Elsewhere Lyon take on Anderlecht, FC Timisoara take on VFB Stuttgart, Sporting meet Fiorentina and Panathinaikos will play Atletico Madrid. Stuttgart will be very pleased with their draw; there were some dangerous teams in the unseeded category and they have picked up by far the weakest team in the form of the Romanian Timisoara.

Other match ups are a bit tighter, although Atletico Madrid will fancy their chances against Greek counterparts Panathinaikos, whilst Anderlecht who are 1000/1 on Betfair to win the Champions league may struggle against Lyon.

The draw hasn’t had a huge effect on the Champions League outright betting although Celtic have been pushed out to 250/1 with the bookies after their draw against Arsenal. Barcelona remain joint 5/1 favourites with Real Madrid followed by a trio of English sides in the form of Chelsea 7/1, Man U 7/1 and Liverpool at 10/1. Arsenal meanwhile remain at 16/1 to win the Champions league despite the tough draw against Celtic.

You can see all the Champions League odds here.

Last night was the second time in a week that Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool have been involved in a thrilling 4-4 draw.

Who’d have thought that lightening would strike twice? A Paddy Power punter in Leicester.

The Liverpool fan had already netted £12,500 last week, having put £25 on the correct score at 500/1. 

Paddy Power typically offer huge odds on the crazy scorelines, but they are reeling from the two results. In total they have lost a staggering £750,000.

The Leicester punter could’ve checked bookies.com beforehand to see that Paddy Power were best priced again last night for the 4-4 draw.

This time he had £57.64 at 500/1 for the Liverpool – Arsenal clash, which paid out £28,887.

Tonight’s FA Cup Final taster between Chelsea and Everton offers the home side a great chance to catch up in the title race. Chelsea are currently 16/1 with Sky Bet.

Paddy Power have cut the odds on another 4-4 draw from 500/1 into 250/1, meaning that Bet365 are best-priced at 300/1.

bookies.com conveniently compares all football odds in one place – so make sure you always get the best available price!

Chelsea v Everton Match Betting

Chelsea v Everton Correct Score Betting

FA Cup Winner 2009 Betting

It’s a bit early to talk about the 128th FA Cup Final between Everton and Chelsea, but there is no better time to find a value bet.

I’m not referring the the FA Cup Winner market, which is unattractive from a betting point of view. If you had a wager before Manchester United were knocked out, then hats off.

Everton were 33/1 shots at the beginning of the year to crash the Big Four party, but are now generally available at 7/4 to lift the trophy on 30 May.

Toffees supporters would probably get a better run for their money with 4/1 in the 90 minutes betting, but 17/2 for Everton/Everton in the HT/FT market is a good trade if Everton open the scoring – a 7/4 chance.

Chelsea are a stand-out 10/11 to win in 90 minutes with Sky Bet, but the treble could be a better value bet at 66/1 with William Hill. 

At this early stage, the betting value lies with the 0-0 scoreline. The bore draw is 17/2 with Victor Chandler, which simply must be backed.

The last two Wembley finals have finished 1-0, but the surface has been criticised for being ‘spongy and dead’. The surface and the pressure of the occasion make the 0-0 quite a likely result.

Sir Alex Ferguson wants the FA to improve the surface, but thankfully we won’t have to put up with his ranting before the Final. In the week preceding the FA Cup Final there are three Play-Off Finals.

We recommended the bore draw in the Carling Cup Final at 10/1, as it tends to be under-bet.

I’d still consider the scoreline if the best price available was 5/1, but when you compare odds online, the punter can find better value.

Following Man U’s exit from the competition, they are now 5/2 to win a quadruple.

bookies.com is the best place to go to compare FA Cup odds:

FA Cup Winner 2009 Betting

FA Cup Final 2009: Chelsea v Everton Match Betting

FA Cup Final 2009: Chelsea v Everton Over/Under Betting

FA Cup Final 2009: Chelsea v Everton HT/FT Betting

FA Cup Final 2009: Chelsea v Everton Correct Score Betting

Liverpool v Chelsea. Champions League. Again. 

Should be an easy one betting-wise; they met in the semis last year and both play in the Premier League.

A handful of bookies are undecided as to who’ll progress through this tie, offering 5/6 about both teams.

Corals report that they’ve seen equal amounts of money for both sides, although Chelsea are odds-against to qualify on Betfair.

Backing a team at 5/6 isn’t going to make you rich, and Wednesday’s match betting doesn’t look particularly rewarding. Liverpool are best priced at 11/8 with Paddy Power to beat Chelsea at Anfield, the draw is available at 11/5 and an away victory at 11/4.

Liverpool are 11/4 with Skybet to make the final and 11/5 to get knocked out in the semis like last year.

The sides last met at the same venue in February, with Liverpool winning in the last few minutes thanks to a Torres double. Florent Malouda thinks Chelsea are better, but the same correct score can be backed at 9/1. 

Torres is 10/1 with Paddy Power to score 2 goals or more.

In such a tight encounter, my preference is with the 0-0 scoreline, which usually offers cracking value. Boylesports are the only firm going 7/1 about No Goalscorer, which gives you room for the own goal nightmare.

Remember that Riise scored one in the 94th minute last year. He is no longer with the Reds.

I fancy under 2.5 goals, but 8/15 is a shocking price. Liverpool have scored in each of their last 18 CL matches, so preference would be for the 1-0 home win at 6/1 with Blue Square.

Another juicy price is 4/1 for the draw/draw outcome in the half-time/full-time market.

bookies.com conveniently compares all football odds in one place – so make sure you always get the best available price!

Liverpool v Chelsea Match Betting 

Liverpool v Chelsea Asian Handicap Betting

Liverpool v Chelsea Correct Score Betting

Liverpool v Chelsea First Goalscorer Betting

Liverpool v Chelsea Half-time/Full-time Betting

Chelsea are now in talks with Guus Hiddink, who is a 1/4 chance to become the next permanent manager. Well sort of, he will be in place until the summer, when Chelsea may look to Carlo Ancelotti.

Not all bookies will be paying out on Hiddink bets, so don’t be too smug if you have taken the early 3/1 quote. Betfair won’t settle bets if he becomes a ‘caretaker’ or ‘interim’ manager. Check with your bookmaker first. Ancelotti is 7/1 to be the next manager, but he’s not allowed to leave AC Milan just yet.

The Sun believe that Hiddink will earn £1.5m for 4 months work, with additional bonuses should Chelsea win the Premiership or the Champions League.

Avram Grant has traded at a low of 1/2 for the Pompey job, but is still the 9/4 favourite. Sven-Goran Eriksson was a 16/1 outsider, but is now 4/1 with Stan James. Eriksson wants to stay as Mexico coach until after the 2010 World Cup, which they are 100/1 to win with Ladbrokes.

Don’t discount him yet, but I expect a few other managers to shorten in the betting until Portsmouth finally decide on one. 66/1 Roy Keane is an interesting long shot, or even Gérard Houllier, who is 80/1 from 150/1.

bookies.com conveniently compares all football odds in one place – so make sure you always get the best available price!

Next Chelsea Manager Betting

Next Portsmouth Manager Betting

Spain v England Match Betting

The bookmakers were just starting to open up books on the next manager to go after Tony Adams was sacked, but now Phil Scolari joins the list of unemployed. The Chelsea manager was ‘sensationally’ sacked this Monday, meaning, you guessed it, that a market has opened on his successor.

Guus Hiddink is the 3/1 favourite with bet365, although Hills go 6/4. Hiddink was tipped for the position in 2008, but he instead choose to extend his contract with the Russian national team by 2 years. His market weakness doesn’t inspire a confident bet.

Avram Grant has been backed from 14/1 into 5/1 for an incredible return to his old office, but he is the 5/2 market leader for the Pompey job. Sky Sports News reckon that he could return to Stamford Bridge as a director, in which case you wouldn’t collect on your bet.

I cannot see Chelsea eating humble pie, so I won’t be investing in 25/1 José Mourinho either.

7/1 Gianfranco Zola has just given his word that he won’t be quitting West Ham. Stranger things have happened, but he should take a walk in the market any time soon.

Frank Rijkaard is 9/2 with Paddy Power, and did very well to last as long as 5 years with Barca. His is currently without a club, and his attacking mentality will be popular with fans. Keep a very close eye on him in the market.

Roberto Mancini is 18/1, and is another serious contender. He wants to improve his English, so could be eyeing up a coaching job in England, where he played with Leicester City.

Carlo Ancelotti and Sven-Göran Eriksson would be 14/1 shocks, and won’t be carrying my money.

Louis van Gaal is currently subject to a gamble, and is 22/1 from 50s. He has committed to AZ until 2010, but could be lured by a huge salary. He won 2 titles with Barcelona, but is better known for European success with Ajax in the 90s.

Of the long shots I like the prospect of 33/1 Didier Deschamps, who won the FA Cup as a player with Chelsea. He has had a decent coaching career, getting AS Monaco to the Champions League Final and lifting Juventus out of Serie B.

bookies.com conveniently compares all football odds in one place – so make sure you always get the best available price!

Next Chelsea Manager Betting

Next Portsmouth Manager Betting

Next Manager to Leave Betting

Man U host Chelsea on Sunday, in a match which could have a massive impact on the title race. The Red Devils are the favourites to win the Premier League at this stage, generally available at 11/8. Having traded at odds-on in November, Chelsea have drifted out to 9/4. I’m not interested in any of those prices, because of the low return and time period. Liverpool are 13/5, from a massive 8/1 before the season started.

Will it finally be Liverpool’s year? I expect them to win at Stoke (4/9) today, probably by a comfortable margin. If Chelsea lose at Old Trafford, the betting will get turned on its head. Liverpool ought to then be the 2nd favourites, whilst Man U could well go odds-on.

I reckon that Sunday’s clash will be a close encounter, which is supported by the prices. Both teams are odds-against, but the draw looks short at 9/4. The draw is a strong possibility, but I’d prefer taking 8/1 on a 0-0 scoreline, or 11/2 for the 1-1 which we successfully backed in the reverse fixture.

Man U have made a habit of winning regularly, despite not reaching top gear. 13/10 looks a bit short in a match that could go either way, but they do have the best current home form – 6 wins on the trot. Worryingly, they haven’t beaten another member of the Big 4 this season, although all of those fixtures have been away from home.

They scored a goal in all 3 of those matches, but 27/25 looks short in the Over 2.5 goals market. Chelsea must surely be the value bet in this match at 13/5, as they are unbeaten away from home. It would be fantastic if Phil Scolari started both Drogba and Anelka up front, who are both 8/1 to open the scoring.

However I’d like the draw on my side as well, which is why I’m recommending a small lay of Man U on Betfair. They are trading at 2.30 (5/4), so a Man U victory won’t break the bank.

Recommendation:

LAY Man U vs Chelsea @ 2.3 to win 3pts (Risk losing 3.9pts)

bookies.com is fantastic for comparing football odds between the UK bookmakers:

Man U v Chelsea Match Betting

Man U v Chelsea Over/Under 2.5 Goals Betting

Man U v Chelsea Asian Handicap Betting

Man U v Chelsea First Goalscorer Betting

Man U v Chelsea Correct Score Betting

Even though Man U are 10 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, they are now the 6/4 favourites to win the league after Chelsea slipped up at Fulham, where they were 8/13 in the match betting. The title race looks incredibly tight at the moment, with the bookies able to see past Liverpool, still offering 11/4.

Chelsea have been pushed out to 2/1 by several firms, and Arsenal shouldn’t be dismissed at 33/1. The relegation battle looks even closer, with bigger prices available. Betfred go 4/1 about Portsmouth, which is a bigger price than Betfair. Pompey are set to lose several players in the January transfer window, and Tony Adams is Skybet’s 9/4 favourite in the next manager to go market.

Other prices that interest me are 4/1 for Bolton and 7/1 for Newcastle United, although I should’ve taken Ladbrokes’ 8/1 quote yesterday. West Brom have been eased out to 7/20 after a solid win against 10 man Spurs yesterday, who are 14/1 to go down themselves.

Tonight’s match is Manchester United against Middlesbrough, which is televised on Setanta. The home side are hot is the betting at 2/9, with Middlesbrough available at a huge 19/1. Gareth Southgate has recently been cut from 16/1 into 14s to be the next manager to go, as his side are winless in 8.

Since beating Aston Villa, Middlesbrough have lost to the likes of Bolton, Hull, Fulham and Everton. Unfortunately for them, Man U have won their last 6 at Old Trafford and are unbeaten in their last 12 home games. The away win looks highly unlikely tonight, but there may be some value in other markets.

Boro have scored in their last 3 visits to Old Trafford, and you can lay the Man U clean sheet at 1.71 on Betfair. They lost 4-1 in this fixture last year, with Aliadière scoring for the away side, who is 6/1 to net anytime tonight, or 20/1 to score first with Blue Square.

bookies.com is your best bet for comparing football odds between the top UK bookmakers:

2009 Premier League Winner Betting

Relegation Betting

Next Manager to Go Betting

Man U v Middlesbrough Match Betting

Man U v Middlesbrough Clean Sheet Betting

Man U v Middlesbrough Anytime Goalscorer Betting

Here are just some of the highlights from this weekend in terms of betting opportunities or just simply unmissable TV:

Saturday 13th December

Racing:

14:30 Boylesports Gold Cup

2/1 Imperial Commander could be a superstar in the making whilst 5/1 Silverburn will be popular with Ruby Walsh supporters. 15/1 Three Mirrors or 28/1 Abragante could be each way alternatives. Wait to see what the weather does tomorrow.

15.05 Boylesports International Hurdle

7/4 is way too short for Binocular who may not stay, perhaps Katchit is the value at 5/1 with a great course record.

Football:

12.45 Middlesbrough v Arsenal

Boro have a knack for conceeding late goals, whilst Arsenal tend to score them. Paddy Power offer 5/6 that the last goal is scored past the 75th minute.

17.30 Tottenham v Man U

Berbatov is doubtful, and I’d be keen to take on Man U. Spurs are unbeaten against the ‘Big 4′ this season, and Harry Redknapp had a great record against Man U with Pompey. Lay Man U at 1.93 on Betfair.

21.00 Barcelona v Real Madrid

Juande Ramos’ new side 11/2 to keep his 100% record.

TV:

19.10 X Factor Final

Bookies.com Betting Preview

Fingers crossed for 3/1 JLS!

20.55 Strictly Come Dancing

Lisa Snowdon will need an amazing performance to stay in the competition – 4/6 to be evicted.

Sunday 14th December

Football:

16.00 Chelsea v West Ham

1/4 Chelsea will be in plenty of punters’ accies this weekend.

19.30 Juvenuts v Milan

Both sides are 6 points adrift of Inter, so this one is absolutely crucial for the title race.

20.00 Lyon v Marseille

7/2 Marseille are more than capable of winning this, but it should be a close game.

TV:

19.00 BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Bookies.com Betting Preview

Rebecca Adlington now odds-on!