Betting News

From 1st March, if you open an account with VC Bet they'll match the value of your first bet stake with a free bet up to £20! (or currency equivalent).

England players reveal themselves!?!

Ahh, sorry - it's the new England away shirt reveal! - for a second then I thought we had another News of the World scandal on our hands!

Yes, that's right folks, the new England away shirt is revealed TODAY and Sport-e is right 'on the ball' with our updated creative showing the full kit - and don't forget Sport-e is the CHEAPEST ON THE WEB!*

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To open a new account, visit VC Casino and click 'Open New Account' on the homepage, fill in the registration form and get playing!



Terms and conditions do apply, please read those carefully before claiming!

// posted by Tony M. @ 5:07 PM

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Canbet is Your Home of Australian Rules

Apart from Kangaroos and Koalas, Australia is also known for a sport played nowhere else in the world - Australian Rules Football. Canbet.com started life 10 years ago in the land down under, and who better to bring you the Australian Rules Football, than Canbet.

The AFL (Australian Football League) is the premier professional league of Australian Rules. The season runs from April until September, culminating in the Grand Final played in Melbourne. Although Melbourne is the spiritual home of Australian Rules (and also with most teams based there), other cities in Australia also boast their own teams.

Last year, the Sydney Swans won the title, beating the West Coast (Perth) Eagles. But Sydney is only the second favourite at +650 (13/2) to win the title. Geelong and West Coast share co-favourite status at +400 (4/1). Bettors looking for a quality longshot might want to consider the popular Collingwood Magpies, available at Canbet for 30 to 1 to win it all.

In addition to the Title market, Canbet will be offering a wide variety of betting selections when the regular season starts on March 30.

Canbet.com is federally licensed by the UK and Australian governments, and has been in operation since 1996. Canbet is a wholly owned subsidiary of global gaming company International All Sports Limited (IAS), Australia's first publicly traded International Sportsbook. For more information, contact Canbet at 1-800-399-8063, or mail@canbet.com. CANBET is a registered trademark of International All Sports.

Just to let you know that we have a FAB new slots game at Jackpotjoy called 'Spinning for Gold'.

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The main feature of the game is the 1p minimum bet with a huge £10,000 jackpot. There's also a 'free spin' and a 'gamble' feature, enabling the player to QUADRUPLE their winnings, so there are plenty of reasons to play.

Read the latest poker guide at the Betting Directory The Shining Path of Poker from John Vorhaus

Poker tools are useless without the underlying will to use them well. This is why we speak of poker as a path to mastery, not just of the game you play but also of the player you are. Here is where your path begins, with a fresh, new look at the poker game you play and your playing state of mind.

John Vorhaus has written more than two million words about poker in a career stretching back to 1988 and including stints with every major poker publication. His first book, The Pro Poker Playbook is now a hard-to-find classic,
but in recent years his prolific pen has yielded Killer Poker: Strategy and Tactics for Winning Poker Play, Killer
Poker Online: Crushing the Internet Game, and Killer Poker: Hold 'em Handbook - A Wordbook for Winners,
featuring a foreword by none other than Ultimate Bet's own Annie Duke. The most recent addition to the Vorhausian oeuvre is Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino, and Beyond from St. Martin's Press.

To read the full article, go to The Betting Directory

In their biggest promotion ever, bet365poker are proud to offer every player the chance to play for a WSOP package and prize money worth a cool $165,000.

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CHRYSLER CLASSIC - ROLLINS A WORTHY TUCSON FAVOURITE AT 18/1

Th Feb 23 – 11:00 am ET (USA)
Fr Feb 24 – 11:00 am ET (USA)
Sa Feb 25 – 11:00 am ET (USA)
Su Feb 26 – 11:00 am ET (USA)

No big names playing in this week’s back-up tournament to the World Matchplay (see below), which is open to players not ranked in the top-64 in the world. There’s no obvious favorite either, but that burden falls on the shoulders of John Rollins, an 18/1 shot here at bet365. He’s probably the form horse in this non-televised event after a couple of top-five finishes in recent weeks in much stronger events than this. He’s also a Tour winner, which is more than can be said for many of the other players this week, and has previous course experience (26th last year).

However, he’s not the only one doing it right now, and the improving Norwegian, Henrik Bjornstad should also be considered at a standout 50/1 with bet365. He has made a tremendous start to his American career with two top ten finishes, and this weaker event should see him challenging again come Sunday. We’ll also be sticking a few quid on Justin Rose at 25/1. It was not that long ago since Rose was ranked highly enough to play in the Matchplay, and he’s since come close to breaking his duck on the US Tour when finishing 3rd in the Buick Championship at the end of last year. He looks to have carried that form through to this year (top-10 in the Bob Hope), and, with his talent, he really should be up to winning an event like this.

Chysler Classic of Tucson Three Off The Tee … John Rollins 18/1, Justin Rose 25/1, Henrik Bjornstad 50/1. Each-way ¼ odds 1.2.3.4.5


OPPOSE WORLD MATCHPLAY FAVOURITES

Th Feb 23 – 2:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Fr Feb 24 – 2:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Sa Feb 25 – 10:30 am ET (ESPN)
Su Feb 26 – 10:30 am ET (ESPN)

This week’s World Matchplay tees off on Wednesday, but don’t worry if you don’t manage to get a bet on before the start as we’ll have live In-Play betting throughout. Matchplay can be hard to predict. At this level, anyone can get hot over 18 holes, and you could find the player that you’ve backed on his way home after shooting 66 if their opponent shoots 65. So, don’t be afraid to take on the jollies over the course of the five days. Despite winning twice this year, Tiger has not been playing his best golf, while neither Ernie Els nor Vijay Singh have great records here. My player against the field is Chris DiMarco (25/1 pre tournament). Last year’s beaten finalist looks to be on his game entering the event, having won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January and finishing in the top-15 twice in three starts on the Tour.

World Matchplay Pick: Chris DiMarco @ 25/1 (oppose Woods, Els and Singh)

AVOID MARCH SADNESS – PLACE YOUR PARLAYS WITH bet365!

For all you college basketball aficionado’s out there, it will soon be time to fill out your bracket sheets for the NCAA tournament, but serious bettors will be getting excited at the prospect of picking point spread winners. Here at bet365, we’ll have lines on all the games as soon as the final 65 teams and match ups are known. At this moment in time, the newly realigned 16-team Big East looks likely to have seven or eight teams involved, while the The Big 10 (which appears to be one of the strongest conferences this season), might get as many as seven. However, it’s the presence of the smaller ‘local’ teams that make March Madness the exciting (and unpredictable!) spectacle that it is.

If you’re looking for some value during ‘March Madness’ season (aren’t we all!), it may pay to steer clear of the public teams - like Duke and Kentucky - as they’re always likely to be well-backed, and that will be factored into the point spread. Hence, the other team is going to be a value price, in order to attract equal money on both sides.

For example, supporters of last year’s North Carolina squad were asked to lay a heavy price to back their team, and they only covered one spread on their run to the Final Four. Meanwhile lesser-known schools provide great value for their backers – who will forget the great run by Wisconsin-Milwaukee last year! Another piece of advice is to check which teams will be playing on close proximity to their home venue and thus have a ‘home’ crowd advantage. Also, don’t ignore teams that have had a poor season. They will generally be up for this final chance to make the ‘Big Dance’, and will be capable of pulling off an upset or two!

While we’ll be backing our picks in singles (as every serious bettor should), it will be hard to resist a speculative parlay wager along the way, especially as we’re assured of getting more back with the bet365 Parlay Bonus. Each week, we pay out up to 50% more on successful NBA & NCAAB parlays on the following 6 markets:-

Point Spread, Game Total, First Half Point Spread, Second Half Point Spread, First Half Total, Second Half Total.

HEAD WEST FOR McMURRAY AT 7/1

Auto Club 500
Su Feb 26 – 3:30 pm ET (FOX)

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series heads to the West Coast this weekend, with teams gearing up in the Auto Club 500 from California Speedway, the first of this season’s so-called cookie cutter tracks.

It’s been a grueling couple of weeks for the drivers at Daytona, but it was all worth it for 500 winner Jimmie Johnson, who was winning his first restrictor plate race, and landing some nice bets for bet365 customers in the process (hope you were on at 8/1?). Johnson also has a very good track record at California Speedway (one win and three top-five finishes in six career starts), but he’s not favorite to win this week. That honor falls on defending champion Greg Biffle (11/2), who also finished second in the fall race later in the year. However, he will need to do well after a sub-par 31st finish at Daytona, and that could leave the way for another of the Roush drivers to step up to the plate.

The dominant race team of last season have certainly gone well here in the past. In 20 total starts at California (and its sister track Michigan), Roush Racing have collected two wins and 15 top-seven finishes. In last year’s race, the Roush gang had four cars in the top-seven placings (Biffle, Kurt Busch 3rd, Carl Edwards 5th and Mark Martin 7th), and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them in the same positions again, with one important addition – Jamie McMurray – who drives the Kurt Busch entry this week.

McMurray was driving a Ganassi Dodge car in last year’s race, but still managed to finish fourth. He was also eighth in the later race on the track so, now that he’s got a better ride, he can be expected to improve significantly on that. Throw in the fact that he was one of the better performing Roush drivers last week (top-10 runner for most of the race until an accident sent him home in 37th place), and everything is in place for a trip to Victory Lane for McMurray at a tasty bet365 price of 7/1.

Nigel’s Checkered Flag … Jamie McMurray @ 7/1

bet365 latest Auto Club 500 prices … Greg Biffle 11/2, Carl Edwards 6/1, Jamie McMurray 7/1, Jimmie Johnson 8/1, Tony Stewart 9/1, Jeff Gordon 10/1, others on bet365 website (Each-way ¼ odds 1.2.3.4)

NIGEL RIDGWAY, an experienced punter and betting shop owner of many years, believes that “The key to successful gambling is getting value for money.” Nigel was once forced by local bookmakers, to stop writing a tipping column in a UK newspaper, because he was costing them a fortune. Find out what offers and lines are hot at bet365.com

If you're thinking about having a punt on any of this weekend's 6 Nations fixtures, check out the spread betting markets from Sporting Index. They offer a wide range of markets on each game (Total Points, Total Bookings, Shirt Numbers and many more), as well as a 6 Nations Outright Win Index. With £100 cash on offer to all new clients** it's a good time to open an account:

Free £100 Cash for New Clients**

If you haven't got a Sporting Index account yet, it's a good time to take advantage of the £100 cash on offer:

Open a Sporting Index account* and place ten sports bets (each with the potential to win and lose £20), and you can claim a free £100 straight into your account**.

*Credit and suitability checks, **terms and conditions apply. See site for further details about an account with Sporting Index. Sports spread betting involves a high level of risk and you can lose more than your original stake. It is not suitable for everyone so please ensure that you understand the risks involved and only bet with money you can afford to lose.

Wales haven't beaten Ireland at Lansdowne Road since 2000, and need a victory if they want to retain any hope of hanging on to their 6 Nations title. However, Sporting Index have priced up the home side as favourites. With the Calcutta Cup on Saturday, and a resurgent Italy travelling to Paris earlier that day, there's plenty to bet on.

Latest Prices:

Fixture Supremacy

Bet Low Bet High
France/Italy 26 29
England/Scotland(H) 12 15
Ireland/Wales 9 12

Fixture Total Points

Bet Low Bet High
France v Italy 52 55
Scotland v England 42 45
Ireland v Wales 46 49

How Does it Work?

'Supremacy' is a market predicting a team's dominance over their opposition. Sporting Index predict the margin (in points) by which a given team will beat their opponents, and you decide whether their prediction is either too high or too low.

For the Scotland v England game, Sporting Index is predicting a victory for England by a margin of 12 to 15 points, so you have a choice to make:

a) Will England win by MORE than 15 points?

or

b) Will England win by LESS than 12 points, or tie, or Scotland will win?

Let's say that you think England will beat Scotland by more than 15 points and stake GBP5 per point on the outcome...

If England beat Scotland 35 - 10, then England's margin of victory or ‘supremacy' will be 35 minus 10 = 25 points. You were betting on England to beat Scotland by at least 15 points for £5 per point. So you would have just won (25 – 15) x £5 = 10 x £5 = £50. Not bad!

However it could go the other way. Let's say England end up beating Scotland 34 – 24, a winning margin of 10 points. Because you bet ‘high' at 15 points, there is a short fall of 5 points (15 minus 10). At a stake of £5 per point, this would result in a loss of (15 – 10) x £5 = 5 x £5 = £25.

For all the latest prices and to open your account, click below

Sporting Index is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The information contained herein is for your general information and use. In particular, it does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by Sporting Index Ltd and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making (or refraining to make) any specific decisions.

This weekend's football highlight is the Carling Cup final. It's Manchester United's only chance of any silverware this term, and it would cap off an incredible season for Wigan – as well as bagging them a place in the UEFA cup next season. If you're thinking about having a punt on the match, check out the spread betting markets on offer from Sporting Index. They're offering new clients a great free bet:

£150 Football Bet for New Clients

Open a Sporting Index account*, place five sports bets (each with the potential to win and lose £20) and claim a free £150 per goal bet on any live Premiership, Championship or League match.**

*Credit and suitability checks, **terms and conditions apply. See site for further details about an account with Sporting Index. Sports spread betting involves a high level of risk and you can lose more than your original stake. It is not suitable for everyone so please ensure that you understand the risks involved and only bet with money you can afford to lose.

For full details of these offers, and apply for your Sporting Index account, click below:-

Sporting Index is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The information contained herein is for your general information and use. In particular, it does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by Sporting Index Ltd and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making (or refraining to make) any specific decisions

Ladbrokes sportsbook has a great refund offer for Champions League which starts up again on Tuesday:

21st & 22nd February 2006: Last Chance Saloon

Incentive: If Zinedine Zidane, Harry Kewell, Joe Cole or Barry Ferguson score the last goal in their respective matches, we will refund all losing 1st Goal Scorer, Last Goal Scorer and Correct Score bets on that match.

Selected matches: Beckham's Real Madrid vs Henry's Arsenal(ITV1), Benefica vs reigning champions Liverpool(SKY2), Terry's Chelsea vs Henrik Larsson's Barcelona(SKY1) & Rangers vs Villarreal(SKY2)

Offer Start Time: 20/02/06 6pm
Offer cut off time: Start of respective match

// posted by Tony M. @ 6:50 PM

Applies to internet, telephone and betting shops, singles only. Maximum bonus £500 per person per match. 2nd goal must be different goalscorer from first, No goalscorer does not count.. Credits within 48 hours.

The Champions League is back, and with 4 domestic teams in action, we're set for a busy week. If you're tempted to have a punt on any of this week's live games it's well worth checking out the spread betting markets from Sporting Index. They're offering all new clients a free £150 per goal football bet**:

£150 Football Bet for New Clients

Open a Sporting Index account*, place five sports bets (each with the potential to win and lose £P20) and claim a free £150 per goal bet on any live Premiership, Championship or League match.**

*Credit and suitability checks, **terms and conditions apply. See site for further details about an account with Sporting Index. Sports spread betting involves a high level of risk and you can lose more than your original stake. It is not suitable for everyone so please ensure that you understand the risks involved and only bet with money you can afford to lose.

For full details of these offers, and apply for your Sporting Index account, click on the banner:-

Here are our thoughts on the big matches:

Benfica v Liverpool (Tues)

Although the national team is not in bad shape, the Portuguese domestic league is very weak and Benfica are not looking good. They got a decent result at the weekend, but their run prior to that has been poor. Liverpool will be wary of Simao, an ex-Barca winger who they have been linked with for a while, as well as Nuno Gomes. However, their defence should be strong enough to contain the Portuguese attack and the Reds will look to grind out a result, if their misfiring strikers can start producing. Considering this, it's likely to be a low-scoring affair and the visitors would settle for a draw, confident they can turn things around in the second leg.

Real Madrid v Arsenal (Tues)

What a messy tie! Madrid keep scoring at the Bernabeu, whereas the Gunners just can't “billow the onion bag” on the road. Arsenal are carrying plenty of injuries – you know things are serious when Bergkamp offers to play a European away leg – and even the mighty Henry can't carry the rest of the team against such opposition. Unfortunately for Arsenal Zidane is back in form, Robinho is looking sharp and Beckham unstoppable. Okay, Ronaldo doesn't look 100% fit, showing poor movement in recent matches, there's a lack of cohesion and signs of typical weakness in the Madrid back line. However, Arsenal are lacking in confidence and Sporting Index have the home team as favourites.

Chelsea v Barcelona (Weds)

There were plenty of goals when these two teams meet last year (6 at Stamford Bridge) and Sporting Index expect more of the same this time around. Both teams have strong back lines, but both have also been conceding recently. We haven't seen the “real” Barcelona for a few weeks, with Eto'o absent and Ronaldinho suspended, but these key players will be back and Sporting have priced up the Catalans to edge this one. Although there's been plenty of mudslinging in the press, each team is full of good ball-players so the bookies don't expect to see too many cards being shown.

Rangers v Villareal (Weds)

Unlike the Chelsea match, this game will be a much more physical affair. It's a great time to be playing Villareal, with playmaker Riquelme recovering from injury and not a certainty to feature. He really makes the Villareal team tick, and his recent absence has coincided with a shocking run of form this year. With Argentinean defender Sorin also a doubt, Rangers will play to their strengths, keeping the ball in the air and taking a physical and aggressive approach to the match. It's essential that Rangers take a lead in to the second leg as Villareal have plenty of European experience, so prepare yourself for a feisty match that could keep the ref reaching in to his pocket.

For all the latest prices and to apply for your Sporting Index account, click below

Sporting Index is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The information contained herein is for your general information and use. In particular, it does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by Sporting Index Ltd and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making (or refraining to make) any specific decisions.

Canbet Goes Big; High Limits, Great Service

Did you know that Canbet accepts North American sports game line bets at some of the highest limits in the business? Sports betters looking for big action can make Canbet their destination, without ever "sweating" their payouts. With the backing of a UK license and publicly traded company, Canbet has proven integrity.

Canbet's regular Internet limits are among the largest available online and even larger amounts are available via telephone betting. Canbet combines top odds, first class customer service with instant payouts giving bettors the edge. For over 10 years, Canbet has been catering to all players from the $1 recreational bettor to the professionals. All NBA and NFL season long, Canbet offers -107 game line odds and competitive prices in other markets.

Canbet Does It Again; New Weekly Parlay Bonus

Canbet has been a leader in online betting for almost 10 years now. The company that brought you "Lay -107" is still at it almost a decade later with some of the best betting options, bonuses, special offers, and customer service in the industry. In addition, Canbet has a reputation for reliability and integrity that is second to none.

Now, along with the great products and service our customers have learned to expect, Canbet is offering members a new Weekly Parlay Bonus.

New or existing members who make a four (or more) team parlay, can receive an additional 10% on the winning portion of their bets. The payout will be made from the largest winning return from the week. Each promotional week starts on Thursday and ends on Wednesday, with the bonus settled into the account by Friday. Additional requirements may apply.

With the Weekly Parlay Bonus, Canbet adds to its impressive list of available offers. With Super Bowl XL coming up, members can add the winner to their parlay and have the chance to try out the new Weekly Parlay Bonus.

Canbet.com is federally licensed by the UK and Australian governments, and has been in operation since 1996. Canbet is a wholly owned subsidiary of global gaming company International All Sports Limited (IAS), Australia's first publicly traded International Sportsbook.

// posted by Tony M. @ 6:29 PM

PISTONS LOOKING GOOD AT HALF TIME

The football season is behind us, and we find ourselves in the middle of both the college and pro-basketball seasons. Fortunately, there are still plenty of games each day for bet365 customers to get their teeth into. However, at this stage of the season, some teams will be more motivated than others, and bettors should bear this in mind when looking for winning opportunities in the coming weeks.

The Pistons are beginning to look human after all after ‘slumping’ to a 4-4 (3-5 ATS) straight up record in their last eight games, including blowing a 13-point lead at Miami on Sunday. However they still have an excellent 42-9 SU record (the best in the NBA), and a 10 1/2-game lead over their closest competitor in the Eastern Conference (2/5 with bet365 to win Conference), and bettors should expect them to bounce back from that reverse after their six-day break. They’re a solid 7-1 SU (6-2 ATS) after their first eight losses this season, with each of the seven wins coming by at least nine points or more.

The Heat were snapping an 0-7 skid against the divisional leaders, but that took nothing short of a fourth-quarter miracle (won 100-98 on a Dwayne Wade last second shot), and potential bettors should still be wary before supporting them on the spread, especially if they’re playing without their dominant center, Shaquille O’Neal (9-9 this season without him). In contrast, red-hot Dallas are stuffing their bettors wallets right now after going 13-1 (11-3 ATS) in their last 14 games, and the Mavericks should be closely followed in the coming weeks.

New Orleans are a team of young players and limited talent, but they continue to get the results for bettors - 11-5 ATS the last 16 games! A key player for them is rookie Chris Paul, and they’ll continue to overachieve as long as he’s healthy and in the line up. Stay with them for a season-long profit, and don’t forget our Parlay Bonus pays you much more for hitting your parlays. Each week, we pay out up to 50% more on successful NBA & NCAAB parlays on the following 6 markets:-

Point Spread, Game Total, First Half Point Spread, Second Half Point Spread, First Half Total, Second Half Total.

bet365 Championship prices (including play-offs) … Detroit Pistons 23/20, San Antonio Spurs 15/8, Miami Heat 15/2, Dallas Mavericks 8/1, Phoenix Suns 9/1, others on bet365 website

PUSH THE PEDAL TO THE MEDAL WITH JUNIOR AT 9/2

Daytona 500
Sat Feb 19 – 1:30 pm (NBC)

For the winner of this weekend’s biggest race of the NASCAR year, the Daytona 500, look no further than the Chevrolet drivers. In the last 10 Daytona races, the score reads Chevrolet 8 – the rest (Ford & Dodge) 2, and if we take in Taladega (the only other restrictor plate track), the score reads 21 to 3 in the Chevy dealership’s favour. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make finding the winner much easier, as there are still a host of Chevrolet drivers who can win this week.

Of those, Dale Earnhardt Jr. must have a great chance to win, and he’s been popular with bettors at 9/2 here at bet365. His car is slow by itself, but when other cars are around it goes pretty well, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him near the front all the way to the line, with his team mate Martin Truex next to him. The Hendrick team has three strong candidates led by defending 500 champion Jeff Gordon (9/2), Jimmie Johnson (8/1) and Kyle Busch (20/1). Gordon has had all the past success, but Johnson is the driver who looks more likely to burst out this week. Kyle Busch’s car is very fast, but his restrictor plate races last year were awful so, until we see that he’s learned from that experience, we’ll leave him alone for betting purposes.

A couple of Chevrolet drivers who can be considered long-shots this week are Bill Elliot and Sterling Marvin at 33/1 and 50/1 respectively. Both of these drivers are likely to be in the front pack for much of the race, and that’s all you can ask for when considering a bet this weekend. As past 500 winners, with fast cars powered by Hendrick Motorsports, these two drivers could easily make it interesting down the stretch for their backers.

Checkered Flag Pick… Dale Earnhardt Jr @ 9/2 / Bill Elliott @ 33/1 (Each-way, ¼ odds, 1.2.3)

bet365 latest Daytona 500 prices … Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon 9/2, Tony Stewart 11/2, Jimmie Johnson 8/1, Dale Jarrett 14/1, others on bet365 website.

Applies to internet, telephone and betting shops. Maximum refund £200 per person. Refunds within 48 hours.

Here are our thoughts on this weekend's televised games:

Liverpool v Man Utd

Strap yourself in and prepare for battle. The big match of the 5th round kicks off proceedings on Saturday, and Gary Neville can look forward to a warm welcome from the Kop. Out of Europe and with the Premiership out of reach, Man Utd know if they win this, there's a decent chance of silverware and a domestic cup double (Wigan and probably Chelsea notwithstanding). However, Liverpool haven't been beaten at Anfield since early October and this has all the markings of a fiery fixture. Sporting Index predict 52 to 56 points on their bookings market (10 points for a yellow card, 25 points for red) and fancy Liverpool to shade the game by a margin of 0 to 0.2 goals. Only 1 goal was scored in the 2 Premiership matches between the two clubs, but more are expected this Saturday lunchtime.

Newcastle Utd v Southampton

This could well be the complete opposite of the Liverpool v Man Utd match. The Magpies are predicted to win by 1.3 to 1.5 goals and continue the form they've shown since Roeder took over. N'Zogbia has scored 2 in 2, and Emre has looked good since his recent return. Although Sporting Index predict a total of 2.5 to 2.7 goals in the match, the Saints really can't score at the moment and are unlikely to do so at St James.

Chelsea v Colchester

Colchester are flying high in League 1 and will treat this match like the Cup Final itself. However, the Chelsea second string - if such a thing really exists - should not be unduly troubled. Huddersfield, at the same end of the League 1 as Colchester, came to the Bridge in the third round and only lost by 1 goal. However it's hard to see the U's getting off that lightly this weekend, and so Sporting Index predict a winning margin of 2.6 to 2.8 goals. With a total of 3.4 to 3.6 goals forecast, it could be a busy game for Aidan Davison, the visiting keeper.

Aston Villa v Man City

The FA Cup is only remaining chance of silverware for both of these clubs, and neither will be putting out anything less than their full first team. They'll both have worked out that a favourable draw in the quarter finals could lead to an easy route to the semis, if they avoid Chelsea and the winner of the Liverpool / Man Utd match. Sporting Index has priced up the home side to edge it by 0.1 to 0.3 goals, as they are likely to go all-out in an attempt to beat a Man City team that hasn't won on the road in over 2 months. City can take some comfort from knowing they've beaten Villa in 4 of their last 5 meetings (and drawn the other). However, they will miss the injured Cole, and the jury is still out on Samaras; at the weekend he looked like a swan in the air, but an ugly duckling on the ground...

For all the latest prices and to apply for your Sporting Index account, click on the banner

VC is pleased to announce the launch of PokerBet through the VC Games platform.

PokerBet is a fixed odds poker game that is fast, furious and totally unique to VC.

PokerBet is an innovative adaptation of the world's most popular poker game – Texas Holdem.

But with PokerBet you can hedge your bets on each round of betting so you can always be a winner. Go on be a player!

Object of the Game:- PokerBet allows the player to place wagers at any of the games first three betting stages, on as many seat positions as he/she wishes, at varying, displayed fixed odds.The game stages on which you can bet are - Pre-deal - Hole cards – two initially dealt and Flop – three community cards. Poker bet is bought to you by leading international bookmaker VCBet (Victor Chandler).

England’s Cowboys 11/1 for Indian Massacre

We might not be getting the massive 15/8 we got for Pakistan earlier this winter, but India to win the series at 4/5 is still a cracking bet. England haven’t won a single test in India since 1984, losing 6 of their last 8 on the sub-continent. Also, the timing of this tour plays into India’s hands. England’s last tour of India was in 2001 during December, when it is a lot cooler than it is in March. In 1993, England toured after Christmas and wilted in the fierce heat, losing the three match series 3-0, two of those defeats were by an innings.

England’s success over the past couple of years has been built on their pace attack, but with Flintoff likely to miss the final test and Harmison and Hoggard looking ineffective in Pakistan, it will be down to their spinners to bear the brunt of the bowling. Udal, Panesar and Blackwell have only three caps between them and a test bowling average of 92. In contrast, Harbhajan and Kumble are two of the best spinners on the planet, the latter needing just six more wickets to be the 5th player in history to take 500 test scalps. In the last series in India in November, 61 of the 86 wickets taken fell to spinners.

Apart from the gulf in class on the slow bowler front, India have probably the finest batting line up in the world. Tendulkar, Dravid, Sehwag and Dohni are all genuine world class performers and Yuvraj and Laxman would get into most test teams around the world. Michael Vaughan has injury worries, Flintoff will be at his wife’s bedside during the final test and I fear the worst for England’s inexperienced spinners against the might of the Indian top order. One of the reasons England won the Ashes was a settled side, something they didn’t have in Pakistan, and something they don’t have here. It could be a long, hard tour in Indian country.

Cricket Pick: India to win the Test Series (v England) @ 4/5 Series Correct Score Pick: India to win 3-0 @ 11/1

// posted by Tony M. @ 10:40 PM

7/1 Nicholls can Pip Pipe in March to Red Square

The Paul Nicholls-Martin Pipe bandwagon moves to Haydock this weekend where the two heavyweight trainers have entered 10 horses between them for the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup. High-class 6-year-old Joaaci currently heads the betting at 5/1, and Pipe will be hoping for better luck this time around after he was brought down when travelling well behind the eventual winner in the Totesport Classic Chase last month.

That race was won very impressively by Eurotrek, who renews his rivalry with Joaaci here. Paul Nicholls runner is 7/1 at the moment and is bound to attract support. He’s a proven stayer on soft ground so the only question mark is his weight. If, as expected, Nicholls takes out Royal Auclair, the weights will rise by 8lb, which will hamper the Pipe trio of Joacci, Therealbandit (currently 12/1) and It Takes Time (16/1). Grand National fancy Silver Birch is unlikely to participate, and Francois Doumen’s Innox (12/1 at present) may prefer a crack at the Racing Post Chase at Sandown next week.

As usual for this time of year, the race is likely to cut up badly come Saturday, so with so many horses unlikely to start, the 7/1 Eurotrek could look a big price. The race is live on BBC2, but don’t worry of you can’t get to a TV. bet365 customers can still watch the race live on-line by betting £5 and clicking on the live stream next to the race.

Horse Pick: Eurotrek (1.40 Haydock, Saturday) @ 7/1

7/1 Clan Royal can go One Better This Year at Aintree

When it comes to horse racing, there’s unlucky and there’s Clan Royal. Bombing along in front last year, I was already planning my spending spree when he gets carried out by a loose horse. I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes dreaming about it, but this year I can banish that painful memory of 9th April 2005 by backing Jonjo’s 11 year-old at 7/1.

Last year’s winner, Hedgehunter, is has been given a 12lb higher mark than last season whereas Clan Royal runs off the same 10st 8lb mark. The Grand National hasn’t been the luckiest race for him, finishing second to Amberleigh House in 2004, but this generous handicap mark could mean his luck is changing. Since the weights were published on Tuesday, there’s been a nibble for Paul Nicholls’ Silver Birch who is now 14/1 from 16/1.

Latest Grand National Prices: 7/1 Clan Royal, 9/1 Hedgehunter, 14/1 Silver Birch, 16/1 Lord Of Illusion, 20/1 Royal Auclair, more on bet365 website

Ante Post Pick: Clan Royal (John Smith’s Grand National) @ 7/1

// posted by Tony M. @ 10:36 PM

Rafa’s Revenge for Last Gasp Old Trafford Loss

Manchester Utd and Liverpool are separated by 30 miles and 3 Premiership points. That’s about it. In terms of talent, there’s barely a kitten’s whisker between them, so picking a winner in Saturday’s FA Cup 5th round match is going to be difficult.

bet365’s odds reflects how closely matched these two are (7/5 Liverpool, 2/1 Man Utd) and Rio Ferdinand’s last minute winner at Old Trafford last month followed a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the season. Of course, you can’t discount the draw here (2/1), so the best value looks to be on the Asian handicap where there is a 0 ball mark-up. Liverpool are available at 1.85 with Man Utd 2.00 (you get your money back if it’s a draw). In such tight matches, the 0 ball Asian handicap at bet365 offers incredible value (betting to 104%).

With the draw out of the equation, Liverpool look the better value. They’ve got over their sticky patch and their home record remains excellent (they’ve won 9 of their last 10 at Anfield). United, in contrast, have won only one of their last 5 Premiership games on the road and that came at lowly Portsmouth. There is a case for taking the plunge and backing Liverpool to win the game at 7/5, but with the sides so closely matched, caution must be the best policy.

Live Game Pick: Liverpool (to beat Man Utd) @ 1.85
[Asian Handicap] Saturday 12.30 – Live On BBC1

Killer Villa Can Pearce City’s Defences @ 11/8

On Sunday at 6.30pm, BBC1 and bet365 are offering us Aston Villa (11/8) against Man City (19/10). The Blues are playing some attractive stuff, but are incredibly inconsistent of late, with 3 wins and 3 defeats in their last 6 Premiership games. City’s away record is appalling, in fact, it’s almost as bad as Villa’s home form. City will be without top-scorer Andy Cole, leaving the untried combination up-front of Vassell (7/1 to score first against his former employers) and £6 million man Georgios Samaras (15/2 to score first). Cole has netted 10 times this season and has formed a useful partnership with Vassell. Losing him is a big blow and could just turn the tie Villa’s way.

Live Game Pick: Aston Villa (to beat Man City) @ 11/8
Sunday 18.30 – Live On BBC 1

Toon On The Roeder Recovery for Our Accumulator
The first leg of our weekend accumulator starts on Friday night, where peerless Reading travel to Kenilworth Road. Reading are priced at an amazing 11/10 to beat Luton, who have already suffered home defeats this season to the likes of Stoke, Burnley and Hull. Reading are proving to be different class, so a bet365 11/10 quote looks far too big.

Newcastle (2/5) have won both of their matches under Glenn Roeder, and they should continue their winning ways by beating Southampton at St James’ Park on Saturday. Their recent upturn in fortune may be just papering over the cracks and their cup run may well end if they’re matched with a Premiership team, but the luck of the draw helped the Magpies so far and they’ll be expecting to be in the hat for the quarter finals.

They may be struggling in the league, but Birmingham (Evens) have shown they’re still a cut above the Championship teams by beating Reading in the last round. They travel to Stoke on Sunday, who haven’t won a game since 17th December, a run which has seen them slip from 5th to 16th place in the Championship. Birmingham may not see the FA Cup as their top priority but they’ve got a talented squad and should have far too much for demoralised Stoke.

The final leg of our Accumulator is the weekend’s only Premiership clash between Tottenham (4/6) and Wigan (4/1). Spurs may have gone off the boil a bit in recent weeks, but their home form has remained solid (6 wins from their last 7). Wigan have lost their way lately, a last-gasp win at Middlesbrough has been their only success of 2006 and they should struggle against Spurs who’ll have Mido back after his eventful African Nations Cup trip. Since their great early-season run came to an end, Wigan have won only four of their last 15 league matches.

Accumulator: Reading (11/10) Newcastle (2/5) Birmingham (Evs) Tottenham
(4/6) - £25 Accumulator Pays £245.00

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Grand Palace

Un-raced
Grand Lodge 3YO trained by Derek Shaw, Newark.

Grand Palace being worked by Paddy Mathers

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Grand Palace is a hugely exciting prospect for the 2006 flat season and we are looking forward to this chap hitting the racecourse. He is a strong and robust unraced three-year-old and his share period will begin on 1st April 2006 and he will run throughout the flat season in the Midlands and the South. Trainer Derek Shaw has this ex-Michael Stoute gelding (£230,000 as a yearling!) in full training and he will be starting his racing career in mile maidens and then will hopefully progress from there. As a two-year-old, he held an entry in the Derby, and he’s already shown us he has ability on the gallops at home. Grand Palace is truly an exciting prospect for the summer – he could be anything and will be ready to race from May onwards.

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Bolton v Marseille, Wednesday, Live on Five

If an ENGLISHMAN scores the last goal of the match we will refund all losing First Goalscorer and Correct Score bets on the match.

Applies to internet, telephone and betting shops, singles only. Maximum refund £200 per person. Credits within 48 hours.
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YAK ATTACK…

Stuttgart v Middlesbrough, Thursday, Live on Five

If Yakubu scores the last goal of the match (just like against Chelsea on Saturday) we will refund all losing First Goalscorer and Correct Score bets.

Applies to internet, telephone and betting shops, singles only. Maximum refund £200 per person. Credits within 48 hours.

MISTER HIGHT STRENGHTENS POSITION IN TRIUMPH

Mister Hight strengthened his position at the head of the market for the Triumph Hurdle and is VC Bet’s 5-1 joint favourite after maintaining his unbeaten record over hurdles with the minimum of fuss in the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown.

VC Bet’s Neal Wilkins commented “Mister Hight confirmed the impression he made on his debut and despite a slightly awkward head carriage in the straight he justified his pre-race odds and will obviously be a major factor at Cheltenham next month.”

VC BET JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE

5 Mister Hight
6 Afsoun
7 Detroit City
10 Blue Shark
12 Quatre Heures
14 Turko
20 Bold Fire
20 Blazing Bailey
20 Royals Darling
25 Premier Dane
25 Princelet
25 Kalmini
25 Bobs Pride
33 Bayazid
33 Darayabad
33 Traprain
33 Marhaba Million
33 Twist Magic
33 Fair Along
33 My Immortal
33 Dreux
33 Kasbah Bliss
33 Dear Villez
33 Vox Vopuli
33 Premier Dane
33 Cogans Lake
33 Onnix
40 Noend
40 Rustler
40 Trompette
40 Clear Riposte
40 Mordor
40 Alfred The Great
40 Magnum Opus
50 Spidam
50 Mystery Lot
50 Pace Shot
50 Solarias Quest
50 Artist’s Muse

1/4 ODDS 1,2,3,4. OTHERS ON APPLICATION

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BEEF PROVIDES FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Michael Hourigan's Beef or Salmon ran out a decisive winner of the Hennessy
Cognac Gold Cup and shares favouritism at 5-1 with Monkerhostin with VC Bet for next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Neal Wilkins from VC Bet commented "Beef or Salmon survived a scare six fences from home and was an impressive winner but from a punter's point of view it is his Cheltenham record that is a real worry - three runs reading a fall, a fourth and a pulled up! Perhaps this is the year for Beef or
Salmon to lay his Gold Cup bogey."

VC BET CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

5 Beef Or Salmon
5 Monkerhostin
8 Kingscliff
10 Celestial Gold
12 War Of Attrition
12 Take The Stand
16 One Knight
16 Iris's Gift
16 Hedgehunter
20 Cornish Rebel
20 Joaaci
25 L'Ami
25 Ollie Magern
33 Royal Auclair
33 Darkness
33 Sir Rembrandt
40 The Listener
50 Our Vic
50 Lord Of Illusion
50 Bewleys Berry
50 Crozan
50 Impek
66 Forget The Past
66 Therealbandit
66 Fundamentalist
66 Harbour Pilot
66 Irish Hussar
66 Jazz D'Estruval
66 Fondmort
66 Calling Brave
66 Silver Birch

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WEIGHTS UNVEILED FOR NATIONAL

The weights for the Grand National were being unveiled in London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday and it will be of great interest to trainers, owners, jockeys, punters and bookmakers to see how handicapper Phil Smith has rated the entries.

VC Bet’s Neal Wilkins commented “The Aintree experience is a huge factor when assessing a horse’s chance for the National and it will be particularly interesting to see how Mr Smith has dealt with last year’s winner Hedgehunter and the unlucky horse of the race – Clan Royal.”

VC BET JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL
4m4f, Aintree, 1st April 2006

7 Clan Royal
8 Hedgehunter
16 Silver Birch
20 Royal Auclair
20 Innox
20 Therealbandit
20 Ebony Light
25 Jack High
25 Garvivonnian
25 Eurotrek
25 Cornish Rebel
25 Lord Of Illusion
25 One Knight
25 Direct Access
25 Numbersixvalverde
33 Sir Rembrandt
33 It Takes Time
33 Comply Or Die
33 Strong Resolve
33 Forest Gunner
33 Joes Edge
33 Nil Desperandum
33 Le Duc
33 Amberleigh House
33 Joacci
33 Heros Collonges
33 Juveigneur
33 Colnel Rayburn
33 Ollie Magern
33 Le Duc
40 Baron Windrush
40 Double Honour
40 Hi Cloy
40 Artic Jack
40 Control Man
40 Simply Gifted

Each Way ¼ odds 1-2-3-4 Others On Request

LIVERPOOL FAVOURITES TO GO THROUGH

VC Bet rate Liverpool a 1/3 chance to qualify for the quarter finals of the Champions League and rate their opponents Benfica a 9/4 chance. Barcelona at 4/5 just shade Chelsea who are rated a 10/11 chance while Arsenal are even money to go through against Real Madrid who are 8/11 to qualify.

VC BET
UEFA Champions League Matches

AC Milan To Qualify 8/11
Bayern Munich To Qualify 1/1
Barcelona To Qualify 4/5
Chelsea To Qualify 10/11
Inter Milan To Qualify 1/3
Ajax To Qualify 9/4
Juventus To Qualify 1/4
Werder Bremen To Qualify 11/4
Liverpool To Qualify 1/3
Benfica To Qualify 9/4
Lyon To Qualify 4/11
PSV Eindhoven To Qualify 2/1
Real Madrid To Qualify 8/11
Arsenal To Qualify 1/1
Villareal To Qualify 4/11
Rangers To Qualify 2/1

Win only.

VC Poker's Valentine's Day competition special.

Poker isn't meant to be romantic and mushy!

Valentines Massacre Schedule – 14th February 2006, GMT

DAYTONA READY TO ROLL WITH SHOOTOUT

Budweiser Shootout
Sa Feb 11 – 8 pm ET (TNT) / HDTV – Betting available on day of race.

With the Super Bowl done and dusted, we can now look forward to the 2006 Nextel Cup season. And, just like it has since 1979, this Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout at the historic Daytona International Speedway will signal the beginning of another season. This is what you might call a ‘fun’ race, as there are no points allocated to either drivers or teams, but the winner can at least look forward to some momentum for when the serious stuff begins the following week in the season-opening Daytona 500 (full betting preview next week). A word or warning though, in the previous 27 Shootouts, only five winners have gone on to take the sport’s biggest prize, the ‘500’, and none since 2000.

JOHNSON THE DRIVER TO BEAT THIS YEAR AT 5/1

Of course, we’ll have all the odds for the big race next week, but we’ve already got the latest Championship odds here at bet365, and last year’s runner-up Jimmie Johnson is available at 5/1, along with current champion Tony Stewart. Many thought 2005 was going to be Johnson’s year the way he came out charging, leading in points for 17 weeks, only for his team to falter to finish behind Stewart and his Joe Gibbs Racing Team.

Johnson’s last victory came at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October, and was the 18th of his Nextel Cup career. He now has a top-10 finish at every track on the NASCAR Nextel Cup series circuit - Indianapolis and Kansas are the only two tracks where he has not posted a top-five finish – so there would no more worthy winner than Johnson. The problem last year (and in the previous two years) was that he came out too fast and burnt himself out by the time the ‘Chase’ got underway. His goal this year will be to pace himself and his No.48 team, so that he’s running in the top-five in points after the first 26 races. Once he gets into the ‘Chase’ (last 10 races), he can really turn it on.

bet365 latest 2006 Nextel Cup Championship prices … Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart 5/1, Carl Edwards 6/1, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon 7/1, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray 12/1, others on bet365 website.

// posted by Tony M. @ 6:40 PM

LAST WEEK’S PICKS: PITTSBURGH -4 & PITTSBURGH / PITTSBURGH DOUBLE RESULT AT EVENS

BAND OF STEEL 10/1 TO HIT RIGHT NOTE AGAIN
This year’s Super Bowl XL winners Pittsburgh are only the joint second most-fancied team (at 10/1) in their Conference with bet365 to win next year’s Vince Lombardi Trophy after Sunday’s 21-10 success against Seattle. The Steelers had been four-point favourites going into the game, but came home by a relatively comfortable margin, after making the big plays when they needed them, and having the officials wipe off the best of the Seahawk’s work.

For Super Bowl XXXI, bet365 prefers the chance of this season’s fast starters Indianapolis, and we make the Colts 6/1 favourites ahead of last year’s winners New England, San Diego and Pittsburgh at 10/1 – all from the AFC. No surprise when you consider that the Conference has won the Super Bowl in seven of the last nine years. In fact, runners-up Seattle, at 12/1 joint third-favourites, are the highest-quoted NFC side in the 2007 market.

bet365 2007 Super Bowl prices … Indianapolis 6/1, New England, San Diego, Pittsburgh 10/1, Denver, Seattle, Cincinnati 12/1, Carolina, Kansas City 14/1, others on bet365 website.

BIG BEN DELIGHTS BACKERS AT 33/1
After seeing stacks of money on Ben Roethlisberger at 11/4 to be MVP, there was a sense of relief to the