Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Select your timezone:
BRAZILIAN soocer club Flamengo is one of the world's most loved, with more than 36 million fans.
Yet it has taken crossing an ocean and an Australian rivalry to get two of its former players to meet and greet.
Adelaide United's pocket rocket Cassio admitted to meeting Melbourne Victory's pocket rocket Fabio for the first time when they did The Advertiser's picture shoot for the new annual Kosmina/Muscat Cup with the first leg tonight at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The pair were at Flamengo at the same time in 2003. "I actually don't remember him (Fabio). He's a bit younger than me," Cassio said.
"I have heard of him because we have common friends and we know each other from that but we've never played together or against each other."
After struggling to find a balanced leftie since 2005, Victory virtually found a Cassio clone when it signed Fabio. The nimble Brazilian has the same left-footed traits and free attacking spirit expected from Samba footballers.
Cassio, however, was hoping to get much more service than last weekend when he refrained from overlapping. He admitted he was forced to be more defensive when he faced Travis Dodd's Perth Glory last Sunday.
"Everybody could see that we couldn't play," Cassio said.
"We played bad but we've got to get rid of that and try to take the positive things from that game and bring it to this game.
"For me, the season starts this Friday and I'm sure everyone will give 100 per cent on the pitch."
While Cassio was planning on getting forward despite keeping an eye on dynamic New Zealand international Marco Rojas, Victory's Archie Thompson said he was not feeling any effects from the deep shin gash which threatened to keep him out of tonight's clash.
Thompson received stitches after a sloppy Michael Beauchamp tackle at Etihad Stadium.
Thompson said Harry Kewell was ready to taste the rivalry after the pre-season friendly was just that - a game with amicable fire when it finished 1-1 on September 23 at Hindmarsh Stadium. "We obviously want to start the season well and this is the game to do it," he said
Yet it has taken crossing an ocean and an Australian rivalry to get two of its former players to meet and greet.
Adelaide United's pocket rocket Cassio admitted to meeting Melbourne Victory's pocket rocket Fabio for the first time when they did The Advertiser's picture shoot for the new annual Kosmina/Muscat Cup with the first leg tonight at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The pair were at Flamengo at the same time in 2003. "I actually don't remember him (Fabio). He's a bit younger than me," Cassio said.
"I have heard of him because we have common friends and we know each other from that but we've never played together or against each other."
After struggling to find a balanced leftie since 2005, Victory virtually found a Cassio clone when it signed Fabio. The nimble Brazilian has the same left-footed traits and free attacking spirit expected from Samba footballers.
Cassio, however, was hoping to get much more service than last weekend when he refrained from overlapping. He admitted he was forced to be more defensive when he faced Travis Dodd's Perth Glory last Sunday.
"Everybody could see that we couldn't play," Cassio said.
"We played bad but we've got to get rid of that and try to take the positive things from that game and bring it to this game.
"For me, the season starts this Friday and I'm sure everyone will give 100 per cent on the pitch."
While Cassio was planning on getting forward despite keeping an eye on dynamic New Zealand international Marco Rojas, Victory's Archie Thompson said he was not feeling any effects from the deep shin gash which threatened to keep him out of tonight's clash.
Thompson received stitches after a sloppy Michael Beauchamp tackle at Etihad Stadium.
Thompson said Harry Kewell was ready to taste the rivalry after the pre-season friendly was just that - a game with amicable fire when it finished 1-1 on September 23 at Hindmarsh Stadium. "We obviously want to start the season well and this is the game to do it," he said
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
First-place Manchester City will be looking to remain unbeaten in Barclays Premier League soccer betting action this weekend as they travel to face Queen’s Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday (1:30 pm Eastern).
Bet on soccer with Bodog.
City, which has registered nine victories and one draw in ten matches to date, is listed as the strong -300 favorite to extend their streak of success with a win over Rangers. QPR currently sits 12th overall in the EPL table with three wins, three draws, and four losses through its first ten fixtures, and are listed as +900 underdogs to upset City (with draw odds of +350).
Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero currently lead Manchester City with nine goals each, while goalkeeper Joe Hart has conceded only eight goals while starting all ten matches. City is coming off an impressive 3-0 rout of Villareal in a UEFA Champions League group stage result on Wednesday, which followed a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton in EPL action last Saturday.
QPR was defeated 3-1 by Tottenham last Sunday in their most recent outing with Jay Bothroyd scoring for Rangers. Prior to that disappointing result, Rangers had managed an uplifting victory by upsetting visiting Chelsea 1-0 on a penalty kick by Heidar Helguson.
Elsewhere on the Premier League schedule this Saturday, Newcastle (+130) will host Everton (+200), West Bromwich Albion (+700) is at Arsenal (-250), Aston Villa (-125) welcomes Norwich City (+350), Chelsea (-250) is at Blackburn Rovers (+650), Swansea City (+1000) is at Anfield to face Liverpool (-400), and Sunderland (+1300) hits the pitch at Old Trafford against Manchester United (-450).
Sunday’s action will feature Wigan Athletic (+330) at Wolverhampton (-120), Stoke City (+185) at Bolton (+140), and Tottenham (+120) at Fulham (+225).
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Bet on soccer with Bodog.
City, which has registered nine victories and one draw in ten matches to date, is listed as the strong -300 favorite to extend their streak of success with a win over Rangers. QPR currently sits 12th overall in the EPL table with three wins, three draws, and four losses through its first ten fixtures, and are listed as +900 underdogs to upset City (with draw odds of +350).
Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero currently lead Manchester City with nine goals each, while goalkeeper Joe Hart has conceded only eight goals while starting all ten matches. City is coming off an impressive 3-0 rout of Villareal in a UEFA Champions League group stage result on Wednesday, which followed a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton in EPL action last Saturday.
QPR was defeated 3-1 by Tottenham last Sunday in their most recent outing with Jay Bothroyd scoring for Rangers. Prior to that disappointing result, Rangers had managed an uplifting victory by upsetting visiting Chelsea 1-0 on a penalty kick by Heidar Helguson.
Elsewhere on the Premier League schedule this Saturday, Newcastle (+130) will host Everton (+200), West Bromwich Albion (+700) is at Arsenal (-250), Aston Villa (-125) welcomes Norwich City (+350), Chelsea (-250) is at Blackburn Rovers (+650), Swansea City (+1000) is at Anfield to face Liverpool (-400), and Sunderland (+1300) hits the pitch at Old Trafford against Manchester United (-450).
Sunday’s action will feature Wigan Athletic (+330) at Wolverhampton (-120), Stoke City (+185) at Bolton (+140), and Tottenham (+120) at Fulham (+225).
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy advanced to the Western Conference final with a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls in MLS soccer betting action Wednesday night at the Home Depot Center, setting up a showdown with Real Salt Lake that will begin on Sunday (9:00 pm Eastern, ESPN) in Los Angeles.
Bet on soccer with Bodog
The Supporters’ Shield-winning Galaxy, 19-5-10 during the regular season including an unbeaten 12-0-5 at home, got a goal from Mike Magee off a corner kick by Beckham and another one from Landon Donovan who converted a penalty kick after Beckham was hauled down in the box to eliminate New York. Magee also scored the only goal in a 1-0 win in Game 1, as the Galaxy won the two-game series 3-1 on aggregate.
Real Salt Lake had earlier advanced to the Western Conference final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over the Seattle Sounders. Real Salt Lake compiled a 15-11-8 record during the regular season and romped to a 3-0 victory in Game 1 against the Sounders on two goals from Alvaro Saborio and one from Ned Grabavoy. Seattle blanked Salt Lake 2-0 in Game 2 but that result left the Sounders one goal short on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo have advanced to the Eastern Conference final and will also open their playoff series on Sunday (5:30 Eastern, FOX Soccer).
Sporting KC, which finished first in the Eastern Conference during the regular season with a record of 13-9-12, advanced with a 4-0 aggregate victory over Colorado Rapids. Teal Bunbury scored both goals in a 2-0 victory in Game 1, while C.J. Sapong and Aurelien Collin provided the markers in a subsequent 2-0 win in Game 2.
Houston posted a regular-season record of 12-9-13 before defeating Philadelphia Union with an aggregate total of 3-1 in two Dynamo victories. Houston won Game 1 at Philadelphia by a score of 2-1 on goals by Andre Hainault and Calen Carr, before eliminating the Union with a 1-0 win on Thursday night in Houston on a header by Brian Ching.
Get all your MLS odds at Bodog.
Bet on soccer with Bodog
The Supporters’ Shield-winning Galaxy, 19-5-10 during the regular season including an unbeaten 12-0-5 at home, got a goal from Mike Magee off a corner kick by Beckham and another one from Landon Donovan who converted a penalty kick after Beckham was hauled down in the box to eliminate New York. Magee also scored the only goal in a 1-0 win in Game 1, as the Galaxy won the two-game series 3-1 on aggregate.
Real Salt Lake had earlier advanced to the Western Conference final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over the Seattle Sounders. Real Salt Lake compiled a 15-11-8 record during the regular season and romped to a 3-0 victory in Game 1 against the Sounders on two goals from Alvaro Saborio and one from Ned Grabavoy. Seattle blanked Salt Lake 2-0 in Game 2 but that result left the Sounders one goal short on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo have advanced to the Eastern Conference final and will also open their playoff series on Sunday (5:30 Eastern, FOX Soccer).
Sporting KC, which finished first in the Eastern Conference during the regular season with a record of 13-9-12, advanced with a 4-0 aggregate victory over Colorado Rapids. Teal Bunbury scored both goals in a 2-0 victory in Game 1, while C.J. Sapong and Aurelien Collin provided the markers in a subsequent 2-0 win in Game 2.
Houston posted a regular-season record of 12-9-13 before defeating Philadelphia Union with an aggregate total of 3-1 in two Dynamo victories. Houston won Game 1 at Philadelphia by a score of 2-1 on goals by Andre Hainault and Calen Carr, before eliminating the Union with a 1-0 win on Thursday night in Houston on a header by Brian Ching.
Get all your MLS odds at Bodog.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
THE fond hope expressed in the past few days is that the jail sentences for three Pakistan cricketers guilty of corruption will act as a serious deterrent to other professional sportsmen and women all round the world.
Certainly, the incarceration of former captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir sent shockwaves through the relatively parochial acres of international cricket.
A victory, any victory, in the battle against spot-fixers and match-fixers is always to be welcomed.
Yet the bitter truth is that the court case which brought the conviction of the Pakistan trio took us nowhere near to the criminal gangsters who organise the corruption of cricket and many other sports. It took us not a step closer to a solution to the serious threat to worldwide sport caused by the existence of vast illegal betting markets in Asia.
Butt, Asif and Amir were small fry in the problem of the fixing of sports events. So was the agent, Mazhar Majeed, also convicted in their case following a newspaper sting.
There was no substantial evidence about the gangsters who mastermind betting scams in sport, only oblique mentions of a Mr X in Dubai and testimony from Amir that he had been warned to stay silent.
These were referred to in court by the judge, Mr Justice Cooke, who said: “The reality of those threats (against Amir) and the strength of underworld influences who control unlawful betting abroad is shown by the supporting evidence in documents from the anti-corruption unit of the International Cricket Council (the world governing body).”
Cricket is but one of many sports at risk of destruction by the cancer of gambling corruption. Football, tennis, snooker and sumo wrestling have all had recent major scandals.
Listen to Jacques Rogge, president of the Olympic movement, who fears this threat is even greater than doping and performance-enhancing drugs.
“Each instance that comes to light undermines confidence in sport, which can lead to spectator apathy and drops in attendance, TV viewing and sponsorship,” he said. “At its worst, it can deter people from participating in sports in the first place.
“As it becomes increasingly obvious that large criminal networks benefit from illegal betting, we encourage governments to put in place specific criminal legislation.
“The potential for corruption is at an all-time high. What’s worse, this cancer continues to go largely unregulated in many parts of the world. We know the day will come when there is a betting scandal at the Olympic Games.”
Rogge’s concern is that London 2012 will be the target of the criminal gangs, mainly from Asia. This is backed up by Tim Lamb, former chief executive of English cricket and now in charge of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the umbrella organisation for all UK sports governing bodies.
“My view is that there are a number of Olympic disciplines that are quite easy to fix,” said Lamb, speaking recently at the annual conference of the Professional Players Federation.
“It’s very important that all participants in the Olympics are aware of the dangers.”
The threat is acknowledged by Interpol, who estimate the global illegal gambling markets are worth £350billion in Asia alone.
Earlier this year, Interpol general secretary Ron Noble said: “Organised criminals can now engage in systematic fraud and match-fixing from anywhere in the world. It is the illegal markets that drive the crime syndicates who, it has become apparent over the past five years, have driven deep into some sports.”
Match-fixing has been a reality since professional games began, with infamous instances like the 1919 baseball World Series which the Chicago White Sox deliberately lost.
The relationship between bookmakers and sport is very close in English football, for example, where nearly all clubs have official ‘betting partners’. Gambling is a source of legitimate revenue for clubs, even while remaining a potential danger.
Possible problems tend to be quickly spotted and eradicated in legal gambling here in the UK, where the arena is controlled and regulated, and where there is close co-operation with the sporting authorities.
Irregular betting patterns bring a swift response, with markets closed and searches begun for potential corruption. What worries football, like the Olympic movement and cricket, is the explosion of underworld betting. Germany, Italy, Croatia, Turkey and Britain have suffered scandals, and UEFA president Michel Platini has made a direct plea for help from governments.
He said: “European sport is afraid because of a match-fixing phenomenon that is developing in connection with large-scale online betting activities. The growth of betting-related match-fixing is alarming because it is a problem to which no country and no sport is immune.
“This is why we are appealing to the heads of state and government and to the EU institutions, asking them to take the necessary steps.”
Platini is correct that sport alone cannot fight the betting gangsters. It will require more court cases where guilty sportsmen are sent to jail.
Most of all, though, it will require countries like India to change their laws, to understand that their prohibition on betting has led to the creation of a vast underworld gambling arena. This is international sport’s greatest challenge as it battles the curse of match-fixing and corruption.
Certainly, the incarceration of former captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir sent shockwaves through the relatively parochial acres of international cricket.
A victory, any victory, in the battle against spot-fixers and match-fixers is always to be welcomed.
Yet the bitter truth is that the court case which brought the conviction of the Pakistan trio took us nowhere near to the criminal gangsters who organise the corruption of cricket and many other sports. It took us not a step closer to a solution to the serious threat to worldwide sport caused by the existence of vast illegal betting markets in Asia.
Butt, Asif and Amir were small fry in the problem of the fixing of sports events. So was the agent, Mazhar Majeed, also convicted in their case following a newspaper sting.
There was no substantial evidence about the gangsters who mastermind betting scams in sport, only oblique mentions of a Mr X in Dubai and testimony from Amir that he had been warned to stay silent.
These were referred to in court by the judge, Mr Justice Cooke, who said: “The reality of those threats (against Amir) and the strength of underworld influences who control unlawful betting abroad is shown by the supporting evidence in documents from the anti-corruption unit of the International Cricket Council (the world governing body).”
Cricket is but one of many sports at risk of destruction by the cancer of gambling corruption. Football, tennis, snooker and sumo wrestling have all had recent major scandals.
Listen to Jacques Rogge, president of the Olympic movement, who fears this threat is even greater than doping and performance-enhancing drugs.
“Each instance that comes to light undermines confidence in sport, which can lead to spectator apathy and drops in attendance, TV viewing and sponsorship,” he said. “At its worst, it can deter people from participating in sports in the first place.
“As it becomes increasingly obvious that large criminal networks benefit from illegal betting, we encourage governments to put in place specific criminal legislation.
“The potential for corruption is at an all-time high. What’s worse, this cancer continues to go largely unregulated in many parts of the world. We know the day will come when there is a betting scandal at the Olympic Games.”
Rogge’s concern is that London 2012 will be the target of the criminal gangs, mainly from Asia. This is backed up by Tim Lamb, former chief executive of English cricket and now in charge of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the umbrella organisation for all UK sports governing bodies.
“My view is that there are a number of Olympic disciplines that are quite easy to fix,” said Lamb, speaking recently at the annual conference of the Professional Players Federation.
“It’s very important that all participants in the Olympics are aware of the dangers.”
The threat is acknowledged by Interpol, who estimate the global illegal gambling markets are worth £350billion in Asia alone.
Earlier this year, Interpol general secretary Ron Noble said: “Organised criminals can now engage in systematic fraud and match-fixing from anywhere in the world. It is the illegal markets that drive the crime syndicates who, it has become apparent over the past five years, have driven deep into some sports.”
Match-fixing has been a reality since professional games began, with infamous instances like the 1919 baseball World Series which the Chicago White Sox deliberately lost.
The relationship between bookmakers and sport is very close in English football, for example, where nearly all clubs have official ‘betting partners’. Gambling is a source of legitimate revenue for clubs, even while remaining a potential danger.
Possible problems tend to be quickly spotted and eradicated in legal gambling here in the UK, where the arena is controlled and regulated, and where there is close co-operation with the sporting authorities.
Irregular betting patterns bring a swift response, with markets closed and searches begun for potential corruption. What worries football, like the Olympic movement and cricket, is the explosion of underworld betting. Germany, Italy, Croatia, Turkey and Britain have suffered scandals, and UEFA president Michel Platini has made a direct plea for help from governments.
He said: “European sport is afraid because of a match-fixing phenomenon that is developing in connection with large-scale online betting activities. The growth of betting-related match-fixing is alarming because it is a problem to which no country and no sport is immune.
“This is why we are appealing to the heads of state and government and to the EU institutions, asking them to take the necessary steps.”
Platini is correct that sport alone cannot fight the betting gangsters. It will require more court cases where guilty sportsmen are sent to jail.
Most of all, though, it will require countries like India to change their laws, to understand that their prohibition on betting has led to the creation of a vast underworld gambling arena. This is international sport’s greatest challenge as it battles the curse of match-fixing and corruption.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil continues in soccer betting action on Friday in Buenos Aires, as Argentina tries to rebound from a loss with a strong performance at home against Bolivia in one of 30 drama-filled matches scheduled to take place on Friday.
Get all your international soccer odds at Bodog.
Argentina opened their qualifying effort with a dominating 4-1 home victory over Chile on October 7, with Gonzalo Higuain scoring three goals for Argentina in that victory and captain Lionel Messi also hitting the scoresheet. However the world’s No. 10-ranked squad dropped a surprising 1-0 road decision to Venezuela just four days later.
Bolivia, which lost 4-2 to Uruguay in its qualifying opener and then fell 2-1 to Columbia, is listed as a massive underdog at +2000 odds to shock Argentina with a second straight defeat on Friday. Argentina is listed at -1000 odds to rebound with a victory.
Among the other matches on Friday, Uruguay is favored at -160 odds to defeat Chile which is a +400 underdog, while Columbia is a -220 favorite against underdog Venezuela at +600 odds. Also, Paraguay is the favorite at -150 odds to defeat underdog Ecuador at +375.
Elsewhere, South Korea (-165 odds) is favored over the United Arab Emirates (+450), while Iraq (+130) is a slight favorite to defeat China (+200), and Kuwait (-450) is a huge favorite to register a victory over Lebanon (+1100).
Brazil remains the 7/2 favorite on the soccer futures board to win World Cup 2014, with Argentina and Spain both listed right behind the Brazilians at 11/2 odds. Germany (8/1), Holland (12/1), England (16/1), and Italy (also 16/1) round out the top tier of current contenders, with France (22/1), Portugal (25/1), and Uruguay (33/1) following close behind those seven soccer powers.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook – Home of Going All In.
Get all your international soccer odds at Bodog.
Argentina opened their qualifying effort with a dominating 4-1 home victory over Chile on October 7, with Gonzalo Higuain scoring three goals for Argentina in that victory and captain Lionel Messi also hitting the scoresheet. However the world’s No. 10-ranked squad dropped a surprising 1-0 road decision to Venezuela just four days later.
Bolivia, which lost 4-2 to Uruguay in its qualifying opener and then fell 2-1 to Columbia, is listed as a massive underdog at +2000 odds to shock Argentina with a second straight defeat on Friday. Argentina is listed at -1000 odds to rebound with a victory.
Among the other matches on Friday, Uruguay is favored at -160 odds to defeat Chile which is a +400 underdog, while Columbia is a -220 favorite against underdog Venezuela at +600 odds. Also, Paraguay is the favorite at -150 odds to defeat underdog Ecuador at +375.
Elsewhere, South Korea (-165 odds) is favored over the United Arab Emirates (+450), while Iraq (+130) is a slight favorite to defeat China (+200), and Kuwait (-450) is a huge favorite to register a victory over Lebanon (+1100).
Brazil remains the 7/2 favorite on the soccer futures board to win World Cup 2014, with Argentina and Spain both listed right behind the Brazilians at 11/2 odds. Germany (8/1), Holland (12/1), England (16/1), and Italy (also 16/1) round out the top tier of current contenders, with France (22/1), Portugal (25/1), and Uruguay (33/1) following close behind those seven soccer powers.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook – Home of Going All In.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely considered one of the strongest players in the world and Portugal is ranked as the No. 8 team on the planet, but after a scoreless draw in soccer betting action with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday the Portuguese are now on the verge of being eliminated from the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship.
Get all your international soccer odds at Bodog.
Ireland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic each managed to register impressive victories on Friday, and are poised to join the final draw among the 16 teams that will compete in Ukraine and Poland in June 2012 for the European championship.
But Portugal failed to score a goal on the road and now must vanquish Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in Lisbon in the second leg of the two-game, total-goal series that will decide which team advances to Euro 2012. Portugal is listed as a -250 favorite to advance with a victory on Tuesday, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is a +750 underdog.
Ireland cruised past Estonia 4-0 on Friday and will get to host the second leg before their home faithful in Dublin. Captain Robbie Keane scored two goals with Keith Andrews and Jon Walters adding solo strikes to lift Ireland to the lopsided road victory on Friday. Ireland is favored at -300 odds to defeat Estonia (+950) on Tuesday.
Croatia also impressed with a 3-0 romp in Istanbul in which they scored early and were barely challenged by Turkey. Ivica Olic redirected a cross home barely two minutes into the match and Croatia also got goals from Mario Mandzukic and Vedran Corluka. Croatia is a -140 favorite to defeat Turkey (+375) and win the second leg on Tuesday in Zagreb.
Playing at home, the Czech Republic blanked Montenegro 2-0 on goals by Vaclav Pilar and Tomas Sivok. Montenegro will try to come from behind to advance at home on Tuesday in Podgorica as a +140 favorite, with the Czechs listed at +175 to win the second leg as well.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook – Home of Going All In.
Get all your international soccer odds at Bodog.
Ireland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic each managed to register impressive victories on Friday, and are poised to join the final draw among the 16 teams that will compete in Ukraine and Poland in June 2012 for the European championship.
But Portugal failed to score a goal on the road and now must vanquish Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in Lisbon in the second leg of the two-game, total-goal series that will decide which team advances to Euro 2012. Portugal is listed as a -250 favorite to advance with a victory on Tuesday, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is a +750 underdog.
Ireland cruised past Estonia 4-0 on Friday and will get to host the second leg before their home faithful in Dublin. Captain Robbie Keane scored two goals with Keith Andrews and Jon Walters adding solo strikes to lift Ireland to the lopsided road victory on Friday. Ireland is favored at -300 odds to defeat Estonia (+950) on Tuesday.
Croatia also impressed with a 3-0 romp in Istanbul in which they scored early and were barely challenged by Turkey. Ivica Olic redirected a cross home barely two minutes into the match and Croatia also got goals from Mario Mandzukic and Vedran Corluka. Croatia is a -140 favorite to defeat Turkey (+375) and win the second leg on Tuesday in Zagreb.
Playing at home, the Czech Republic blanked Montenegro 2-0 on goals by Vaclav Pilar and Tomas Sivok. Montenegro will try to come from behind to advance at home on Tuesday in Podgorica as a +140 favorite, with the Czechs listed at +175 to win the second leg as well.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook – Home of Going All In.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
In what could be his final appearance in a Major League Soccer uniform, David Beckham will attempt to lead the Galaxy to a league title as Los Angeles takes on the Houston Dynamo in a one-game championship showdown for the MLS Cup at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on Sunday night (9:00 pm Eastern, ESPN).
Bet on Major League Soccer with Bodog.
The Galaxy, which finished the MLS regular-season as the Supporters’ Shield winners with a glittering record of 19-5-10 in soccer betting results, are seeking their third MLS Cup after winning previous championships in 2002 and 2005.
The Dynamo, which finished second in the Eastern division with a regular-season record of 12-9-13, have proven themselves as worthy challengers after knocking off division winners Sporting Kansas City on the road to advance to the MLS Cup final. Houston has also won two previous MLS championships, delivering back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
Los Angeles has not lost a single match at home this season, posting a 14-0-5 record (including a pair of playoff victories over New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake). The Galaxy is accordingly listed as strong -160 favorites to win the MLS Cup on Sunday night.
Houston has posted a road record of 4-6-9 (including postseason wins at Philadelphia and Kansas City), and is listed as a steep underdog at +450 odds to hand Los Angeles its first defeat this season at the Home Depot Center.
Houston, playing at home, defeated Los Angeles 3-1 on October 23 as Adam Moffat, Bobby Boswell and Carlo Costly each scored goals for the Dynamo, before Jack McBean managed to answer for the Galaxy. However, LA rested many of its starters in that game including Beckham, Landon Donovan and Mike Magee, as the Galaxy had already clinched the Supporters’ Shield.
Houston will be missing star midfielder and MVP candidate Brad Davis on Sunday night. Davis, who led the MLS with 16 assists this season, suffered a leg injury in the Eastern Conference final against Kansas City.
Get all your MLS odds at Bodog.
Home of Going All In.
Bet on Major League Soccer with Bodog.
The Galaxy, which finished the MLS regular-season as the Supporters’ Shield winners with a glittering record of 19-5-10 in soccer betting results, are seeking their third MLS Cup after winning previous championships in 2002 and 2005.
The Dynamo, which finished second in the Eastern division with a regular-season record of 12-9-13, have proven themselves as worthy challengers after knocking off division winners Sporting Kansas City on the road to advance to the MLS Cup final. Houston has also won two previous MLS championships, delivering back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
Los Angeles has not lost a single match at home this season, posting a 14-0-5 record (including a pair of playoff victories over New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake). The Galaxy is accordingly listed as strong -160 favorites to win the MLS Cup on Sunday night.
Houston has posted a road record of 4-6-9 (including postseason wins at Philadelphia and Kansas City), and is listed as a steep underdog at +450 odds to hand Los Angeles its first defeat this season at the Home Depot Center.
Houston, playing at home, defeated Los Angeles 3-1 on October 23 as Adam Moffat, Bobby Boswell and Carlo Costly each scored goals for the Dynamo, before Jack McBean managed to answer for the Galaxy. However, LA rested many of its starters in that game including Beckham, Landon Donovan and Mike Magee, as the Galaxy had already clinched the Supporters’ Shield.
Houston will be missing star midfielder and MVP candidate Brad Davis on Sunday night. Davis, who led the MLS with 16 assists this season, suffered a leg injury in the Eastern Conference final against Kansas City.
Get all your MLS odds at Bodog.
Home of Going All In.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Manchester City may sit a comfortable five points clear atop the table heading into this weekend’s slate of fixtures, but they’ll face a strong challenge when the only other undefeated squad hits the pitch as Newcastle United pays a visit to Etihad Stadium in English Premier League soccer betting action this Saturday (10:00 am Eastern).
Get all your EPL odds at Bodog.
Manchester City, with a sterling record of ten wins and one draw through their first eleven EPL matches this season, nipped host Queen’s Park Rangers 3-2 in their most recent outing back on November 5. That result gave City six consecutive victories, following their lone draw which came back on September 18 at Fulham, but the win over QPR only arrived via comeback as Yaya Toure scored the winner on a header in the 74th minute.
Edin Dzeko scored his team-leading tenth goal of the campaign and David Silva also struck for City, which is favored at -330 odds to defeat Newcastle United on Saturday. Newcastle, a sizable road underdog at +850 odds, has seven victories and four draws through eleven fixtures and is coming off back-to-back wins over Everton and Stoke.
The unbeaten Magpies narrowly defeated Everton 2-1 at home on November 5, following their road victory by a 3-1 count at Stoke in which striker Demba Ba scored all three goals to raise his season total to eight.
Also Saturday, Norwich City (+425) hosts Arsenal (-160), Wolverhampton (+450) is at Everton (-175), QPR (+350) visits Stoke (-140), Fulham (+210) is on the road to Sunderland (+125), Bolton (+275) is at West Bromwich (-105), Wigan (+140) hosts Blackburn (+185), and Manchester United (-225) visits Swansea City (+700).
Sixth-place Liverpool (+375) pays a visit to Stamford Bridge to tangle with fourth-place Chelsea (-140) in the lone Sunday fixture. The Blues (7-1-3) sit just three points clear of the Reds (5-4-2) heading into their match.
Get all your Premier League soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook
Home of Going All In.
Get all your EPL odds at Bodog.
Manchester City, with a sterling record of ten wins and one draw through their first eleven EPL matches this season, nipped host Queen’s Park Rangers 3-2 in their most recent outing back on November 5. That result gave City six consecutive victories, following their lone draw which came back on September 18 at Fulham, but the win over QPR only arrived via comeback as Yaya Toure scored the winner on a header in the 74th minute.
Edin Dzeko scored his team-leading tenth goal of the campaign and David Silva also struck for City, which is favored at -330 odds to defeat Newcastle United on Saturday. Newcastle, a sizable road underdog at +850 odds, has seven victories and four draws through eleven fixtures and is coming off back-to-back wins over Everton and Stoke.
The unbeaten Magpies narrowly defeated Everton 2-1 at home on November 5, following their road victory by a 3-1 count at Stoke in which striker Demba Ba scored all three goals to raise his season total to eight.
Also Saturday, Norwich City (+425) hosts Arsenal (-160), Wolverhampton (+450) is at Everton (-175), QPR (+350) visits Stoke (-140), Fulham (+210) is on the road to Sunderland (+125), Bolton (+275) is at West Bromwich (-105), Wigan (+140) hosts Blackburn (+185), and Manchester United (-225) visits Swansea City (+700).
Sixth-place Liverpool (+375) pays a visit to Stamford Bridge to tangle with fourth-place Chelsea (-140) in the lone Sunday fixture. The Blues (7-1-3) sit just three points clear of the Reds (5-4-2) heading into their match.
Get all your Premier League soccer odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook
Home of Going All In.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Historic rivals AC Milan and FC Barcelona highlight this week’s soccer betting action as UEFA Champions League group stage play continues with eight matches scheduled for Tuesday and another eight fixtures on tap for Wednesday, including this marquee matchup between Group H titans.
Bet on the UEFA Champions League with Bodog.
Barcelona, which is undefeated with three victories and a draw in four Champions League matches so far, is listed as the -130 favorite to defeat rival Milan, which is a +350 underdog with draw odds of +250. Barcelona currently sits atop the Group H table with ten points and a goal differential of +11, while unbeaten Milan ranks second on a record of two wins and two draws for eight points with a goal differential of +4. Both clubs have already qualified for the Round of 16.
These two teams met back on September 13 to open group stage play and battled to a 2-2 draw in Catalonia. Pato struck for Milan just 25 seconds into the match, before Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa scored to push Barcelona ahead in a game that featured dominating bursts of Lionel Messi trickery for the reigning champions. Thiago Silva headed home a corner in extra time to equalize for Milan, whetting the appetite for Wednesday’s (2:45 pm Eastern) rematch at San Siro.
Other matches that highlight Wednesday’s schedule include Chelsea (EVEN) at Bayer Leverkusen (+260) in Group E, Borussia Dortmund (+275) at Arsenal (-110) in Group F, and APOEL (+700) at Zenit St. Petersburg (-250) in Group G.
Among the marquee matchups on Tuesday’s schedule are Benfica (+650) at Manchester United (-220) in Group C, Manchester City (-110) at Napoli (+280) in Group A, as well as Inter Milan (+130) at Trabzonspor (+210) in Group B.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Bet on the UEFA Champions League with Bodog.
Barcelona, which is undefeated with three victories and a draw in four Champions League matches so far, is listed as the -130 favorite to defeat rival Milan, which is a +350 underdog with draw odds of +250. Barcelona currently sits atop the Group H table with ten points and a goal differential of +11, while unbeaten Milan ranks second on a record of two wins and two draws for eight points with a goal differential of +4. Both clubs have already qualified for the Round of 16.
These two teams met back on September 13 to open group stage play and battled to a 2-2 draw in Catalonia. Pato struck for Milan just 25 seconds into the match, before Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa scored to push Barcelona ahead in a game that featured dominating bursts of Lionel Messi trickery for the reigning champions. Thiago Silva headed home a corner in extra time to equalize for Milan, whetting the appetite for Wednesday’s (2:45 pm Eastern) rematch at San Siro.
Other matches that highlight Wednesday’s schedule include Chelsea (EVEN) at Bayer Leverkusen (+260) in Group E, Borussia Dortmund (+275) at Arsenal (-110) in Group F, and APOEL (+700) at Zenit St. Petersburg (-250) in Group G.
Among the marquee matchups on Tuesday’s schedule are Benfica (+650) at Manchester United (-220) in Group C, Manchester City (-110) at Napoli (+280) in Group A, as well as Inter Milan (+130) at Trabzonspor (+210) in Group B.
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Manchester United will be gunning for its fourth consecutive victory in English Premier League soccer betting action at Old Trafford this Saturday morning (10:00 am Eastern, ESPN2) as Newcastle United attempts to bounce back from its first defeat of the season.
Get these and all the rest of your EPL odds at Bodog.
Manchester United remains in second place with a record of 9-2-1, five points behind frontrunning Manchester City (11-1-0) which handed the Red Devils its only loss of the campaign so far in devastating fashion with a 6-1 rout back on October 23. Since then, the Red Devils have defeated Everton, Sunderland and Swansea all by identical 1-0 scores to regain some confidence heading into this weekend’s marquee clash with Newcastle United.
The fourth-place Magpies (equal in points with third-place Tottenham which has played one less game) have 25 points on a record of 7-4-1, and are coming off their lone defeat which came in a 3-1 setback at the hands of Manchester City last weekend. Prior to that result Newcastle United had reeled off consecutive victories over Everton, Stoke, and Wigan.
Manchester United is a heavy -300 favorite to earn three points at home against the underdog Toon at +800, with draw odds of +380.
Also Saturday, Stoke City (-125) hosts Blackburn Rovers (+350), Everton (+130) is at Bolton Wanderers (+210), Wolverhampton Wanderers (+1200) visit Chelsea (-525), Queen’s Park Rangers (+240) is on the road to Norwich City (+110), Wigan Athletic (+450) is at Sunderland (-155), West Bromwich Albion (+275) hosts Tottenham Hotspur (-110), and Fulham (+650) visits Arsenal (-240).
On Sunday, Aston Villa (+225) pays a visit to Swansea City (+120) and Liverpool (+180) welcomes Manchester City (+140) to Anfield.
Get these and all the rest of your EPL odds at Bodog.
Manchester United remains in second place with a record of 9-2-1, five points behind frontrunning Manchester City (11-1-0) which handed the Red Devils its only loss of the campaign so far in devastating fashion with a 6-1 rout back on October 23. Since then, the Red Devils have defeated Everton, Sunderland and Swansea all by identical 1-0 scores to regain some confidence heading into this weekend’s marquee clash with Newcastle United.
The fourth-place Magpies (equal in points with third-place Tottenham which has played one less game) have 25 points on a record of 7-4-1, and are coming off their lone defeat which came in a 3-1 setback at the hands of Manchester City last weekend. Prior to that result Newcastle United had reeled off consecutive victories over Everton, Stoke, and Wigan.
Manchester United is a heavy -300 favorite to earn three points at home against the underdog Toon at +800, with draw odds of +380.
Also Saturday, Stoke City (-125) hosts Blackburn Rovers (+350), Everton (+130) is at Bolton Wanderers (+210), Wolverhampton Wanderers (+1200) visit Chelsea (-525), Queen’s Park Rangers (+240) is on the road to Norwich City (+110), Wigan Athletic (+450) is at Sunderland (-155), West Bromwich Albion (+275) hosts Tottenham Hotspur (-110), and Fulham (+650) visits Arsenal (-240).
On Sunday, Aston Villa (+225) pays a visit to Swansea City (+120) and Liverpool (+180) welcomes Manchester City (+140) to Anfield.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Tipster Connection is your one stop access point for soccer betting and soccer advise providing great tips on all aspects of the beautiful game of soccer including soccer betting information and resources for soccer punters.
For more details Please Visit tipsterconnection.com
For more details Please Visit tipsterconnection.com
Join:
2011/08/26
Messages:
1
As if wide-scale domination of the poker landscape in Europe and a monopoly on the game’s top pros wasn’t enough, PokerStars.net have now branched out even further by lending their support to a German football team.
The online poker giants will now be sponsoring a multi-purpose stadium in Lubeck, Germany and have purchased exclusive naming rights to the property in a three year deal with further options for a reported €120,000 a year.
The 18,000 capacity stadium – previously known as Stadion an der Lohmuhle – will now feature PokerStars.de at the start of its name in a move that is seen by many as the first step towards a boom in the region’s online gambling market.
The home of German fourth-division side VfB Lubeck, the stadium is situated in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, which is opening its doors to online gambling having already become the first state to legalise and regulate online poker in the country.
Operators will be able to apply for online betting licenses in the state in March 2012 and with the PokerStars.de brand now displayed prominently on the Stadion an der Lohmuhle, they look well-placed to take advantage of the relaxing of current laws.
The online poker giants will now be sponsoring a multi-purpose stadium in Lubeck, Germany and have purchased exclusive naming rights to the property in a three year deal with further options for a reported €120,000 a year.
The 18,000 capacity stadium – previously known as Stadion an der Lohmuhle – will now feature PokerStars.de at the start of its name in a move that is seen by many as the first step towards a boom in the region’s online gambling market.
The home of German fourth-division side VfB Lubeck, the stadium is situated in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, which is opening its doors to online gambling having already become the first state to legalise and regulate online poker in the country.
Operators will be able to apply for online betting licenses in the state in March 2012 and with the PokerStars.de brand now displayed prominently on the Stadion an der Lohmuhle, they look well-placed to take advantage of the relaxing of current laws.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Separated by just a slender point in the English Premier League standings, Chelsea travels to St. James’ Park to challenge Newcastle United for fourth place in this weekend’s EPL marquee soccer betting matchup on Saturday morning (7:45 am Eastern, ESPN2) at the Sports Direct Arena.
Get all your EPL odds at Bodog.
Despite suffering only one loss (to undefeated Manchester City on November 19) while winning seven matches with five draws through 13 games entering the drama of December, Newcastle is listed as the underdog at +260 odds on their home pitch against erratic Chelsea (EVEN), with draw odds of +240.
The Magpies are coming off a stellar defensive effort in a 1-1 result at Old Trafford against Manchester United last weekend, a game in which Demba Ba equalized on a controversial penalty kick in the 64th minute and which also saw the Newcastle survive the dismissal of Jonas Gutierrez in the 79th minute.
Chelsea, meanwhile, has four defeats on its slate but with eight wins and one draw the Blues sit just one point behind fourth-place Newcastle in the table. The Blues easily buried Wolverhampton 3-0 last weekend on first-half goals by John Terry, Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata and a clean sheet from Petr Cech.
Other Saturday matches include Blackburn Rovers (+115) playing host to Swansea City (+110), Norwich City (+1400) is at table-topping Manchester City (-500), West Bromwich Albion (+200) visit Queens Park Rangers (+125), Bolton Wanderers (+900) hit the road to tangle with third-place Tottenham Hotspur (-330), Arsenal (-180) is at Wigan Athletic (+500), and Aston Villa (+475) welcomes second-place Manchester United (-160) to Villa Park.
On Sunday, Stoke City (+375) faces favored Everton (-145) at Goodison Park, and Sunderland (+185) is at Wolverhampton (+135). The Monday fixture will feature Liverpool (+120) at Fulham (+225).
Get all your EPL odds at Bodog.
Despite suffering only one loss (to undefeated Manchester City on November 19) while winning seven matches with five draws through 13 games entering the drama of December, Newcastle is listed as the underdog at +260 odds on their home pitch against erratic Chelsea (EVEN), with draw odds of +240.
The Magpies are coming off a stellar defensive effort in a 1-1 result at Old Trafford against Manchester United last weekend, a game in which Demba Ba equalized on a controversial penalty kick in the 64th minute and which also saw the Newcastle survive the dismissal of Jonas Gutierrez in the 79th minute.
Chelsea, meanwhile, has four defeats on its slate but with eight wins and one draw the Blues sit just one point behind fourth-place Newcastle in the table. The Blues easily buried Wolverhampton 3-0 last weekend on first-half goals by John Terry, Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata and a clean sheet from Petr Cech.
Other Saturday matches include Blackburn Rovers (+115) playing host to Swansea City (+110), Norwich City (+1400) is at table-topping Manchester City (-500), West Bromwich Albion (+200) visit Queens Park Rangers (+125), Bolton Wanderers (+900) hit the road to tangle with third-place Tottenham Hotspur (-330), Arsenal (-180) is at Wigan Athletic (+500), and Aston Villa (+475) welcomes second-place Manchester United (-160) to Villa Park.
On Sunday, Stoke City (+375) faces favored Everton (-145) at Goodison Park, and Sunderland (+185) is at Wolverhampton (+135). The Monday fixture will feature Liverpool (+120) at Fulham (+225).
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Ajax will be looking to book its spot in the Round of 16 of the 2012 UEFA Champions League by securing at least a point at home against Group D winners Real Madrid in soccer betting action on Wednesday (2:45 pm Eastern) in Amsterdam.
Get all your UEFA Champions League odds at Bodog.
With a record of two wins, two draws and one loss through five games and a goal differential of +3, the Dutch side sits three points clear of third-place Lyon in the Group D standings. The French squad has one victory, two draws and two losses with a goal differential of -4, and both matches between Ajax and Lyon finished 0-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema all struck for Real Madrid in a 3-0 victory back on September 27 by the Spanish powerhouse over Ajax in the first leg of their matchup. Real Madrid is tied for the lead in Champions League competition with 16 goals scored, while allowing only two against.
Lyon defeated winless Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in their first matchup, with the second leg also scheduled for Wednesday in Zagreb to decide whether Ajax or Lyon will join Real Madrid in the knockout phase.
Ajax is a slight underdog at +180 odds to knock off visiting Real Madrid, which is listed at +145 with draw odds of +225. Lyon is at -115 to defeat Dinamo Zagreb, which is at +300 with draw odds of +240.
Among the other intriguing Matchday 6 fixtures, Chelsea (-145) will be looking to punch its ticket to the Round of 16 with a win at home over Valencia (+375) on Tuesday, and Manchester United (-185) travels to Switzerland to battle Basel (+550) on Wednesday.
Get all your UEFA Champions League odds at Bodog.
With a record of two wins, two draws and one loss through five games and a goal differential of +3, the Dutch side sits three points clear of third-place Lyon in the Group D standings. The French squad has one victory, two draws and two losses with a goal differential of -4, and both matches between Ajax and Lyon finished 0-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema all struck for Real Madrid in a 3-0 victory back on September 27 by the Spanish powerhouse over Ajax in the first leg of their matchup. Real Madrid is tied for the lead in Champions League competition with 16 goals scored, while allowing only two against.
Lyon defeated winless Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in their first matchup, with the second leg also scheduled for Wednesday in Zagreb to decide whether Ajax or Lyon will join Real Madrid in the knockout phase.
Ajax is a slight underdog at +180 odds to knock off visiting Real Madrid, which is listed at +145 with draw odds of +225. Lyon is at -115 to defeat Dinamo Zagreb, which is at +300 with draw odds of +240.
Among the other intriguing Matchday 6 fixtures, Chelsea (-145) will be looking to punch its ticket to the Round of 16 with a win at home over Valencia (+375) on Tuesday, and Manchester United (-185) travels to Switzerland to battle Basel (+550) on Wednesday.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Unbeaten Manchester City will have to quickly rebound from the shockwaves of Champions League elimination earlier this week, as they visit Stamford Bridge to face a stiff challenge from Chelsea in English Premier League soccer betting action on Monday afternoon (3:00 pm Eastern, ESPN2).
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Manchester City, with a stellar record of 12-2-0 and a goal differential of +35, sit comfortably atop the EPL table ahead of second-place Manchester United which is five points in arrears (and also failed to advance this week to the knockout phase of Champions League play).
Chelsea secured a grip on fourth place in the EPL standings by improving to 9-1-4 with a 3-0 victory last week over Newcastle United, as Didier Drogba scored in the first half and Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge both added markers in the game’s final stages.
Chelsea went on to defeat Valencia by the same score on Tuesday (with Drogba scoring twice) and thereby qualify for the Round of 16 in Champions League competition. So while Chelsea sits four slots behind Manchester City in the EPL table, it is the host Blues (+145) that are clearly on form heading into their matchup with rival City (+185).
Saturday matches feature Arsenal (-200) playing host to Everton (+550), Aston Villa (+185) is at Bolton Wanderers (+145), Queens Park Rangers (+900) visit Liverpool (-350), Wolverhampton Wanderers (+1400) travel to Old Trafford to tackle Manchester United (-550), Norwich City (+140) is home to Newcastle United (+180), Fulham (+175) is at Swansea City (+150), and West Bromwich Albion (-155) welcomes Wigan Athletic (+440).
On Sunday, Blackburn Rovers (+300) is at Sunderland (-115) and Stoke City (+275) plays host to Tottenham Hotspur (EVEN).
Get all your soccer odds at Bodog.
Manchester City, with a stellar record of 12-2-0 and a goal differential of +35, sit comfortably atop the EPL table ahead of second-place Manchester United which is five points in arrears (and also failed to advance this week to the knockout phase of Champions League play).
Chelsea secured a grip on fourth place in the EPL standings by improving to 9-1-4 with a 3-0 victory last week over Newcastle United, as Didier Drogba scored in the first half and Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge both added markers in the game’s final stages.
Chelsea went on to defeat Valencia by the same score on Tuesday (with Drogba scoring twice) and thereby qualify for the Round of 16 in Champions League competition. So while Chelsea sits four slots behind Manchester City in the EPL table, it is the host Blues (+145) that are clearly on form heading into their matchup with rival City (+185).
Saturday matches feature Arsenal (-200) playing host to Everton (+550), Aston Villa (+185) is at Bolton Wanderers (+145), Queens Park Rangers (+900) visit Liverpool (-350), Wolverhampton Wanderers (+1400) travel to Old Trafford to tackle Manchester United (-550), Norwich City (+140) is home to Newcastle United (+180), Fulham (+175) is at Swansea City (+150), and West Bromwich Albion (-155) welcomes Wigan Athletic (+440).
On Sunday, Blackburn Rovers (+300) is at Sunderland (-115) and Stoke City (+275) plays host to Tottenham Hotspur (EVEN).
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
UEFA’s betting fraud detection system (BFDS), which monitors betting patterns in every match in its competitions, has been consulted for evidence of any irregular betting patterns around the Lyon-Dinamo match.
Suspicions were aroused by an apparent wink that Dinamo defender Domagoj Vida appeared to direct at Bafetimbi Gomis as he helped the Lyon forward pluck the ball out of the net after Lisandro scored the French team’s fifth goal.
“I have no doubts whatsoever about the integrity of the match or the competition,” UEFA president Michel Platini said after an executive committee meeting in Venice, Italy. “I believe in this competition and I believe in the integrity of the players in this competition.”
The regulators said their probe of bets placed with French online gambling operators found “no particular anomaly” – either in the total amount that was gambled, the number of bets or their spread.
In Croatia, Dinamo issued a statement describing speculation about the result as “shameful, malicious and tendentious.” If the insinuations in the media continue, GNK Dinamo will take all legal measures to protect their rights.”
Suspicions were aroused by an apparent wink that Dinamo defender Domagoj Vida appeared to direct at Bafetimbi Gomis as he helped the Lyon forward pluck the ball out of the net after Lisandro scored the French team’s fifth goal.
“I have no doubts whatsoever about the integrity of the match or the competition,” UEFA president Michel Platini said after an executive committee meeting in Venice, Italy. “I believe in this competition and I believe in the integrity of the players in this competition.”
The regulators said their probe of bets placed with French online gambling operators found “no particular anomaly” – either in the total amount that was gambled, the number of bets or their spread.
In Croatia, Dinamo issued a statement describing speculation about the result as “shameful, malicious and tendentious.” If the insinuations in the media continue, GNK Dinamo will take all legal measures to protect their rights.”
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Coming off their first loss of the season, first-place Manchester City will be hoping to return to their winning ways as Arsenal pays a visit to Etihad Stadium in English Premier League soccer betting action this Sunday (11:10 am Eastern).
Get all your soccer odds at the Bovada Sportsbook.
Manchester City (12-2-1) is now just two points clear of second-place Manchester United (11-3-1) after failing 2-1 to rival Chelsea on Monday, despite getting an early leg up on a goal by Mario Balotelli in the second minute of play. Raul Meireles equalized for Chelsea in the 34th minute before Frank Lampard converted a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to terminate the City streak.
Arsenal, meanwhile, sits nine points behind Manchester City in fifth place in the table with a record of 9-2-4 after Robin van Persie scored on an electrifying volley in the 70th minute to defeat Everton 1-0 last week at the Emirates Stadium. Van Persie is the EPL’s leading scorer with 15 goals so far this season.
The Gunners - who are listed as +400 underdogs to hand the favored Citizens (-155) their second consecutive loss - have posted a win and a draw in their past two matchups against Manchester City, including a scoreless result in January and a 3-0 romp in October 2010.
Among the other key fixtures on tap this weekend, Chelsea (-275) is at Wigan Athletic (+750) on Saturday, while Manchester United (-240) visits Queen’s Park Rangers (+650) and Tottenham Hotspur (-275) plays host to Sunderland (+700) on Sunday.
Newcastle United (-140) will be at home to Swansea City (+350) on Saturday, while Liverpool (-105) is the visitor at Aston Villa (+275) on Sunday.
Get all your soccer odds at the Bovada Sportsbook.
Manchester City (12-2-1) is now just two points clear of second-place Manchester United (11-3-1) after failing 2-1 to rival Chelsea on Monday, despite getting an early leg up on a goal by Mario Balotelli in the second minute of play. Raul Meireles equalized for Chelsea in the 34th minute before Frank Lampard converted a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to terminate the City streak.
Arsenal, meanwhile, sits nine points behind Manchester City in fifth place in the table with a record of 9-2-4 after Robin van Persie scored on an electrifying volley in the 70th minute to defeat Everton 1-0 last week at the Emirates Stadium. Van Persie is the EPL’s leading scorer with 15 goals so far this season.
The Gunners - who are listed as +400 underdogs to hand the favored Citizens (-155) their second consecutive loss - have posted a win and a draw in their past two matchups against Manchester City, including a scoreless result in January and a 3-0 romp in October 2010.
Among the other key fixtures on tap this weekend, Chelsea (-275) is at Wigan Athletic (+750) on Saturday, while Manchester United (-240) visits Queen’s Park Rangers (+650) and Tottenham Hotspur (-275) plays host to Sunderland (+700) on Sunday.
Newcastle United (-140) will be at home to Swansea City (+350) on Saturday, while Liverpool (-105) is the visitor at Aston Villa (+275) on Sunday.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
As the calendar flips to 2012, there are plenty of intriguing issues and trends to track across all of sports. Sporting News looks at three story lines to watch in American soccer:
1. Klinsmann’s stamp on U.S. soccer
Klinsmann was hired to do more than just lead the U.S. national team to victory. He was hired to change American soccer culture—to modernize the way the country plays and learns the game. So the new coach, who is being paid $2.5 million per year, was afforded time to tinker.
Results have been mixed. Klinsmann’s enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to proactive soccer have been refreshing, but a 2-4-1 record with just five goals scored temper excitement.
Starting in June, results will matter. A lot. The U.S. will begin qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and be expected to progress through a group including Guatemala, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda with relative ease. Whether the wins and goals flow as expected will be the first genuine measure of Klinsmann’s progress.
2. MLS on NBC
MLS should feel good that in 2011, average attendance (17,872) surpassed the most recent NBA and NHL totals. It’s a milestone achievement for a soccer league heading into its 17th season.
But real relevance and reward comes through TV, and there MLS has struggled mightily. November’s MLS Cup final featuring the L.A. Galaxy garnered only a 0.8 rating on ESPN.
Nevertheless, NBC will spend $30 million in 2012-14 for the right to televise MLS games, which have been broadcast on ESPN and Fox Soccer with minimal promotion. MLS commissioner Don Garber has said he left money on the table hoping NBC would market the league more ambitiously. For a league burdened with several struggling clubs, a genuine national TV presence would do wonders. If MLS hopes to improve its on-field product, that presence and revenue will be necessary.
3. The recovering Red Bulls
No wonder MLS is pursuing a New York City expansion club with such fervor—anything to take the spotlight off the spectacle across the Hudson River. The New York Red Bulls, fielding the league’s second-most expensive roster, made the ’11 playoffs only because MLS expanded the field from eight to 10 teams. The general manager, coach and multi-millionaire designated players Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez took turns complaining, blaming and blundering their way through a season of missteps that created as many punch lines as headlines.
New York is a crucial market, and it’s the only original MLS city whose fans have yet to celebrate an MLS Cup or U.S. Open Cup title. In 2012, the Red Bulls must cease being an embarrassment and play to their potential.
1. Klinsmann’s stamp on U.S. soccer
Klinsmann was hired to do more than just lead the U.S. national team to victory. He was hired to change American soccer culture—to modernize the way the country plays and learns the game. So the new coach, who is being paid $2.5 million per year, was afforded time to tinker.
Results have been mixed. Klinsmann’s enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to proactive soccer have been refreshing, but a 2-4-1 record with just five goals scored temper excitement.
Starting in June, results will matter. A lot. The U.S. will begin qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and be expected to progress through a group including Guatemala, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda with relative ease. Whether the wins and goals flow as expected will be the first genuine measure of Klinsmann’s progress.
2. MLS on NBC
MLS should feel good that in 2011, average attendance (17,872) surpassed the most recent NBA and NHL totals. It’s a milestone achievement for a soccer league heading into its 17th season.
But real relevance and reward comes through TV, and there MLS has struggled mightily. November’s MLS Cup final featuring the L.A. Galaxy garnered only a 0.8 rating on ESPN.
Nevertheless, NBC will spend $30 million in 2012-14 for the right to televise MLS games, which have been broadcast on ESPN and Fox Soccer with minimal promotion. MLS commissioner Don Garber has said he left money on the table hoping NBC would market the league more ambitiously. For a league burdened with several struggling clubs, a genuine national TV presence would do wonders. If MLS hopes to improve its on-field product, that presence and revenue will be necessary.
3. The recovering Red Bulls
No wonder MLS is pursuing a New York City expansion club with such fervor—anything to take the spotlight off the spectacle across the Hudson River. The New York Red Bulls, fielding the league’s second-most expensive roster, made the ’11 playoffs only because MLS expanded the field from eight to 10 teams. The general manager, coach and multi-millionaire designated players Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez took turns complaining, blaming and blundering their way through a season of missteps that created as many punch lines as headlines.
New York is a crucial market, and it’s the only original MLS city whose fans have yet to celebrate an MLS Cup or U.S. Open Cup title. In 2012, the Red Bulls must cease being an embarrassment and play to their potential.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Hot on the heels of a wild weekend in English Premier League soccer betting results, Manchester City returns home after a shocking defeat to face Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon (3:00 pm Eastern, ESPN2) in a pivotal EPL match at Etihad Stadium.
Get all your soccer odds at Bovada today.
Manchester City (14-3-2) maintains a share of first place in the table with 45 points but blew an opportunity to regain sole possession of the EPL lead by giving up a goal to Dong-won Ji in the late stages of injury time to lose 1-0 to lowly Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
That stunning result, combined with the 3-2 loss suffered at home by Manchester United (also 14-3-2) on Saturday to Blackburn Rovers, left the two EPL powerhouses tied atop the table after 19 games heading into this week’s action.
Liverpool (9-7-3) sits nine points in arrears heading into Tuesday’s fixture against City, after defeating Newcastle United 3-1 on Friday on the strength of two goals by former Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy and another tally from Steven Gerrard. Gerrard contributed to the Reds’ attack for 31 minutes in only his second game back since returning from an ankle infection.
Manchester City is listed as -140 favorites to defeat visiting Liverpool (+375) on Tuesday afternoon, with draw odds of +260.
Manchester United will watch that battle unfold with great interest before hitting the pitch themselves on Wednesday afternoon (3:00 pm Eastern) against host Newcastle United (8-6-5) at Sports Direct Arena.
Manchester United, which received two second-half goals from Dimitar Berbatov in their loss to Blackburn, is currently sitting as -145 favorites to defeat Newcastle United (+425) with draw odds of +245.
Get all your soccer odds at Bovada today.
Manchester City (14-3-2) maintains a share of first place in the table with 45 points but blew an opportunity to regain sole possession of the EPL lead by giving up a goal to Dong-won Ji in the late stages of injury time to lose 1-0 to lowly Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
That stunning result, combined with the 3-2 loss suffered at home by Manchester United (also 14-3-2) on Saturday to Blackburn Rovers, left the two EPL powerhouses tied atop the table after 19 games heading into this week’s action.
Liverpool (9-7-3) sits nine points in arrears heading into Tuesday’s fixture against City, after defeating Newcastle United 3-1 on Friday on the strength of two goals by former Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy and another tally from Steven Gerrard. Gerrard contributed to the Reds’ attack for 31 minutes in only his second game back since returning from an ankle infection.
Manchester City is listed as -140 favorites to defeat visiting Liverpool (+375) on Tuesday afternoon, with draw odds of +260.
Manchester United will watch that battle unfold with great interest before hitting the pitch themselves on Wednesday afternoon (3:00 pm Eastern) against host Newcastle United (8-6-5) at Sports Direct Arena.
Manchester United, which received two second-half goals from Dimitar Berbatov in their loss to Blackburn, is currently sitting as -145 favorites to defeat Newcastle United (+425) with draw odds of +245.
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
.jpg?v=1.014689139)
.png?v=1.014689139)
FC Dallas, which finished in seventh place with a record of 15-12-7, will face a Red Bulls team that finished in tenth place at 10-8-16 in a single-elimination wild-card matchup that is a new wrinkle for this year’s MLS Cup playoffs.
A second wild-card matchup will follow on Thursday night (10:00 pm Eastern) at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, where the Rapids will host the Columbus Crew. Colorado finished the regular season in eighth place at 13-13-8, while Columbus wound up ninth with a record of 12-9-13.
Bet on the MLS playoffs with Bodog.
The lower-seeded winner of those two wild-card games will advance to face the Los Angeles Galaxy, winners of the Supporters’ Shield as the regular-season MLS champions with a record of 19-5-10. The higher-seeded winner will face Sporting Kansas City, which finished first in the Eastern Conference with a record of 13-9-12.
The other Eastern Conference semifinal will feature the Houston Dynamo (12-9-13) against the Philadelphia Union (11-8-15), while in the Western Conference the Seattle Sounders (18-7-9) will battle Real Salt Lake (15-11-8). The semifinals will all be two-game, total-goals series with each team hosting a game.
For Wednesday night’s MLS Cup playoffs opener, FC Dallas is listed as the +110 favorite to eliminate New York Red Bulls, which are underdogs at +225.
The Colorado Rapids are -105 favorites to advance on Thursday night, with the Columbus Crew listed at +275 odds to pull off the upset.
Get all your MLS odds at Bodog.