about Fulham's record this season, but let's also take a look at how Chelsea is doing.A 4-4-2 home record and 8-1-0 away record.So, another impressive record here.Also, the statistics say that this record should be damaged one way or another, sooner or later.Only in Chelsea's case i will believe it will be later.(against Manchester United, next round). So, i've placed a medium size bet on a Chelsea win.The only thing i'm not happy about, are the odds.Most bookmakers offer 1.50-1.60.I would have wanted something of 1.60-1.70; but i guess 1.60 will have to be ok. Good Luck!
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Chelsea win
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.60 @ Unibet - {Click here for a £ 20 bonus}

Blackburn vs Stoke City

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:43:38 +0200

Blackburn are now standing on the 19th position in the Premier League but i consider that isn't the position they should have. They have had a poor first half of the season, as they missed some of their top players, and main scores.In the last Premier League matches, Blackburn have shown improvements, and have been playing the type of soccer we are used to. Another important advantage for Blackburn today, is the fact that they play at home.Maybe this years' statistics do not speak in Blackburn's favor but if we take a look at last season's home results, have a nice 8-7-4 record with 26 goals scored and 19 conceded.Also in the 06/07 season Blackburn had a 9-3-7 record, which isn't bad at all. So far, this season Blackburn has a 1-2-5 home record.A very bad one.But as i said they did have a few players unavailable, and besides that 4 of the home matches were against the big four (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool).I believe that sooner rather than later, Blackburn will get those crucial home points coming. Also, take in consideration that when a team changes it's couch, things can also change suddenly in a good direction.Look at Spurs as one of the best examples we have had in some time now. On the other side, Stoke City, is in a fairly good position taking in consideration that they are a newly promoted team.They sit on 13th position but only a few points from 8th and still only a few points from a relegation spot.It's quite a tricky situation in the Premier League.That is why Stoke would love to get a positive results here, as that would not only mean that they consolidate their position (if not increase it) but also sink Blackburn into a 8-10 points gap between them and a relegation-free spot. But, what caught my eye at Stoke is their away record.A 0-3-5 away record for this season isn't that good.For me, Stoke is a team that one way or another manages to hold in there and get something from a match.For example, when they made a draw with Liverpool, or better yet, two rounds ago against Newcastle, a match in which Stoke was down 2-0 but in the end got the 2-2 draw.Only the problem is that you can have these kinds of results all the time.Inconsistency would be the perfect word for Stoke. A lot of draw so far, 4 matches without a loss (ever since the 5-0 Man Utd loss) for Stoke is above what i rate this team to be.Maybe i'm wrong; we'll just have to wait and see. Until then my bet is with a Blackburn win, only with a medium stake. I see a hungry for points Blackburn that will one way or another get all 3 points. And by the way, the odds are going down, got around 1.80 at Betfair , would expect odds of about 1.75 at most bookmakers, before the start of the match Good Luck!
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Blackburn win
Stake:5/10
Odds:1.80 @ Stan James - {Click here for £ 25 Free Bet}

Manchester City vs Manchester United

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:41:25 +0200

It's that time of the season that most of the soccer fans in Manchester have been waiting for. Now, more that ever the City fans, have high expectations from this derby, taking in consideration all the investments that took, and will take place at the club.But the team isn't quite there yet.There still are plenty of investments to make and the players that will come need some time for adjusting and forming a true team. If i remember correctly, City did win both match last season.And also, if i remember correctly , one of the matches was a special one, due to the fact that Manchester holding memory of the 23 victims of the air crash at Munich 50 years ago, and despite the fact that Manchester did give their all, and was the better team on the pitch; they did not manage to take advantage of their changes and City, scored on counter attacks in crucial moments of the match.As, for the second match, City got the better of Manchester when they were going though a bad period. Looking by what the two teams have played in their last Premier League matches, you do have to say that City have the form on their side, and as they play at home, they do look like small favorites ( if you can speak of favorites in matches like these ).Well, the truth is that the bookmakers don't seem to think so and neither do i. The main fact here, remains that, if Rubinho isn't in the good form on match day, than you got a insecure and below average City team.On the other hand, United, has several key players on which Sir Alex can count on.I think that the match which City played against Chelsea this season can be very relevant. With all the money available at City, i see a great team there in the next season or so, but until then they will have to face reality and i'm going with United on this one. I'm not that thrilled about the odds, only about 1.85, with Pinnacle offering as high as 1.91.A medium stake for me. Good Luck!
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Manchester United win
Stake:6/10
Odds:1.93 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}

Del Potro vs Gasquet

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:40:11 +0200

It seems just like yesterday that these two players, played each other in the Final of the Mercedes Cup. Now here they are again, facing each other, this time in Tokyo.I remember back then, i had a winning bet on Del Potro.The odds where somewhere around 3.00.Now the odds for a Del Potro win are somewhere around 1.4. From the start i will say that my pick for this match is a Del Potro win.And one of the main reasons for my bet is the excellent form in which the Argentinian player finds himself.He started this tournament with a 7-5 6-0 win over Dudi Sela, a player which was also in a good form, having achieved and played some top tennis in the China Open, just a week before.After Sela, there was Nieminen, who really couldn't step up to Del Potro's level.And yesterday, Del Potro defeated Ferrer with a 6-1 7-5 score. Del Potro is a tall player, which always help for the serve.Then, the ground stokes are simply amazing.Well placed shots, near the lines, and with a lot of power, leave the opponent with no chance.The way i see it, the only player that can create problems to Del Potro is an excellent defender, which can hit the back the ball back over and over again, and cause the unforced error from Juan Martin.Something similar to what Andy Murray managed to produce at this year's edition of the US Open, when he managed to defeat Del Potro 3-1 ( 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-5 ). Only unfortunately,for Gasquet , he is not that kind of player.His more of the "booming" kind, only the thing is that Del Potro, with his deep shots, will allow few chances for Gasquet to control the points and will bring a lot of unforced errors for Gasquet.Now, Gasquest had some convincing results so far in this tournament, 6-1 6-2 with local favourite Kei Nishikori and 6-3 6-2 with Schuettler, but Schuettler is getting old and it's starting to show. The bottom line is that Gasquet , except for that Rogers Cup semi-final didn't have any considerable results on hard courts this season, while Del Potro not only won a tournament in the US but also managed to reach the quarter final of the US Open, where you could see we saw a little tired and Murray was playing top tennis. The way i see it, everything points to a Del Potro win.I'd even dare to say a 2-0 win, but i'll go with a simple match odds win. Odds aren't that great, but still 1.40 offered by VC Bet ( and a few other, Will Hill and StanJames even Betfair ) is a odd which i find attractive.
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Del Potro win
Stake:9/10
Odds:1.40 @ VC Bet - {Click here for your Free £ 50 Bet!}

CFR Cluj vs Chelsea

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:37:36 +0200

CFR is the team that managed to make the big surprise in the last round of the Champions League by winning on Olimpico over AS Roma. Now they play at home against Chelsea, and i believe that another surprise is not going to happen here. CFR Cluj played a great game against Roma but let's face it, the truth is that at the time of the match, Roma wasn't in the best form possible. Chelsea come to Cluj with an excellent morale being on the first place of the Premier League.They already won the first match in the Champions League, at home, with Bordeaux.An easy 4-0.But this time Chelsea plays away, some might say.Taking a look at Chelsea's away record in the Premier League we will see a 3-0-0 record with 6 goals scored and only 1 conceded.And that one conceded goal was from Rubinho, in the match against Manchester City.That says a lot. The odds are around 1.4-1.45 but BoyleSports offers 1.50 which in my opinion represents value.Mostly because CFR Cluj is a team with not that much experience in the Champions League, and Chelsea is a team that most of the times takes advantage.It's true, Cluj did win at Roma but as i said before, Roma wasn't in the best possible form, and i don't believe CFR can reproduce their excellent form from that match. I already took Chelsea to win, with a medium to high stake. Good Luck!
Tipster:mariusrec
Pick :Chelsea win
Stake:7/10
Odds:1.50 @ Interwetten - {click here for a € 111 bonus}

Champions League Combo

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:36:26 +0200

Chelsea Vs. Bordeaux

Pick : Chelsea win

Odd : 1.25

Roma Vs. CFR Cluj

Pick : Roma win

Odd : 1.22

Werder Bremen Vs. A. Famagusta

Pick : Weder Bremen win

Odd : 1.20

Total odds : 1.83

Bookmaker : Centrebet

BCR Open Romania

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:34:37 +0200

Probably odds will extremely go down when Simon will pass next round and which is probable Gasquet will struggle against home playing Crivoi. So I'm picking this now and we will watch how tittle defender French man lately in awesome form will handle this task to defend championship in Romania. Gilles have big chances to grab again this tittle if he will only want to. His form and form of opponents that left in this draw are very good for French man. In spite Simon was playing last weeks only on hard, he achieved such good results there that I'm sure surface change for clay won't be very big problem to him. Third round at Wimbledon and US Open. Indianapolis tittle. Toronto semi-final. He was losing only to top players that were playing one of their best tours in this season and here in Romania I don't see such players so only some unknown player explosion can stop French man from defending his points. Who can stop him here? Gasquet is in poor form and in first match he didn't show good game, much weaker than Simon who played two very stable and destroying his opponents in matches. Simon will eat him if Richard won't get out earlier. Acasuso and Garcia-Lopez look dangerous to me, but they aren't the types of big stability and even if they will play extraordinary well in Romania Gilles with game he presented on hard in last week should pass them also. Rest of players aren't big fishes in ATP lake. Next point on Simon way is Serra, another French man who with a lot of luck passed through Starace, but Simon seems that he want to defend this tittle, and I don't see much opportunities to stop him!
Tipster:Sankekur
Pick :Gilles Simon to win the BCR Romania Open
Stake:10/10
Odds:2.95 @ Pinnacle Sports - { click here to receive a 10% deposit bonus up to 500$}