What a weekend of racing! Admittedly the only Kentucky Derby challenger that we fully wrote off was 100/1 Mine That Bird, but we did tip you the 2000 Guineas winner Sea The Stars, albeit in the wrong market.

Let’s just hope that John Oxx takes his chance in the Irish 2000 Guineas before he wins the Derby, because 20/1 will be a very attractive price indeed.

In the 1000 Guineas, Rainbow View was a massive dissapointment but we tipped the second, 12/1 Cuis Ghaire. Perhaps our lovely picture of Richard Hills persuaded you to get on 20/1 Ghanaati.

The ‘Big Four’ all won this weekend for the fourth time in a row, but the accumulator still paid out a generous 6/1 with Victor Chandler.

Liverpool obliged against Newcastle (3-0) to maintain the pressure on Manchester United, but they can still be backed at 9/1 with Sky Bet for the title.

The relegation betting looks a lot tighter, but even 1/100 West Brom still have an outside chance at survival if they win their remaining fixtures.

Before Hull take on Aston Villa tonight, the bottom end of the table looks like this:

Middlesbrough can be backed at 1/4, but are far from certainties. They have been in woeful form, and haven’t scored in the last three games. Having said that, a victory against Newcastle on May 11 would be a great help for Gareth Southgate‘s side. Their other two fixtures are perfectly winnable.

The bookies also expect to see Alan Shearer‘s Newcastle get sent down a division at 1/2. The Magpies lack confidence and Joey Barton’s red card comes just at the wrong time. His season must surely be over. They have only scored once in the last five games.

Blackburn look safe at 33/1, but I think that 15/8 Hull City could soon find themselves in deep trouble.

Hull have lost their last three and finish at home to Man U at the end of the season. They should lose at Villa Park tonight (4/7) and have a shocking record away to Bolton.

To their credit they did very well to stay up in the Championship two seasons ago.

10/3 Sunderland have tricky fixtures, but have the bonus of a four point cushion.

Fulham are 9/4 favourites to grab the last available European spot.

Remember to scan the markets available on bookies.com before placing a bet:

Premier League Winner Betting

Relegation 08/09 Odds

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

Manchester United have an astonishing 5 out of the 6 players nominated for the PFA Player of the Year - hardly surprising in the season where they could win a famous quintuple (8/1).

That said, Steven Gerrard is Paddy Power’s 11/8 co-favourite and the Liverpool skipper is currently shading favouritism on Betfair.

David Ginola was the last player from outside the Big Four to last win the PFA Trophy in 1999, whilst 8/1 Cristiano Ronaldo has won Player of the Year for the last two seasons.

Ronaldo was the first Portuguese player to ever win the trophy, but no player has won it three times.

We don’t know how bad Gerrard’s injury is, but 13 Premiership goals is a remarkable achievement at this stage of the year. Liverpool’s comeback in the title race can be largely put down to Stevie, who deserves to be favourite.

Gerrard commands enormous respect from his fellow players, so much so that he won the award in 2006.

Nemanja Vidic has been key part of Manchester United’s defense this season. The Serbian been well supported with Paddy Power, but at 11/8, surely his value has gone.

Man U’s record 14 straight clean sheets could also be put down to Van Der Sar and Rio Ferdinand, both 28/1 chances. Their presence in the shortlist could split up the Vidic vote.

Vidic’s disciplinary record shouldn’t count against him, and on the plus side he has scored 12 goals in 142 appearances.

GERRARD is the pick, but offers no value at the price. 7/1 is a tempting price in the Top Goalscorer market, but we don’t know the extent of his injury.

**Update 23/4/09**

Ryan Giggs has been backed into 1/3 on Betfair, having traded at a high of 159/1 earlier this season.

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

PFA Player of the Year 2009 Betting

Premier League Winner 2009 Betting

Premier League Top Goalscorer 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

Portsmouth manager, Tony Adams, has finally been sacked after only 2 wins in 16 matches. The 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday was the last straw, after Pompey threw away a 2-1 lead with 5 minutes to go. Pompey are best priced at 2/1 with Corals to be relegated.

Tony Adams had been odds-on to be sacked for several weeks, but now 2/1 Gareth Southgate assumes that mantle. Victor Chandler have already opened a market on the next Portsmouth Manager, so let’s take a look at the market principals.

Paul Hart takes over as caretaker manager, but isn’t being quoted in the market. Caretaker managers, such as Joe Kinnear, can offer great value, but Pompey will be looking for a manager with Premiership experience to fight relegation.

Alan Curbishley is the 9/4 favourite to take over, and was the architecht of West Ham’s 2008 survival campaign, getting 7 wins in the last 9 games. The Daily Express reported on Friday that the club had already contacted him, but Portsmouth have denied any approach.

Favourties are often over-priced in these markets, so the bookies can limit their liabilities. There has been a bit of money for 15/8 Avram Grant, who is eyeing up a return to the Premier League. If he did get the job, he probably wouldn’t be in place in time to take on Manchester United on Saturday.

Skybet go 8/1 about Gus Poyet, but Victor Chandler offer 16/1. I would want a manager with experience, so I wouldn’t be interested in either Poyet or 33/1 Paul Ince. Glen Hoddle is 20/1, the same price as Terry Venables.

Joe Jordan is 12/1, but there have been a few whispers for 14/1 Sven-Göran Eriksson. He is currently manager of the Mexican national side, but isn’t doing too well.

Follow the market closely, but if Ladbrokes go 10/11 about Avram Grant, he could be a decent value at 15/8 with VC. He has been matched at 3/1 on Betfair, but has been well supported this morning.

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

Next Portsmouth Manager Betting

Next Manager to Leave 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