http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/news_blog en gareth.cartman@gmail.com Copyright 2011 2011-12-28T10:03:57+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/the_sack_race_watch_dalglishs_odds/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/the_sack_race_watch_dalglishs_odds/#When:10:03:57Z It seems a given that Steve Kean will win the sack race, and the bookies are offering 8/15 at the moment. But look further down the list and one name stands out - Kenny Dalglish.Steve Kean appears a dead cert to be given the sack at any time - so 8/15 is probably a good reflection of that, and it would be longer were it not for the hapless Bolton and the sinking star that is Owen Coyle. These are two managers in the firing line, but Coyle is the more surprising of the two. Feted by all for his time at Burnley, ambitious for his desire to move to a more established club, yet hamstrung by departures that he has not replaced, Coyle should really be given time to sort Bolton out. After all, this season is not really his fault, it’s been coming for a while. Kean, however, has no excuses. He has some money, more than other clubs in the Premier League, and he has the nucleus of a half-decent team. That’s why Blackburn Rovers fans are o his back, albeit extremely so. So while Coyle is 3/1, Kean is odds-on, you have to look further down the list for a surprise - and it’s worth watching the odds of big spender Kenny Dalglish, who is surely starting to raise the ire of his American owners after spending big on the likes of Carroll and Downing only to discover that Newcastle and Aston Villa players only get you as high as… well, Newcastle or Aston Villa. It’s a cruel world out there, and John Henry, while he is a patient and undoubtedly shrewd man, will not stand for anything less than Champions League qualification. He’s not going to get it this year, and without spending big again, he probably won’t get it next year - so is Dalglish the man? At 66/1 for the sack, the bookies think he still is, but those odds will start to take a tumble the more it appears Liverpool won’t get Champions League qualification. With Kean and Coyle gone, I’d wager that the bookies will offer around 20/1 for Dalglish in a few months’ time, if Liverpool’s form does not pick up. That’s still brilliant, and worth taking. Otherwise, you could go for Mick McCarthy, whose continued employment at Wolves is a mystery to all but himself, or Andre Villas-Boas, whose owners would be both foolish and in-keeping with form were they to fire him so soon. Get the latest sack race odds from Paddy Power, and get yourself a Paddy Power free bet worth £20 when you deposit £10. 2011-12-28T10:03:57+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/kauto_star_cut_to_3_1_but_long_run_still_best_money_for_king_george/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/kauto_star_cut_to_3_1_but_long_run_still_best_money_for_king_george/#When:16:52:42Z Kauto Star has been cut to 3/1 for Boxing Day’s King George at Kempton, but Long Run is still the best bet for your money - especially when you take emotion out of the equation.Whether Kauto Star is worth the odds or not is questionable - his legions of followers have ensured that he is the talk of the betting before Monday’s big race at Kempton. Big money has been piled on Kauto Star ahead of the King George, but then again, big money gets piled on England ahead of a major football tournament. Not that this money is completely blind, however - like a punt on England to win the World Cup for example. No, Kauto Star looked back to his very best beating Long Run at Haydock last month, and while we cannot discount that as a “freak” win, it is likely that Long Run will be improved on that performance for the big race while Kauto Star will find it hard to maintain that standard at the age of 11. That should make Long Run a solid chance at 5/4, quite generous odds given the relative paucity of the opposition. We know little about Captain Chris and Somersby at this distance, and while it is clear that Master Minded has been prepped like mad for this race, he’s another one entering the unknown. Master Minded is now available at 13/2, which is a leap of faith - but you can get evens that he will finish ahead of Kauto Star, which is a tempter. That’s with Betfred, if you’re interested. Other free bets that are available include the Paddy Power Free Bet which doubles your money, or the very simple yet effective £10 free bet from Totesport who have kept Long Run at 11/8. 2011-12-24T16:52:42+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/best_bets_for_the_weekend/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/best_bets_for_the_weekend/#When:20:30:00Z Well well - it’s Strictly Come Dancing - the Final. And we had two out of three predicted at the start of the series. There’s that - and a whole bunch of sporting bets worth a punt…So we had it almost right - Jason Donovan and Harry Judd are there, and Harry is the huge favourite at 1/4 with most bookmakers - but they’re joined by Chelsee Healey, a girl we originally dismissed - and don’t lie, you all did - as a walking chav-boob. How wrong we were. She’s great and we’re really hoping she wins, especially as she’s 5/2 at the moment and has become hugely popular. This could be a weekend to lay the favourite… Jason Donovan, however, can forget it. He’s far to earnest, far too… professional. In the Premiership, Newcastle are a bizarrely short 8/13 to beat Swansea at home on Saturday. There must be something up there - I’d have had them at least 1/2 so if you’re accumulating, then this is a good pick to start with. Everton’s goal problems continue - and will do until they shake off Bill ‘I have no money’ Kenwright - so a draw at home to Norwich will actually be quite a good result for them. Sad, isn’t it, to think that a draw at home to Norwich may be considered a good result. It isn’t. But if you’re having a punt, 13/5 for the toffees to continue mis-firing is good money. I’m intrigued by Tottenham vs Sunderland - it’s perhaps not a great one to bet on, with Spurs coming off the back of a European match and Sunderland on a high with the appointment of a manager who thinks tactics are something other than very small sweets that you get in newsagents. The also-rans in the Premiership should be very worried that Sunderland now have both the nous and the cash to compete for a European place. Looking ahead to the King George XI on Boxing Day, Long Run is the deserved favourite at 6/4, but Captain Chris is the big mover in the market - going from 16/1 in to 7/1 with most bookmakers. One to watch, but it will be very hard, even for Kauto Star, to beat Long Run in the biggie. The Paddy Power free bet is still on offer if you want it - bet £10 and you’ll get £20. 2011-12-15T20:30:00+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/situational_betting_a_system_that_works/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/situational_betting_a_system_that_works/#When:12:53:56Z We don’t do much betting here at Free Bet Bookmaker. A strange thing to admit, but here’s one strategy we do use that helps us take advantage of situations others may not have noticed.People always ask me about betting systems, and the fact is that most of them are complete cobblers. Either that, or they’re so complicated that the average joe on the street has no idea how to handle these mathematical calculations. What we use here at Free Bet Bookmaker is a system that we’ve concocted ourselves. It doesn’t involve much maths, it doesn't even involve taking advantage of bookies offers, it just involves a little thought, and a lot of patience. What you’ll find in sport is that there are patterns. Everywhere. Some people call them quirks, but they’re not – there are endless reasons for these patterns that keep appearing over and over. We’ve done a very corporate thing, and created a quadrant, with low and high reward on one axis, and low and high risk on the other. What we do with this little quadrant is we start populating it with “situations”. An example of a situation could be: Football: Home side with good home form vs Away side with poor away form This situation is clearly low risk, low reward – the odds will be short, and unless there are other mitigating factors, it should be regarded as a ‘banker’. So, if we use a website like vitibet.com, we can start to pick out teams all around the world whose home form is good, who are playing at home against a side whose away form is poor. Football: Away side has won last 5 visits to the home side The information is out there, so go and get it before you place your bets. You’ll be able to start mining the data to find out which away sides are regularly picking up points – perhaps against form and status. Quirks like this happen in every sport, and you can expect high reward from these relatively low-risk bets. The question is, to what extent are you willing to risk your money against the bookmaker? Football: New manager steps in for first game at a struggling club Very often, struggling teams don’t just struggle because they’re rubbish – they struggle because their morale is low. Or because their manager is rubbish. Or both. Either way, a new manager often provides a lift to a struggling team, which results in at least one – sometimes several – games that go against form. In fact, some experts claim it can take up to 5 games before normal service is resumed, and the side continues to struggle. This would be of medium risk, but high reward, as bookmakers rarely base their judgement on an unknown quantum such as morale. Other quirks can be found – it’s really up to you. Whether it’s patterns such as a centre-forward regularly scoring against a particular club, or red cards appearing whenever two teams meet, there is money to be made from developing an understanding of common trends and backing them – you will stay one step ahead of the bookies! Baseball: Number 1 pitcher vs Number 3 pitcher Baseball is one of the most over-analysed sports in the world. The Americans do tend to overkill their statistics, and it’s a little-known fact that most baseball statisticians have never watched a game. They study the statistics for the love of it. Strange people. That said, their research has enabled a levelling-out of the playing field that few would have imagined possible, leading to the Moneyball exploits of the Oakland Athletics, and later, the Boston Red Sox under Theo Epstein. That’s why you should always look into Baseball stats before making an educated decision – and who is pitching is a good place to start. Usually, you’ll find the top two pitchers going up against each other, but every now and again, you’ll see a club’s number one pitcher facing someone of infinitely less stature. Low risk, medium return – especially if you find an unfancied club. There are a host of other pitching stats out there, such as a pitcher’s record against left-handed batters, which you can use to your advantage. Find the situation, mark it down on your quadrant, and load your betting appropriately. Horse racing – this horse can’t keep winning Over the years, I’ve tracked winning streaks, and they almost always come to an end one way or another. With the exception of exceptional horses such as Sea The Stars and Frankel, most horses will have a run of form that brings their odds tumbling down. This is especially true over shorter distances, where horses run more often. Laying them at the right time is up to you, but the bookies are always trying to minimise their risk by shortening the odds against an in-form horse. Find the quirk, and find the event that fits. Fill up your quadrant as you go along, finding the patterns and waiting for the event that fits. You could set yourself up some Google alerts, use a service like vitibet.com or just take a keen interest in one particular team and bet on them alone. Whatever situations you fit into your quadrant, it will help you decide which bets to take on, and how to reduce your potential losses in certain periods. You can give yourself a selection of bankers and match them against some higher risk bets. No maths involved – just common-sense and patience. Try it out with the Paddy Power free bet which doubles your first stake. Good luck to you! 2011-11-21T12:53:56+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/strictly_come_dancing_odds_and_betting_our_preview/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/strictly_come_dancing_odds_and_betting_our_preview/#When:13:15:08Z Strictly starts again tomorrow, and while the so-called celebs have been buffing up their fake tans, we’ve been looking at the odds for victory…Well, last year we had our money on Matt Baker and we weren't that far off the mark. This year's batch of fake-tans and also-rans is a curious mixture, and the smart money is going on Harry Judd, who apparently plays an instrument in a band or something like that. He's got a funny hairdo so he's probably young and popular. We like Holly Valance, but then again, we would, and we hate Robbie Savage because he's a tit. We'd have to say that the ones most likely to get through are Harry Judd, Holly Valance, Jason Donovan and perhaps Lulu, while those most likely to get thrown out early on are Edwina Currie and Rory Bremner, both of whom are already starting to grate and it hasn't even started. Holly Valance is great odds at 5/4 to be the top female - there ain't all that much competition and nobody really cares about Alex Jones, do they? The Dads will be enjoying that bit, and no doubt wondering what to make of the walking boob-chav Chelsee Healey, who's 13/2 to be top female. She won't be. FBB says: Back Holly Valance as top female at 5/4 with Paddy Power (find out more about the Paddy Power free bet) 2011-09-30T13:15:08+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_prix_de_larc_preview_2011/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_prix_de_larc_preview_2011/#When:19:40:51Z It’s a strange Arc to pick a winner from, this. Percentage-pickers have been swayed of late from the tried and trusted methods to the “best horse wins” method - but there’s no best horse as such, and no three-year-old colt churning up the French racing scene. So what to do? Here’s our preview for the 2011 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.What an odd year. Traditionally, Prix de l’Arc punters (like me) have played the percentages, but the last few years have overturned our trends and resulted in one golden rule: back the best horse. We all knew that Sea the Stars was going to win the Arc, and if it weren’t for that disappointing mid-season run, Workforce would also have been a certainty for everyone. Zarkava was the best filly we’ve seen for decades, and rightly won the race, almost at a canter. Dylan Thomas was equally proof that the Arc has now grown in stature, having won as a 4-year-old, and the race has become the World Championship of flat racing. So, the old theorem that it is always three-year-olds trained in France, preferably Prix de Niel winners, doesn’t hold as strong as it used to. Indeed, in this Arc, what have we got to go on? A handful of three-year-olds at most, the best of them a filly, and the Niel winner might not like the ground. The best horse? Sarafina’s good but is no Zarkava, plus she’s a year older – when was the last time a four-year-old filly won the Arc? Urban Sea in 1993 if you’re interested. Before that, 1983, so not such a regular occurrence. She came third last year, which is no embarrassment, but has she improved as a four-year-old? Quite possibly, but such improvements are incremental at best. Not the best favourite we’ve had for the Arc, and that favouritism is indicative of the reduced quality of the field. Workforce may be losing his shine, but remains a danger. Then again, when was the last time a four-year-old came back to retain the Arc? If you’re interested, 1978 – Alleged ridden by Lester Piggott. It doesn’t happen often, but this is one horse you might back to repeat the feat. History’s against him, though, and the fast ground will hurry others along. Equally, if you thought last year’s win was impressive, it was the slowest since 1991, which tells you more than you need to know about the field. So You Think would be the first five-year-old since 1988 to win the race (Tony Bin if you’re interested), and only Aiden O’Brien’s second-ever Arc victory. Just like the Derby, O’Brien’s record stinks when it comes to the big races. He’s put six into this race, and while So You Think has impeccable credentials otherwise, history is against him. The Japanese have brought over two horses – Hiruno d’Amour and Nakayama Festa – and those of you who remember the year Rail Link won may remember the massive gamble that went on another Japanese Horse. The PMU were quoting 1.1 such was the punt from the enormous contingent at Longchamp that day (I remember the squeeze on the concourse). It didn’t happen that year, nor has it ever happened, and it won’t happen this year. Of course, this may mean that Longchamp is pumped full of Japanese race-goers and the PMU odds will be grossly skewed as a result – keep an eye on them, preferably through ZeTurf (100 euros of free bets, too), and you may find better value for the horse you like. People are putting money on Snow Fairy, but that only goes to show how dumb some people can be when it comes to picking horses. Frankie Dettori taking the ride is no indication of quality – he’s just desperate for a ride. If a four-year-old is going to win the Arc, it has to be a top-drawer four-year-old, preferably with some experience of Longchamp and its long, long straight. Having Dettori in the saddle doesn’t change a thing. So – make what you will of the following – it’s a wide-open race, as befits the best race in the horse racing calendar – but we have an inkling that in the absence of a real star, a three-year-old might win the Arc this year. After all, despite the recent overhaul of our trends, 7 of the last 8 winners have been three-year-olds. That’s an impressive strike rate. What have we got? Reliable Man is our yardstick – he won the Prix Niel, and found the ground a little too hard in the Grand Prix de Paris. That’s what scares us – because otherwise he fits the profile rather too well. That one defeat is an indicator that the fast pace of this Arc (and it’s probably not going to rain) will do for him. The Niel was good to soft – the Arc could even be good to firm. While he cannot be discounted, he may actually not even race, so watch the weather. Galikova won the Prix Vermeille (an Arc trial) and is currently single figures with most bookmakers. While all eyes are on a four-year-old filly, it could be a three-year-old filly who shines through. Out of the brilliant Galileo and half-sister to Goldikova, she has perhaps the most solid claims of all the three-year-olds and has clearly been on a collision course with the Arc since the start of the season. It’s a long season, remember, and preparation counts as much as any factor. If Meandre goes, then he’d be my pick. Right age, course & distance victory, French-trained – and that C&D win in the Grand Prix de Paris was the yardstick by which we should measure this particular Arc. Decent pace, and similar ground. He’s another who appears to have been prepared just for the Arc – and given the ground, he should be able to reverse the Prix Niel in which he finished behind Reliable Man. Indeed, he didn’t even seem that pressed on trials day on the good-to-soft, so that result has its compensating factors. Equally, he’s trained in France by a man whose Arc credentials are as good as anyone’s – Andre Fabre. British bookies will be hands-off so your best odds may be here in the UK. That’s not to say that Meandre – or Galikova – are champion horses, but this isn’t a quality Arc, it’s a competitive one, and in that case, we’re falling back on our percentages. Those percentages may have been eroded by money and the subsequent raising of the stakes, but this race will be fast and tough, so will suit the fresher, better prepared horses. FBB says: Meandre from Galikova, Workforce & Sarafina. 2011-09-28T19:40:51+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/what_to_do_with_the_structure_of_county_cricket/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/what_to_do_with_the_structure_of_county_cricket/#When:11:24:21Z Does anyone really know what’s going on in County Cricket anymore? Four-day, one-day, how many overs? Let’s solve it ourselves, shall we?As at the end of every summer, the structure of county cricket – which formats are to be played and when – is the subject of heated debate. While the solutions proposed vary, they all aim to answer one simple issue: nobody understands the structure anymore. This is fair. For those who can afford Sky Sports, switching on in the evening to find a 40-over match is usually a surprise. Very often, you would have no idea when these games are being played, and why, or for what trophy. The future of county cricket depends not so much on the counties themselves, but on the paying crowds – and there are increasingly few people going to watch cricket, even Twenty20. The constant meddling with the game left us with a one-day final at Lord’s with just 16,500 spectators – the lowest we’ve seen since the 1960s. While wary that I’m wearing rose-tinted glasses, the idea of Sunday cricket was one that resonated with myself and many others. Every Sunday, the teams playing in a three or four-day game on surrounding dates would play a 40-over match. I have great memories of seeing Neil Fairbrother knock Glamorgan around the park at Blackpool on a sunny Sunday afternoon – and I have forever since associated summer afternoons with one-day cricket. The trouble with the county game today is that you never quite know what’s happening and when. There’s a Twenty20 tournament, yes. And it takes place over a few weeks in summer, yes. And there’s a really long finals day which goes on until the wee hours. However, some Saturdays there’s a one-day match, and on Sunday there might be a four-day game. In fact, a four-day game could start on any day of the week, and does anyone know how many overs we’re playing these days in the one-day tournaments? Are they in leagues? Or is it knock-out? Not got a clue. Here’s what we’d do to the county game, if they were mad enough to give us control: 1)      Four-day county games take place from Monday to Thursday Let’s admit it, the longer form of the game needs a kick up the backside. In our previous article on county cricket, we advocated a number of things, such as taking the game around the smaller grounds, extending the leagues to include the Minor Counties, and even disbanding the counties altogether. However, let’s start simple – four-day games start on Monday and go through to Thursday. All the time. No messing around with it, let’s just keep it simple. And none of this day/night rubbish either. There’s an audience of county cricket and they’re generally retired. That’s not to say they’re not the right audience – they probably are. They have the time, they’re appreciative of the game, and when I’m retired, I’m going to watch a lot of county cricket. Don’t go chasing the youngsters here, do it elsewhere. 2)      Fridays and Saturdays are for Twenty20 The counties need to make money, so while I have little time for the 20 over format myself, Twenty20 is a cash cow. What the counties are beginning to realise is that too much is too much. Crowds are down, interest is waning. Therefore, have a Twenty20 competition that runs all season, but only on Fridays and/or Saturdays. There is enormous marketing potential in Twenty20, but we have to realise that the IPL cannot be reproduced in the UK. The IPL is a mirror of the English Premier League. Cricket, over here at least, does not have the glamour or the glitz. It is, however, fun, and that should be reflected. Put the games on at the times when the average Twenty20 fan is available, and make people associate Friday and Saturday with this form of cricket. 3)      Sundays are for 50-over cricket Let’s stop playing 40 overs, 60 overs or any other form of the game. If we want to produce quality one-day internationals over the long-term, let’s produce a 50-over league that people actually want to support and follow regularly. Having one-day games held randomly on midweek days throughout the season, some of them day-night and others not, is proving counter-productive. Equally, keeping Sunday clear for 50-over cricket is not a proposition made entirely through rose-tinted glasses. The Sunday leagues were popular, and there is a larger audience when compared to, say, a Thursday evening. If the counties need to balance generating revenue with generating a world-class Test team, they need to look not just at which formats are most popular, but how those formats are consumed by the people who continue to pay for their very existence. By maintaining an association between each format and the day of the week, it becomes quite clear what’s happening and when; there’s a structure that people can easily understand, and before you know it, Friday is Twenty20 day, and the crowds will come flocking back. 2011-09-18T11:24:21+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/pink_balls_wont_save_county_cricket_but_our_three-point_plan_might/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/pink_balls_wont_save_county_cricket_but_our_three-point_plan_might/#When:17:33:55Z County cricket needs money, and it needs larger audiences. So here’s Free Bet Bookmaker’s three-point plan to sorting it out - and it doesn’t involve any pink balls. Anywhere.A little bit of cricket history is taking place this week, and it’s taking place in what is effectively a dead rubber. The first day/night 4-day county match between Kent and Glamorgan represents a potential turning point for county cricket – and maybe first class cricket in general – but will it have any effect? Probably not. The 500 hardy souls who turned up may or may not have turned up at 10am. Indeed, the effect is hard to measure, with the game being played at a blustery tail-end to the county season with little left to play for. What the ECB is looking at in this case is the viability of the format from the players’ point of view – does the pink ball work? Does the change in light conditions half-way through the day affect the match result? What it won’t do is change interest in county cricket, which is more often than not played in front of swathes of empty seats and handfuls of cricket lovers. This is not to dismiss the importance of country cricket, it is the very foundation for the future of Test cricket in England, and needs to be handled with care. Experimenting with day/night cricket with a pink ball is fine, but the financial benefits for the counties will probably be minimal, and unless test cricket mirrors the new format, it will start to produce players who may struggle to pick up the swinging red ball in the morning. So what can be done to help the counties a) survive, b) continue to produce quality test match players and c) stimulate more interest in the county game? We here at Free Bet Bookmaker have taken time out of looking at free bets for once, and we have a three-point plan for the ECB, and they won’t appreciate all of it: 1) Take county cricket out of the larger grounds and play more cricket at the so-called “secondary grounds”. Counties make the bulk of their revenue from one-day and Twenty20 cricket these days – which is fun, but it’s a means to an end. Test-hosting counties such as Lancashire, Hampshire and Warwickshire can pack larger audiences into their main grounds, but need to take the county cricket out and about in order to keep it alive. Every time I’ve seen a county game at a smaller ground such as Blackpool or Basingstoke, the stands have been packed, and the crowd entertained. The players must surely appreciate having an audience for once, the local clubs and the counties themselves will benefit from extra revenue, and interest in the county game would take off if the counties visited more often. There’s nothing more depressing than playing in front of empty seats, and counties must accept that their main audience for the longer form of the game is retired people – after all, they have more spare time. Equally, by taking the game on the road, there is opportunity to grow the fan-base, work more with local schools and stimulate interest in areas beyond their main catchment. Keep the one-dayers and Twenty20 games at the main grounds, and use county cricket to showcase the county. Win-win, you might say. 2) Stream the games live on the internet Major League Baseball is light years ahead of cricket from an online viewpoint, offering a wide range of subscription packages, highlights, iPhone and iPad apps – everything and anything that can keep people engaged with the game. Every day you can watch a free game on mlb.com and watch the highlights from each game. The ECB website gives you a few scores and some highlights, but what about live streaming? If they can’t get a deal with a TV channel to broadcast county cricket, how about simple live streaming from a county ground. Indeed, extend this to live streaming of every game for a monthly fee, and not only does the ECB have a money-spinner, you’re offering people a further chance to get involved in county cricket. It’s a simple maxim – offer something for free, offer extended packages, get more engagement with the brand. 3) Go beyond the counties Two options here, one more controversial than the other. Let’s go for the controversial option first. 3a) Rename the counties as towns / cities Now, the re-naming of the counties for one-day cricket purposes irks me somewhat. At least in the US, where this practice is the norm, the names are almost always linked to the city’s history or location, many of the UK sides have renamed themselves for corporate or, well, nonsensical reasons. Lancashire Lightning? Yorkshire Carnegie? Where’s the pride? Where’s the local connection? My first suggestion is that we move away from the rather dated concept of counties, and towards the more familiar association that we have with towns and cities. It would be an upheaval from a conceptual viewpoint – but its impact would be mainly cosmetic. How’s about Manchester vs Birmingham? Canterbury vs Cardiff? Call them what you want, but the association people have with their towns and cities is far more emotional and far wider-reaching than counties whose boundaries are constantly changing (and irrelevant), and whose only remaining reference point appears to be the cricket team. People have long since moved from the country to the city – just ask any Londoner what county they’re in and you’d probably receive a puzzled frown in response. 3b) Expand the county game to include the Minor Counties We have two divisions now, but how about four divisions, including the Minor Counties? Get them involved and expand the reach of county cricket, introducing promotion and relegation between all four divisions. County cricket does appear, from the outside, to be a cabal – an organised racket and entirely self-promoting. Therefore, introducing the minor counties would be difficult, and would be a kick up the posterior – but one that they need. The last county to be “accepted” was Durham, and look at the positive impact they have had in the game, winning the title and producing a succession of brilliant young players for the Test team. The likes of Cheshire, Devon and Berkshire have plenty of potential cricket fans who pay to visit neighbouring counties, and plenty of potential cricketers. Expanding the reach of country cricket can only be beneficial to the wider game. Yes, it may mean that some counties would drop into obscurity, but the current system blocks the potential of these so-called “minor” counties, and effectively excludes not just the players but the fans within. It’s a three-point plan that will no doubt never be implemented, but the important thing to remember is that the counties themselves do not matter as much as the game of cricket itself, and the ultimate aim of producing a quality Test match side. They might argue that they are cricket itself, but their continued existence as it stands is little to do with what is best for cricket, but what is best for the counties. County cricket has gone a long way to providing England with better players, and has contributed significantly to England’s new status of number 1 test team in the world. What we now need to do is build on that; secure the future of county cricket, and secure a future interest in the game. That means bringing in extra revenue, and that cannot be achieved playing at empty grounds which must cost more to run than they bring in with ticket receipts. Smaller grounds, lower costs and increased gates can only result in a more engaging, more vibrant county scene. Streaming games online for free is a no-brainer, and is the one part of this three-point plan that the ECB could implement without too much fuss. The income from subscriptions may be minor, but it is income nonetheless, and can be driven straight back into the game. It would bring people closer to the game, and stimulate more interest. Expanding beyond the counties itself is, from a business point of view, another no-brainer. The best will always be the best – the rest should be given the opportunity to succeed. A huge percentage of the country has no access to county cricket because of the self-interested nature of the game. It’s a closed shop. Why should people in Berkshire only have a minor counties team? Why should the whole of Devon have to follow Somerset? If Durham can be introduced – and thrive – then offer the opportunity to everyone. Win, and you get in. Lose, and you get out. Changing from counties to towns and cities is, at best, going to be ignored, and let’s not even mention franchise models. However, if county cricket is to have more relevance in the modern era, the ECB needs to accept that the only reason people still mention counties is because of the cricket clubs. It’s time to move on and be more relevant to the audience, and it’s the audience who should matter most, not the county clubs. Convincing the counties of that would be difficult. So, credit to the ECB for trying day/night cricket and the pink ball. It might catch on; it might not, but they’re looking in the wrong place to solve the wrong problems. 2011-09-15T17:33:55+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/meandre_a_good_pick_for_the_prix_de_larc_as_pour_moi_bows_out/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/meandre_a_good_pick_for_the_prix_de_larc_as_pour_moi_bows_out/#When:07:23:50Z Alain Royer Dupre has just lost Pour Moi to injury, but he has a great back-up - the Grand Prix de Paris winner, Meandre. We also look at Vadamar, a potential entry worth 50/1.It doesn’t look like the best renewal of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in history, but it does look like one of the more open. In recent years, new patterns have emerged that would have played right into the hands of Andre Fabre and his Derby winner Pour Moi. Fabre, a man of impeccable Arc pedigree, had primed Pour Moi perfectly until the horse sustained an injury that meant he was immediately retired to stud. Now, we’re forced to look a little further down the field, and one horse appears to be flying under the radar. We had a quick look at Vadamar for the Derby, and it’s fair to say that he didn’t exactly like the racecourse. That’s fair enough, it’s not the easiest, and certainly bears no comparison to the carpet-esque Longchamp. Trainer Alain Royer-Dupre then claimed that Vadamar was below his best having run a good race in the Prix Greffulhe, at Saint-Cloud, and now Vadamar is being prepped for the Arc with an entry in the Prix Niel. For the uninitiated, the Prix Niel is the Arc trial – and a stunning percentage of Niel winners become Arc winners. This is because of the late-season nature of the Arc: some trainers spend much of the season targeting the race and ensuring the horse is in peak condition, while other trainers have a number of targets throughout the year. In the past, this is what has harmed Derby winners – e.g. High Chapparal. For the initiated, three-year-old colts have been the percentage card over the last 15/20 years. True, recent Arcs have been taken by the classiest horses in the field, but percentages are always useful. This doesn’t give us much, so Vadamar is a very tempting each-way bet at the moment, and those odds of 50/1 with Victor Chandler won’t last long if - as predicted - he does enter. The old adage that the Arc is always won by 3-year-old French-trained Colts will be tested once more this year. As Zarkava, Dylan Thomas, Sea The Stars and Workforce all showed, it need not be the case if you have the quality, and only quality – or the lack of a decent French contender – can break the trend. Therefore, while the jury is out on Vadamar as an outright contender for the Arc, our favourite is Sarafina, a 4-year-old filly who is clearly not in the same class as Zarkava. Third in last year’s Arc, she won the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, not necessarily an Arc benchmark, but it was a good performance nonetheless. She’ll go off in the Prix Foy on Arc trials day, and her favouritism will rely on that performance. Andre Fabre will have to rely on Meandre, a 7/1 shot with many bookmakers, but that’s no bad thing. He has Longchamp form and won the Grand Prix de Paris there in stunning fashion. In fact, this season, he's got a very good Arc profile, never being out of the front two, and having already held off the likes of Aiden O'Brien's Seville in big races. That makes Meandre a good pick in a relatively average field - that is, if Workforce doesn't reproduce last year's performance, which very rarely happens in the Arc - as Hurricane Run will attest. 2011-09-02T07:23:50+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/this_weekends_football_tips_03_09/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/this_weekends_football_tips_03_09/#When:07:07:25Z It’s an international weekend (yawn) but a good time to back the away sides where odds are a little more generous. Here’s some tips, and some suggestions for non-league betting this weekend.Oh damn those internationals. Just when you started to take an interest in the Premier League again, we take a break for some meaningless games between badly matched sides. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t betting opportunities out there, and none better than the odds of 11/8 being offered against Montenegro, who travel to the Millenium Stadium to take on Wales. It’s lunacy to offer anything higher than evens to ANY side playing Wales, even the Faero Islands Under-19 side. I’ve never been able to fathom why Wales has been so crap at football for so long, especially that they’ve had so many God-given talents in their side. Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe, Ryan Giggs. Well, OK, three God-given talents, and not all at the same time. But you get my point. It’s as if being born Welsh is a punishment to a footballer. Montenegro will travel there knowing that they’re facing one of the world’s worst sides and are an absolute steal at 11/8 with Blue Square. The rest of the international games are supposedly foregone conclusions, so you’re best looking at the away sides, especially France, Croatia and Sweden – and maybe even England. That little quartet – should they all win – would net you £33 for a £10 bet with a Paddy Power free bet of £20 to come. There’s still some football going on down in the lower leagues, and it’s Forest Green Rovers who catch the eye. Not often you say that, but they’re taking on Grimsby this Saturday and that’s a good chance to build on a half-decent start to the season. Grimsby find themselves in the bottom four and things aren’t looking good. The same can be said for the incredibly leaky Alfreton Town defence. They travel to Gateshead, and stand very little chance of keeping a clean sheet. Gateshead will be chasing promotion this season. Alfreton won’t. 2011-09-02T07:07:25+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/todays_best_bets/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/todays_best_bets/#When:10:43:33Z Not a great weekend for Premiership followers, but there are some cracking bets out there today - and some good value.For a free bet on today's football, try the Blue Square free bet which gives you £40 today and £40 over the next four weeks. Everton to win at Blackburn Blind faith might be my downfall here, so feel free to ignore this tip if you like, but Blackburn are a team on a downer at the moment, and Everton are a team who need a result as much as anyone. This will be a welcome trip away from Goodison Park for an Everton side all too clearly feeling the pressure from their home fans. Equally, the away fans will pack Ewood Park out, and will make it feel like a proper home game. Hopefully David Moyes will have realised that the side he put out last week was imbalanced, but more than likely, he'll go 4-5-1, and that could suit today's game. Something tells me that this will suit the Toffees. Beacon Lodge to win the Betfair Celebration Mile at Goodwood All the money appears to be going on Poet's Voice, but he's unraced for 5 months and that raises doubts, especially at Goodwood. I like the look of Beacon Lodge, a 9/2 shot who is shooting up in peoples' estimation after a couple of decent places behind short-odds favourites. Emerald Commander will enjoy it if there's any rain, and Dubawi Gold is a little out of sorts for my liking. Beacon Lodge however, will appreciate this trip, is bang in form, and is improving. A nice little bet at 9/2. Seattle, Washington and Kansas to win in the MLS If you're finding the Premiership a little random, then have a go on the MLS. It often runs to form, and there's the distinction that many sides have to travel a long way for away games, giving the home side a distinct advantage. We're looking at three home wins today - Washington to beat Portland, Seattle Sounders to beat Columbus Crew and Kansas to beat Dallas. All three away sides have had their troubles away from home - especially Portland, who have lost 8 of their 12 away games and won only one. Washington's home record isn't great, but against a side like Portland, they have the opportunity to improve on that rather average record. Dallas are 4-4-4 away from home, and travel to Kansas, who are 6-4-1 at home. It's a long way from home, and a tough place to go for an away victory. Three good matches to bet on, and you can get 11/10 against Kansas with most bookies. Best free bets for today We've already mentioned the Blue Square free bet, but the 12bet free bet is competitive at £25 matched, and they offer a huge range of football odds. Two risk-free bets for you, then - try the Getwin free bet which is worth £20 - or the Betclic free bet which is worth £30. If you lose either of those bets, you'll get your money back, which you can withdraw and then walk away if you want. Or place it on something else. Either way, there's no risk to you. 2011-08-27T10:43:33+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/todays_football_tips_-_everton_to_beat_qpr_1-0_at_5_1/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/todays_football_tips_-_everton_to_beat_qpr_1-0_at_5_1/#When:12:20:24Z Here are today’s football tips - with a 1-0 win predicted for Everton. Well, times are hard, and hard times equals one-nil to the blues.Everton to beat QPR 1-0 If QPR’s defence is as porous as the home defeat to Bolton suggests, then they’re in for a difficult season. The result slightly flattered Bolton, though, and QPR now travel to Everton, a side who find it hard to break down so-called lesser opposition at home. As Everton’s side hasn’t changed, bar the potential introduction of future superstar Ross Barkley, then you can bet their inability to break sides down will continue, and so will their reliance on Tim Cahill from corners. That’s probably what will do for QPR on Saturday. David Moyes has worked miracles, but to be honest, it can be ugly to watch, and damned frustrating if you’re an Everton fan. 1-0. Just. The other thing about Everton is that when backs are against the wall, they tend to carve out 1-0 wins, and with Bill Kenwright doing the club no favours by announcing to the world that they’re broke, backs are so far against the wall, they’re making indentations in it. What does this signal to clubs? That they can poach Everton players on the cheap? That’s certainly what Harry Redknapp was trying to do with a derisory offer for Phil Neville, and you can imagine Fenerbahce are going to try the same with Joseph Yobo. Hard times for Everton = 1-0 wins. Oddly. But 5/1 with a Paddy Power free bet. Aston Villa to beat Blackburn We’ve been saying for a while that Steve Kean is on his way out of Blackburn sooner rather than later. He did well to get himself the job, but hasn’t been backed financially yet, and with Samba unsettled, their defensive line is a little mixed up. So, the last place you want to go is a resurgent Aston Villa. Well, I say resurgent. They’re in a better place than they were under Houllier, and that can only be a good thing. McLeish’s first home game at Villa Park should see his new Brummies see off Blackburn, and you never know, we may even see the first managerial casualty of the season as the poultry farmers get twitchy. Swansea to beat Wigan You have to feel for Swansea, don’t you. First game in the Premiership and they come up against Augerro and co, the mega-millionaires of Manchester City. In fact, you have to feel sorry for everyone else for simply not having as much money. They showed flashes of the football that Brendan Rogers wants them to play, and it’ll work quite nicely at home over the season – less so at places like Eastlands. They’ll have drawn a line under that and will be claiming that their season starts here – which is the right thing to do. So then, you have to feel sorry for Wigan as they’re entering the unknown a little. It looks like a first home win for Swansea against a Wigan side that Roberto Martinez would have done well to walk away from when he had the chance. Sunderland to beat Newcastle One traditionally fast starter against one traditionally poor starter, and the writing ought to be on the wall. Newcastle got a good result against Arsenal partly because Arsenal were so toothless (wasn’t Gervinho rubbish last Saturday?). Sunderland got a good result at Anfield partly because Liverpool haven’t gelled yet – but they’ll take heart from it perhaps more so than Newcastle will from their result. I’ve never particularly rated Steve Bruce that highly as a manager, and his “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” policy to transfers must be frustrating to Sunderland fans. If he started thinking a little more before getting the cheque book out, they’d be in a better place come the end of the season. If anything, this is the sort of club that should be looking for a David Moyes-type figure – a young, ambitious manager with a wide scouting network. Indeed, if they jettison Bruce, I could see Moyes taking up the challenge. Cash and a board with ambition. Imagine that. Anyway, back to the game. Home advantage to Sunderland against a Newcastle side prone to starting slowly and sacking managers in September (although Pardew’s a mate so you never know) – they’re worth backing in this instance. 2011-08-20T12:20:24+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/non-football_bets_for_autumn_-_baseball_the_prix_de_larc_and_the_cricket/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/non-football_bets_for_autumn_-_baseball_the_prix_de_larc_and_the_cricket/#When:16:21:11Z We’re a growing band, aren’t we. Once, the coming of a new football season would be a time of excitement – of fantasy league selections and of circling the fixture list. Not anymore. Instead it heralds the all-too-hasty return of a bunch of overpaid nancies in a game that is becoming all too predictable and boring. Summer events such as Test matches and Wimbledon capture the imagination much more – and the thought of another 0-0 between United and Chelsea in December doesn’t bear thinking about.We’re a growing band, aren’t we. Once, the coming of a new football season would be a time of excitement – of fantasy league selections and of circling the fixture list. Not anymore. Instead it heralds the all-too-hasty return of a bunch of overpaid nancies in a game that is becoming all too predictable and boring. Summer events such as Test matches and Wimbledon capture the imagination much more – and the thought of another 0-0 between United and Chelsea in December doesn’t bear thinking about. So what will keep us going through the autumn? We’ve been scouring the globe for the best bets – and there’s plenty to enjoy between now and the changing of the clocks! Boston Red Sox to win the World Series It hardly seemed likely at the start of May when the Red Sox had lost 10 of 12 games, the worst start they’ve ever recorded. However, since then, they’ve churned out the results and lead the American League East with Gonzalez, Ortiz, Pedroia and Ellsbury scoring runs galore. In fact, the addition of Gonzalez has been a master stroke – he is potentially the most important Red Sox player since Manny Ramirez. Now, yes, as a Red Sox fan, you may expect me to be a little biased, but this is a side that has overcome an appalling start to triumph over almost everyone ever since. They would end up facing the Yankees in the American League final – and their record over the Yankees this season is as good as it has ever been. CC Sabathia can’t record a win against the Red Sox, and Beckett can’t record a loss against the Yankees. Everything points to the Sox, as they’ve got the batting and the pitching working brilliantly. Talking of pitching, the opposition will likely be the Philadelphia Phillies, given the all-star pitching line-up they have. Cliff Lee, Cole Hammels, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt – four of the best pitchers in baseball, never mind the National League. The thing is, the Red Sox can just about match them in pitching – and better them at bat. It’s their best chance since 2007, and their best team since 2004. Odds & free bets Boston Red Sox @ 3.75 with Getwin (£20 risk-free bet) Boston Red Sox @ 10/3 with Betfred (£50 free bet) Pour Moi to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l’Arc used to be solely won by 3-year-old French-trained colts. However, in recent years, we’ve seen a shift towards Derby winners – the last three all won the Derby, so it pays to add into the equation the fact that the Arc is now won by the best horse in it, which was not always the case. Derby winner Pour Moi is – as the name suggests – French, and owned by Arc specialist Andre Fabre. If anyone knows how to prepare a horse for the Prix de l’Arc, it’s Fabre, and he’s doing exactly that. He refrained from putting Pour Moi out in the Grand Prix de Paris, and is setting him up for the Prix Niel, the Arc trial. We used to say that Derby winners never won the Arc, and that was true when they were they type of horse aimed primarily at the early part of the season. These days, trainers are getting better at resting horses for both races, ensuring that they're in their prime. The Prix Niel produces a huge percentage of Arc winners, so it’s good to see Fabre has a clear plan for Pour Moi, who looks every inch an Arc horse. He’s been cut to 3/1 from 4/1, and a Niel victory would probably see his odds cut even further. Odds & free bets Pour Moi to win the Arc @ 3/1 with Coral (£30 free bet) Pour Moi to win the Arc@ 3/1 with Paddy Power (bet 10 get 20) India to win the one-day series So far, in the Test series, they’ve looked like rabbits in headlights. The status of world number 1 looked to be something of an anomaly given that they appear so unable to cope with English conditions. Either that, or the status of Test cricket has dropped to such a low that this Indian side is perhaps the best in the world. Or at least, was. However, when it comes to one-day cricket, they know what they’re doing. And their fans love it. Indian fans both amaze and amuse me – I love the fact that they love cricket, and I love how they consume every single delivery. At the Lords match, the Indian fans were cheering every dot ball – analysing every leave and chanting like crazy things. It wasn’t very Lords, to be honest, and it all died down around 4 o’clock when their voices gave in. It was all highly amusing, but it does underline why Indian fans love one-day cricket so much. It’s quicker, it’s got more action, and you can cheer to it a lot more. Not my cup of tea, but hey ho, we’re all different. So to the one-day series, and England’s one-day woes will continue. They simply don’t appear to have much of a strategy. Or at least, if they do have one, they’ll ditch it for another pretty soon. England have thrown all their eggs into one basket – Test match cricket – and ignored the one-day game. Where they field well in Tests, they field like a village side in one-dayers. Where they score at 7 an over on day 4 of a Test match, they score at 2 an over in the last powerplay of a one-dayer. England are a mystery wrapped in an enigma. So many great players with so much potential in one-day cricket, but they give the impression they’ve never played the game before. India play so much of it, it’s little wonder they’re the World Champions. Their technique has altered as a result of their focus on one-day and 20/20 cricket – take a look at the way some of their younger batsmen move their front foot towards leg stump when playing outside off stump. 20/20 has many financial rewards, but does nothing for the quality of their Test side. India should win both series in England and at home – and if you want another easy win, South Africa are taking on Australia at home in October, too, in a one-day series. Banker. 2011-08-14T16:21:11+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/relegation_odds_and_first_manager_to_be_sacked/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/relegation_odds_and_first_manager_to_be_sacked/#When:22:02:10Z Here are two markets to keep you interested in football betting for the new season - three to go down at 14/1, and first manager to be sacked.Swansea, Norwich & Wigan to go down at 14/1 Seemingly an easy choice, but there’s an abundance of riches here. QPR haven’t exactly invested for the Premier League, and they’ve got relegation-friendly Neil Warnock still in charge. Paddy Power free bet: Bet 10 get 20 Betclic free bet £30 risk-free Getwin free bet £20 risk-free Wolves are managed by one of the worst managers ever, and despite significant investment by Jack Heyward, they’re still relegation fodder. It’s amazing to think that Stoke were able to build so well and get into Europe, while Wolves floundered at the bottom of the league. Wigan have been hurt the most by the loss of N’Zogbia. He carried them last year, and while they’ve kept Rodallega, they won’t have anything like the attacking force they did in 10-11. Roberto Martinez should have gone to Villa when he had the chance. That said, they’ve got enough experience now in beating the drop so they’re the least assured of the three picks. Norwich and Swansea are the two promoted sides that look most likely to struggle. They’ll probably have an initial burst, after which their relegation odds will inflate – remember Hull and Blackpool? Sides usually work them out come January, so it may be best to wait until then for better odds. First manager to get the sack The loss of a Newcastle manager in September is as traditional as turkey at Christmas, so Alan Pardew must be fearing the worst. Players are already rebelling at the club’s transfer policy, which isn't as bad as others, but follows Newcastle tradition in spending money on people you've never heard of and then selling them on to Middlesborough or someone. Nothing’s ever happy at Newcastle, so Pardew at 7/2 to get the boot first is great stuff. Then again, there’s that fella Steve Kean at Blackburn. Nobody really knew who he was, but he impressed the Indians at Venky’s Poultry Farm (how surreal is this?) and ended up with the job that was being done very well by Sam Allardyce. It’s a measure of how insane the new owners are that they installed Steve Kean and almost got the club relegated. A few defeats and they’ll be spitting feathers, no doubt, and I don’t see Steve Keen lasting the season. He’ll probably end up at Newcastle. Of the other managers, it’s highly possible that Harry Redknapp will leave Spurs, as no doubt England will lose to Poland and the Ukraine, sack Capello and bring in the man everyone has already designated as “the next England manager to be humiliated and sacked”. Poor old Harry. He’s onto a good thing at Spurs, but his time has come. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s up for the chop, which excludes him from the betting. It would equally be surprising to see David Moyes still at Goodison come season end, but it’s surprising every day, to be honest, that he’s still there. Moyes has worked wonders, and without him, you wonder whether Everton would even be as high as League 1. Bill Kenwright has raised the ire of the Everton fans by failing to bring in any money, while ineptly bumbling along screwing up potential money-spinners such as the King’s Dock venture, where his ring-fenced £30m suddenly disappeared. Everton are no Blackburn Rovers or Birmingham, for which they should be grateful, but it’s only because of Moyes that Everton are no Sheffield Wednesday. He’ll walk one day and Kenwright will be made to pay. Steve Bruce is another who surely must be wearing thin the patience of his bosses. How many more millions will he spend before they realise that they could have bought twice the quality for half the price? This will probably be another season of flattering to deceive, blooming early only to wilt come spring. 2011-08-09T22:02:10+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/new_season_preview_back_arsenal_to_finish_outside_the_top_4/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/new_season_preview_back_arsenal_to_finish_outside_the_top_4/#When:21:36:09Z We have our doubts that Arsenal are strong enough to get into the top 4 this year, especially as everyone else has strengthened. Read our preview with free bets…No longer do we talk of a big 4, but a big 5 with some extras thrown in. That doesn’t necessarily make it any more exciting, but it does mean that someone, somewhere, is going to lose out. Liverpool have been losing out a lot recently, but having spent shedloads of money, they’d be hugely disappointed not to earn back Champions League football next year, while Manchester City would be apoplectic given the amount they’ve spent over the last few seasons. £30 free bet from Coral £25 bonus from 12bet Paddy Power free bet:bet 10 get 20 That leaves Arsenal – the big 5’s most febrile team, lacking backbone and grit, and potentially lacking Fabregas one day soon. Wenger talks of strengthening the side, but even Phil Jagielka has rejected a move to the Emirates, saying that he’s happy where he is. That speaks volumes. Jagielka would be a brilliant addition to the Arsenal squad, as would Gary Cahill – but neither have arrived at time of writing. This is no time to get left behind, and whereas Jagielka’s current club may appear to be getting left behind on the transfer scene, at least they have some character about them. Arsenal haven’t got that. They’ve got flair, and of course on their day, they could beat anyone. But they don’t have as many days as everyone else, and their squad is noticeably weaker than last year. That’s why it’s worth betting against Arsenal finishing in the top 4. All of a sudden, there’s competition for those top four places, and Arsenal don’t like it up ‘em. 2011-08-08T21:36:09+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/fading_contador_opens_up_tour_de_france_betting/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/fading_contador_opens_up_tour_de_france_betting/#When:17:49:29Z Unless Alberto Contador is planning something that no one else can see, it looks as if he’s struggling in this year’s Tour de France, which has opened up the betting markets completely.Unless Alberto Contador is planning something that no one else can see, it looks as if he’s struggling in this year’s Tour de France, which has opened up the betting markets completely. Andy Schleck rightly moves into favouritism, and he has looked solid so far in the Pyrenees. He’s no time-triallist, so he really does have to build up an advantage in the mountains where he’s strongest, but he faces plenty of competition here. Some of that competition comes from his brother, Franck, who has never looked so competitive in the tour before. He’s taken to the initial mountain stages very well, and holds a time advantage over his brother. Franck is 11/2 overall, but Andy is 11/10 - a very short price. Samuel Sanchez was our each-way pick at the start of the Tour, and the Olympic Champion looked great value on the first mountain stage, winning in some style. He’s alongside Contador about four minutes behind but is looking much more comfortable than the champion, whose unconfirmed injury may be hampering his progress. Contador is 4/1, which is quite a cagey offer from the bookmakers - he could burst into life at any point, so maybe 4/1 is worthwhile. However, if he's unable to keep up in the first mountain stage, how will he fare later on? Sanchez looks the better of the two right now. Cadel Evans is another who has looked particularly strong, with some aggressive showings so far. We called him brittle last year, as he faded badly in the Alps, but there are possibilities that he’s back to his best – we’ll wait and see, but last year’s disappointment still resonates. We’ve also thought it fantastic that Thomas Voeckler has done so well for the home nation. They’ve had nothing but rubbish since the glory days of Hinault, to be frank, and Richard Virenque was nothing but a joke (a good one if you ever watched Les Guignols). His lead will undoubtedly be cut down over the next few days as he was clearly tiring. Our tips: Samuel Sanchez each way at 40/1 at 11/4 to win King of the Mountains Franck Schleck each way at 11/2 Ivan Basso each way in Stage 14 at 14/1 Get a free bet from some of the world's top bookies on the Tour de France. 2011-07-15T17:49:29+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/tour_de_france_betting_preview_and_free_bets/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/tour_de_france_betting_preview_and_free_bets/#When:20:20:16Z There’s good money to be made this year in the 2011 Tour de France, with a generous 8/11 against Contador to win. Bang in form, the best cyclist in the world can do it all again, but if you want longer odds, there are some great outsiders this year.With a Paddy Power free bet, you can double your money on the Tour de France. For example, if you put a £10 bet on Andy Schleck to win, you'll get a free £20 bet as well. Put it on Contador to cover yourself, and you can't fail but make money. Contador is a huge favourite, having won the Tour twice already, and having won the Giro d'Italia in such convincing fashion. A six-minute advantage demonstrated that Contador is at the very peak of his form, and if Andy Schleck is to get anywhere near him, he's going to have to wait this year before attacking. The mountain stages come late after the early initial stages in Brittany and Normandy, and the sensible gambler will be waiting until these stages to see where Schleck is positioned. One regular little cash cow is the early stage betting on Cancellara, the traditional holder of the yellow jersey before the serious stuff starts, so look out for stage betting each day, and if it's early on and flat, Cancellara's your man. However, we've looked further down the list and Samuel Sanchez is a brilliant 6/1 without the big 2. Last year's 4th place is a bright hope for the Euskatel team, and will enjoy the Pyrenees. Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso are shorter odds, but have proved themselves brittle over the last few tours. While they can't be discounted, their odds don't reflect their form. Sanchez, however, is under-priced. Bradley Wiggins faded last year, but he recently won the Dauphine Libere in impressive fashion. However, the mountains will more than likely prove his downfall, and if you're looking for a patriotic bet, put your money on Mark Cavendish for the green jersey. He'll be pushed all the way by the likes of Hushovd, but he's an excellent 7/5 with most bookmakers. Our best bets for le Tour Contador to beat Schleck: 6/4 Sanchez to win without the big 2: 6/1 Mark Cavendish to win the green jersey: 7/5 Ivan Basso top 10 finish: 4/9 Claim a free bet on the Tour de France. 2011-06-30T20:20:16+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/sexy_pironkova_perks_up_wimbledon_but_bows_out/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/sexy_pironkova_perks_up_wimbledon_but_bows_out/#When:21:35:53Z What a shame - Tsvetana Pironkova is out of Wimbledon. She’s rapidly become our favourite tennis player here at FBB, and now she’s out, our tip of Sabine Lisicki at 9/1 at the weekend sounds pretty good. What a shame that Tsvetana Pironkova had to go crashing out of Wimbledon today. We were quite enjoying watching her, although to be honest, she didn't look like she was going to get past Kvitova who was streets ahead of her. We have our doubts about Kvitova - she's a tough girl and all that, but she keeps nearly throwing games away, and that's not good enough, especially with someone like Sharapova or the up-and-coming Lisicki bang in form. Those two meet next in the semi final, and it would be foolish to back either, to be honest. They're both playing brilliantly, and Lisicki, who was our tip at the weekend when she was 9/1, has seen her odds slashed by bookies who were very impressed (you can bet on her and get a Paddy Power free bet here. Azarenka will provide a tough test for Kvitova, and she's now second favourite with many bookmakers who foresee a Sharapova - Azarenka final. We're calling it Lisicki, though - she's got something that the others haven't - guts. Shame that sexy Pironkova didn't have them, but in the meantime you'll have to make do with the picture above, all you one-handed surfers out there who came in on a Google images search. Yeah, you there. You know who you are. You should be here for a free bet instead. 2011-06-28T21:35:53+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/boxing_free_bet_on_haye_vs_klitschko/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/boxing_free_bet_on_haye_vs_klitschko/#When:21:10:38Z It’s the fight that promises so much - Haye vs Klitschko - a unification fight that could reignite interest in heavyweight boxing. So get a Paddy Power free bet and double your money on the biggest boxing match for many years.It's the fight that promises so much - Haye vs Klitschko - a unification fight that could reignite interest in heavyweight boxing. So get a Paddy Power free bet and double your money on the biggest boxing match for many years. Paddy Power are offering a bet 10 get 20 deal on the Wladimir Klitschko v David Haye fight this coming Saturday, and have a huge range of odds to keep you interested. With two men who have hit the canvas 14 times in their careers (Klitschko has hit the floor 11 times), the chances of it going the distance do appear relatively slim. That statistic may not bode well for Klitschko, but he's been fighting a higher standard of opponent for a longer amount of time, and Paddy Power have installed him as a massive favourite at 4/7. In fact, if you're so convinced Klitschko will win, why not stick some money on each round - a round one will will net you £330 for a £10 bet, and the lowest odds per round is 20/1, guaranteeing a return. In fact, the bookies' odds reflect the feeling that if Haye is to win, he's to win early on. Haye's odds start low and lengthen while Klitschko's odds start high and dive. It will undoubtedly be a case of Haye's speed and agility against Klitschko's extra reach and height advantage, but throw in home advantage for Klitschko and you may think Wlad has the upper hand. That hasn't stopped Haye in the past, though - he's gone "away from home" and come up with the goods on more than one occasion. What does make this match-up extra interesting though is the renowned punching power of both opponents - and their dodgy chins. An early finish may well be one of the more likely outcomes, with Paddy Power saying 3/10 that it will finish before the end of the 12th round. There are some interesting bets in there that might take your fancy - for example, if Klitschko were to be knocked down AND still win, you can get 11/2, while you can get 5/4 that Haye will be knocked down first. Find out exactly how to claim the Paddy Power free bet. 2011-06-27T21:10:38+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/epsom_derby_carlton_house_injury_shakes_up_betting/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/epsom_derby_carlton_house_injury_shakes_up_betting/#When:20:09:37Z An injury to Carlton House has shaken up the betting for the Epsom Derby this Saturday, with Pour Moi and Native House coming in for support.affkey="63d40d433818ab7508831c36132074b7";boxid=8775; An injury to Carlton House has shaken up the betting for the Investec Derby this Saturday at Epsom. The Queen's horse is now vying for favouritism with Andrew Fabre's Pour Moi. Carlton House has been confined to walking and trotting after taking a knock in a routine canter on Monday. The impressive winner of the Dante Stakes at York had been stretching away in the betting, and now awaits a canter at Newmarket Heath on Thursday before Sir Michael Stoute makes a final decision. Ballydoyle's Recital has been cut to 11/2 from 5/1 while Native Khan, Ed Dunlop's hope, impressed in a workout on Tuesday and has received plenty of backing. Get a free bet on the Derby with Free Bet Bookmaker, including the 188bet free bet. 2011-06-01T20:09:37+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/epsom_derby_trends_how_to_pick_a_winner/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/epsom_derby_trends_how_to_pick_a_winner/#When:11:02:27Z Don’t be disheartened by the seemingly random nature of the Derby - in the last couple of years, we’ve seen two of the best 3-year-olds ever, and there are trends to follow when it comes to picking a winner. Let’s have a look at how you can get your Derby winner, and who we’ve got to choose from!affkey="63d40d433818ab7508831c36132074b7";boxid=8775; Derby trends 10/10 Derby winners ran at over 7 furlongs as a 2-year-old 10/10 came either 1st or 2nd in their previous race 10/10 won with odds of 7/1 or less 10/10 made their debut at a Group 1 racecourse 9/10 were rated 119+ 9/10 had at least 3 career races 9/10 had at most 7 career races 8/10 had at least 2 juvenile races 8/10 won their previous race 6/10 won over at least 1m2f as a 3-year-old 5/10 trained in Ireland 3/10 won the Dante at York in their previous race So, what does this mean for you, the punter? Well, it looks pretty clear that the favourite, Carlton House, is going to mount a pretty serious challenge. 3 races, a Dante winner at 1m2f, 2 juvenile races, good rating - all the trends point to Carlton House. In fact, as the Queen's enjoying a Pretty Good Year so far, you'd have to say everything's going her way. She owns the horse, by the way, if you didn't know. The challengers look, well, a bit of a mixed bag. Pour Moi is a strange one - brought over from France by Andre Fabre for the Derby instead of the Prix du Jockey Club - he's a promising horse who has the Prix de l'Arc as his long-term aim. He is possibly the better of two Montjeu colts in this race - the other being Recital. Both are a little quirky - Recital perhaps more so - but that's only to be expected from sires of Montjeu, it's in the blood. So, for Fabre to take Pour Moi over here instead of Chantilly is interesting, and Pour Moi is worthy of extra inspection. Recital's followers will be slightly worried about his stamina. So, it's back to Betty Windsor, and Carlton House. Not the nation's number one choice, I suppose, but Frankel's been taken elsewhere, as has Roderic O'Connor, which means it should continue to be a good year for the monarch. Pick a Derby free bet: 188bet free bet - £25 risk free Victor Chandler free bet - £25 free bet Betfred free bet - £50 free bet Full list of Free bets 2011-05-30T11:02:27+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/fa_cup_semi_final_preview_manchester_city_too_good_for_3_1_surely/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/fa_cup_semi_final_preview_manchester_city_too_good_for_3_1_surely/#When:20:45:21Z It’s FA Cup semi final weekend, and here’s free bet bookmaker’s preview of Utd vs City and Stoke vs Bolton.Get 3/1 against Manchester City and a £25 free bet from Victor Chandler here It's not often that you'll get odds of 3/1 against Manchester City, but that's exactly what Victor Chandler are doing this weekend as the Manchester boys head down to Wembley. Much as I dislike the so-called City revolution with its 9-man defensive wall and preening little anti-footballers, I have a real soft spot for the Manchester City fans. After all those years of winning nothing, of having suffered in division 3, or League 2 as we're now meant to call it, of having put up with Brian Horton, Peter Monkey Heid Reid and all manner of showers of shite, they're finally going to Wembley, albeit for a semi final. Still, hey, it's Wembley and if any set of fans deserve it, it's City fans. So - do they have a chance? Well, without Tevez, you'd have to say it's going to be more difficult than usual. However, as Utd have lost Rooney due to his lack of a brain against West Ham, both sides are missing their talismanic influence. While it's true that Utd do have Dimitar Berbatov to call on, he's an all or nothing kind of guy, and not at all the sort of presence that Rooney has. From a betting viewpoint - I'd be looking at a low-scoring game, and Victor Chandler are offering decent odds on there not being a goal in the first half, which should be about right. In the other game, Bolton vs Stoke isn't one for the lovers of the beautiful game, and may be an opportunity to offer the wife an 'afternoon off football' so that you can earn brownie points for the final or something. Up to you. I've had a feeling for some time that Stoke have got a final in them, and they'll frankly never have a better chance. Odds of 2/1 against Stoke are mighty generous, but with Bolton at 6/4, frankly the bookies don't know either, and the worry for the neutral is that they cancel each other out and we're left watching two sides hurl the ball as high as they can at each other in an interminably annoying game of head tennis. In the meantime, if you're looking to put some money on a safe thing, bet against the Boston Red Sox in the MLB at the moment. They're stinking the place up, and if Daisuke Matsuzaka is pitching, get some cash on the opposition. He's so bad he was booed off after just 2 innings the other day, and John Lackey's not doing any better either. The only pitcher to come out with any real credit has been Josh Beckett, so if he's pitching, back 'em. Anyone else? Safe bet they're going to lose. 2011-04-15T20:45:21+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/ballabriggs_wins_national_from_oscar_time_as_free_bet_bookmaker_predicted/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/ballabriggs_wins_national_from_oscar_time_as_free_bet_bookmaker_predicted/#When:17:03:48Z It’s hard not to gloat, so we won’t try - we picked it. Ballabriggs won the Grand National in barnstorming style from Oscar Time, giving Jason Maguire his first National win, and equally a first for Donald McCain.Donald McCain's Balabriggs today won the Grand National with a prominent performance, leading most of the race from the front and storming ahead of Oscar Time at the end. In a race heavy with casualties, not least of all two fatal, Ballabriggs kept his cool. The heat was clearly getting to Don't Push It, who found the 11st10lb a little too much towards the end of the race with a string of minor errors. Oscar Time looked the horse most likely at the end, ridden by amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, but couldn't find the extra required as the horses went through the elbow. Front-runner Ballabriggs, was, said jockey Jason Maguire, beginning to get away from him over the first few fences. His intention was to reach the last few fences in the first ten in order to give his horse a chance, but Ballabriggs was by that stage motoring, and the jockey was forced to go along with the horse. A potential mistake was avoided halfway through the race as Ballabriggs appeared to hit the fence, but he stayed on his feet, falling back to fifth. Credit should also go to State of Play, who came from nowhere to get in the places, while favourite Midnight Run never got going after an early mistake. However, the day belongs to Ballabriggs, Donald McCain and Jason Maguire - oh, and Free Bet Bookmaker who is a little bit richer than he was at the start of the day. Gloat gloat gloat. Sorry. 2011-04-09T17:03:48+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_2011_grand_national_preview/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_2011_grand_national_preview/#When:20:38:47Z Welcome to our Grand National 2011 preview - we’ll be adding to this throughout the week, so keep coming back for more previews, tips and Grand National free bets…Welcome to our ultimate Grand National 2011 preview - our run down of the horses that we think could end up in the mix on Saturday at Aintree - as well as those that might not. This year looks like a fascinating renewal - so here's our preview, which we'll update throughout the week, as well as our best Grand National free bets. Horse FBB Rating FBB Comments Bet with Niche Market ***** Here at FBB, we had our eye on Niche Market in 2009 before the weights were announced, and he didn't quite make it. Shame, as he went on to win the Irish National at 33/1. A cracking third to Denman in the 2009 Hennessy took his official rating way too high - but he's had an operation to improve his stamina and he's back at Aintree with experience of the fences in the bag. Paul Nicholls has never won a National, so this would be a record-breaker, but then again, last year we said that Tony McCoy had never won a National. Odds of 14/1 are very reasonable - great chance. Bet With Paddy Power Big Fella Thanks ***** Another one who, back in 2009, we said "keep an eye on", and we were right - he finished 6th. He came fourth last year as the 10/1 favourite, but even then, it may have been a year too soon. The only question is stamina, but that should improve with age, and as a nine-year-old, he returns to the National fences he clearly loves with a huge claim. Definite chances, and odds of 16/1 are bound to tumble on the day. Risk-free bet with Bet Red Kings Arbor Supreme *** Inconsistency plagues Arbor Supreme, whose stablemate The Midnight Club should logically be preferred to him. However, he's got bags of stamina, and despite disappointments in both this National and the Welsh national, he's got form on this ground and cannot be entirely discounted. 20/1 may turn out to be a reasonable assessment of his chances. Bet With Coral West End Rocker *** Two wins from three this season, West End Rocker will go off fresh, and has clearly been aimed at this race. The main question would be suitability of the ground - he loves a quagmire, this one, and he won't get one. However, that's not to say that he doesn't have a chance of a place, especially given the rather kind mark he's running off. Odds of 33/1 are good value. Bet with Victor Chandler Oscar Time ***** This would be a story and a half - Sam Waley-Cohen, who won the Gold Cup on Long Run, rides Oscar Time looking for a unique double. However, his record over Aintree fences is excellent, and he's got a cracker here. A good challenge in the Irish National on unfavourable ground makes him look like the perfect National horse. Not having seen the fences should not harm him - he's one of the favourites and deservedly so - 12/1 with most bookies. Risk-free bet with Betclic Ballabriggs **** Donald McCain knows all about National winners, so Ballabriggs has every chance. Three good wins in 2010 stand him in good stead, although stamina may be the issue. That said, he has a Cheltenham win with top weight, which is no mean feat, and has been targeted for the National. A decent bet at 16/1 with most bookmakers. Bet with 188Bet The Midnight Club **** The reason bookies and punters appear to be going for The Midnight Club appears mostly to be the relatively kind treatment from the handicapper. Shorter races appear to have been his undoing, and Willie Mullins has been prepping this horse for a while now with this race in mind. He'll last the distance, although he hasn't had ten chase races, which the last ten national winners have - so a key trend is against him. He has claims but they're on relatively shaky ground, and based on assumptions and hunches more than anything in my opinion. A good horse, a potential winner, but not an outright favourite. Bet with Paddy Power Backstage **** Unlucky last year, Backstage is back for another stab at a race which should suit him. Last year he was brought down at the 20th fence by a loose horse, although there was general surprise that he had got that far. With wins on good ground, he's got decent claims, but form hasn't been incredible since Aintree last year. Bet with Coral Bluesea Cracker ** Winner of the 2010 Irish National, Bluesea Cracker represents JP McManus, and has received plenty of support. That support, however, is based on wins on soft or heavy ground, and the lack of rain will be a worry for him. 20/1 is far too short for an each-way bet. Bet with 188Bet Don't Push It **** Contrary to those who claimed in hindsight to have predicted Tony McCoy's first National win last year, there were many who were surprised at Don't Push It's win. In fact, surprised by the size of the win - it was one of the most convincing in recent years. That does not necessarily mean that the 11st10lb on his back will easily be shaken off - no winner since Red Rum has carried that much, so it would be a huge ask for a double. Bet with Boyle Sports State of Play *** A horse that best runs fresh - and he certainly is fresh, as this is his first run of the season. Having finished the National twice, there's no doubts about his jumping, although stamina was his undoing in 2009, when he was challenging at the last, but ended up eighteen lengths behind Mon Mome. In a wide-open field with good ground, this race is open to a horse like State of Play who knows his way round and has been prepped with this race in mind. Bet with Paddy Power Hello Bud ** Only three horses aged 13 or over have ever won the Grand National, so time has probably crept up on Hello Bud. That said, if there were a fourth horse to crack this record, then it could be Hello Bud. Fifth in last year's National, he's got stamina in reserve, but likelihood is that his best years are now behind him and this would be a place bet at best. Bet with Ladbrokes What a Friend *** There's hype galore about What a Friend, but we tend to avoid Cheltenham horses in the National - the basic rule is that you either go for Cheltenham OR the National - not both. So he's not fresh - he's got 11st 6lb on his back, which is going to really weigh him down on the good to soft ground, and he's never gone this sort of distance before. Doesn't look good, and 12/1 is way, way too short given everything we've just mentioned. Bet with 188Bet Silver by Nature *** Here's one who's hoping for rain - and he ain't going to get it. So those backing Silver by Nature will have to go on faith. He's won a couple of trials here and there, though, both in great style, but his jumping is a worry. I don't think Silver by Nature has a great chance in this National, unless it starts to pish it down. Bet with Coral Quinz ** We've always said that you should watch 7-year-olds and back them when they're 8 or 9. That's what we're doing with Big Fella Thanks, and that's what we'll do with Quinz, thank you. Sit back and watch this year - he's a novice chaser who appears to have issues over fences. Chances are that he won't even finish, but he's well in the handicap and that's why his odds are so short. If he stays on his feet, he may finish. Bet with Paddy Power Becauseicouldntsee ** A little inexperienced, with only seven chases - and all of the last ten winners have had at least ten. However, don't entirely discount him - he's got some good form over distance, and has experienced all types of going, so he can't be entirely discounted just because of a trend. It probably won't happen this year, but with some better form and greater experience behind him, he could improve. Bet with Bet Red Kings Character Building *** Nina Carberry is in the saddle, which is a negative for Character Building - that said, she did get him round last year. The 2009 Kim Muir winner needs pushing, but has good form over distance and would have benefited from a more experienced jockey. Bet with Coral Majestic Concorde ** This winner of the Paddy Power Chase beat Becauseicouldntsee by two and a half lengths, and has his best form over good ground. He'll enjoy the ground on Saturday, and cannot be discounted for a place. Bet with Ladbrokes Calgary Bay * I'm not at all sure this horse will last the distance, having been comprehensively beaten almost every time he's raced more than three miles. At shorter distances, he has proved quite handy, but has been beaten even at lower levels than this, and won't enjoy his National debut. Bet with Paddy Power Tidal Bay ** A former Arkle winner, he's well and truly out of sorts. Connections have their doubts about him - we have our doubts about him - and 11st9lb is far too heavy for a National winner. He doesn't stand a chance. Bet with Bet Red Kings Chief Dan George ** There are doubts galore about Chief Dan George, especially given his jumping. He's fine over the little fences, but over the monsters they've got at Aintree - he'll struggle. He's out of sorts, recently suffered a fall, and is available here at 33/1, which is short, and probably only that short because he's a former Grand One hurdle winner. Not going to compete. Bet with Coral Skippers Brig ** A handy win over Ballabriggs on good to soft ground would stand Skippers Brig in good stead, but he lacks the experience of Ballabriggs or the others up at the top of this list. He is, in fact, one of the most lightly raced ten year olds in the race, and the main doubt I would have is the ground. He'll struggle. Bet with Betfred 2011-04-05T20:38:47+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/grand_national_can_mccoy_do_it_again_dont_push_it_preview_and_odds/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/grand_national_can_mccoy_do_it_again_dont_push_it_preview_and_odds/#When:19:20:43Z Tony McCoy has declared himself happy with 2010 Grand National winner Don’t Push It, but admits that he will find it hard to win back-to-back Nationals. No horse since Red Rum has won with 11st10lb on his back, but McCoy himself claimed that the National these days is a better race, and it takes a better horse.Tony McCoy has declared himself happy with 2010 Grand National winner Don't Push It, but admits that he will find it hard to win back-to-back Nationals. No horse since Red Rum has won with 11st10lb on his back, but McCoy himself claimed that the National these days is a better race, and it takes a better horse. "The National's a gruelling race," McCoy told reporters today, adding "we wanted to get him to enjoy his racing. I think we've done the right thing with his preparation." McCoy, however, won't go off favourite, as Ruby Walsh carries ante-post favouritism with The Midnight Club, currently 9/1 with some bookmakers. What a Friend has equally been cut by the bookies, but here at Free Bet Bookmaker, we're looking a little further down the field for Ballabriggs, an excellent 14-1 shot, and Character Building, a 25-1 claim who looks to have the right profile. Equally, Merigo might go well, depending on the ground. With the ground likely to be on the good side of good to soft, it would certainly pay to look further down the field - with any give in the ground, you may find it easier to go with the better horses, but the firmer the ground, the more level a contest it might be. Come back throughout the week as we preview each horse and let you in on some of our exclusive tips - sign up for the newsletter up on the right there, and the odds below show the best prices you can get at the moment from any bookie... affkey="63d40d433818ab7508831c36132074b7";boxid=7836; 2011-04-03T19:20:43+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cheltenham_day_4_tips_preview_long_run_or_kempes_in_the_gold_cup/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cheltenham_day_4_tips_preview_long_run_or_kempes_in_the_gold_cup/#When:20:43:45Z It’s day 4 of Cheltenham, and Free Bet Bookmaker is casting his eye over the first four races - can Long Run win the Gold Cup - or is Kempes going to crash the party? And why not the “big 3”? Plus, a look at some other outside long shot fancies for the day…1:30 Triumph Hurdle affkey="63d40d433818ab7508831c36132074b7";boxid=7217; This is a race for those who won their previous race - a huge percentage of winners did so, and of those, almost all had won twice over hurdles, so really, we're looking at Smad Place, who certainly has a lot of stamina, but would prefer softer ground than this. Indeed, the good ground may play well for favourite Grandouet, whose trainer Nicky Henderson has won this race 5 times. Grandouet has improved steadily and has twice defied top weight recently to win well. In fact, of all the horses running in this Triumph Hurdle, he's the only one who inspires anything approaching confidence. Beyond these two, Houblon des Obeaux is another who would appreciate an overnight soaking, but has some great form behind him including a second place to Marsh Warbler, and 150/1 shot High Ransom is a really good each-way shot. She's a stayer, is related to an Arkle winner, and has form on the flat, which is also a good indicator in this race. Well worth a couple of pounds for a place. This may be too much for her, but the field isn't classy and is open to this kind of run. Our pick: Grandouet from Smad Place and High Ransom 2:05 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle A huge field to whittle down here, so I've focused principally on those at the bottom of the Official Ratings, as weight seems to count for a lot in this particular race. Ciceron appears to be well treated by the handicapper, and comes off the back of a good win at Taunton, having been heavily penalised on that occasion. This may require a little extra, but at 25/1, he's decent value. Alazari is another who appears well treated, and comes away from a Sandown victory, and will enjoy this trip. Zanir also looks like one who would enjoy this, but has come off the back of a light season, and history tells us that this is won by a horse who has raced plenty, so would have to break that trend. Praxitelles is a 50/1 each-way shot who will enjoy the ground, and has beaten some of these, and Ruby Walsh's ride, Final Approach has to shrug off the weight rise, and is probably valued a little low due to having Ruby himself in the saddle. Our pick: Ciceron from Praxitelles 2:40: Albert Bartlett Novice's Hurdle I can't really see past Bob's Worth in this one, who is 3 from 3 over Hurdles, and looks like he'll love the 3m trip. There's not much proof behind that claim, other than the fact that he just looks like that kind of horse. Kilcrea Kim looks like the best alternative, having only been beaten once over hurdles. He'll go the distance, and while this might be a tougher race than he's ever had to compete in, his stable's bang in form and I like the look of him. Join Together might not like the good ground, but has been improving steadily and has form over distance. Our pick: Bob's Worth from Kilcrea Kim 3:20 Cheltenham Gold Cup Pop quiz for you: when did a horse older than 10 last win the Gold Cup? Answer: 1969. So it would take a lot of faith to back Kauto Star and Denman, both of whom are now 11 and would have to break records to win this Gold Cup. Indeed, even Imperial Commander is beginning to push it, so this triumvirate will no doubt take the betting by storm, but I'm not keen. That's why I'm looking at Long Run, who has quality in abundance. My reservations would revolve around the distance - he didn't look so hot in the RSA here last year, nor in the Paddy Power, but he ran away with the King George, and that was hugely impressive. This will take something extra, but he seems to have it. If the hill proves too much for Long Run, it may be worth looking at 33/1 shot What a Friend, whose time may have come. A couple of Grade 1 wins, including a defeat of Imperial Commander (unseated rider), and he's wearing blinkers for the first time today. Most definitely worth a pop each-way if the price stays this long. Tony McCoy will be hoping that Kempes has improved enough, and Willie Mullins' horse took to good ground last year like a duck to water. Jumping is getting there, although it's never been fantastic, and the McCoy factor will a) help the horse and b) bring down the odds. Form on heavy ground suggests more to come, and that's why I'm looking beyond the famous three, and hedging my bets between Long Run and Kempes. Our pick: Long Run, just... from Kempes 2011-03-17T20:43:45+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_queen_mother_champion_chase_preview/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/free_bet_bookmakers_queen_mother_champion_chase_preview/#When:20:59:38Z The Queen Mum, she loved a good race, so she did, and bless her gin-soaked soul. Of course, if the Queen Mum loved a good race, she loved a good gamble, and that means we also loved a good gamble, because she was wasting tax-payers’ money. But still, even after she’s gone to the great distillery in the sky, we’re gambling away on the Queen Mother Champion Chase.The Queen Mum, she loved a good race, so she did, and bless her gin-soaked soul. Of course, if the Queen Mum loved a good race, she loved a good gamble, and that means we also loved a good gamble, because she was wasting tax-payers' money. But still, even after she's gone to the great distillery in the sky, we're gambling away on the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This year's renewal focuses on two horses - Master Minded and Big Zeb. Last year's winner Big Zeb is now 10, and would have to be the first horse older than 9 years old to win the Queen Mum since Moscow Flyer in 2005, who was himself a rarity. Master Minded, then, who was beaten back into fourth last year, has every chance of winning his third Queen Mum, and has found himself back in form with three consecutive wins. Defeats, however, have come on good ground for Master Minded, so perhaps this race is a little more open than at first glance. While I still favour Master Minded, there could be a changing of the guard. Further down the list, Arkle winner Sizing Europe will attempt to follow the trend that says Arkle winners always get a place in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. However, looking at him a little closer, that Arkle victory was a close call and subsequent races have found him wanting. In that case, there's another duo who could upset the apple cart. Woolcombe Folly will appreciate the good going, and has only been defeated once in nine starts. He's been on the up, and was actually quicker than Master Minded last December, carrying the same weight. He hasn't won a group 1 race, though, and winners of the Queen Mum almost always have won a group 1 before this. Somersby may not appreciate the ground quite as much as Woolcombe Folly, and remains winless this season. That said, he's always been there or thereabouts and may compete well today when question marks remain over other contenders. Of the outsiders, only French Opera really appeals. He improved massively last season and came back to form at Newbury last month. There are definitely each-way chances here. So - I'll be honest. I'm undecided. Master Minded has the ability to get a third win, and he's got the form back, too. Big Zeb is perhaps a year too old now, but still has claims, and Woolcombe Folly is most definitely a horse to watch. Equally, Sizing Europe has the weight of history in being an Arkle winner. But it'll have to be Master Minded, a quality chaser bang in form. 2011-03-15T20:59:38+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cheltenham_day_2_free_bet_bookmakers_preview/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cheltenham_day_2_free_bet_bookmakers_preview/#When:20:44:05Z A cracking day awaits, with Master Minded vs Big Zeb Part II the feature of the day. Here’s our preview of what to expect, and a few longer odds possibilities…1:30 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup affkey="63d40d433818ab7508831c36132074b7";boxid=5658; Another packed field in a race which the bookmakers usually get wrong. Past winners have almost always had long odds, but 4 of those last 9 have come from Jonjo O'Neill who clearly knows what it takes to get a winner in this amateur riders chase. Of Jonjo O'Neill's horses, I like the look of the improving Aberdale, whose last two races with Tony McCoy in the saddle have brought a win and a second place. He won't get McCoy of course, as this is a race for amateur riders, but he's got form under almost every other jockey, and has to be respected at a decent 16/1. Alfa Beat is the pick of the short-priced horses for me, currently at 9/2. Five consecutive victories, four of them against fields of fifteen or more horses, came in impressive style, and although it's his first visit to Cheltenham, he's 4-11 in chases and has bags of pace. Also in his favour is the fact that he'll love the ground. However, any chaser rated 140+ has struggled in this race, so perhaps we should look further down the official ratings. Pearlysteps is 25/1 and came a respectable third here in January. However, his jumping worries me which keeps him at an each-way bet only. Beshabar is one that has to be respected at 9/1 currently - having been brought down in November at Cheltenham, he bounced back last month at Doncaster to win at odds-on. He's an improving sort who cannot be discounted. Also look out for Be There In Five also right profile, while Chamirey suits this kind of trip, although his jumping is suspect. Our pick: Aberdale from Beshabar and Pearlysteps 2:05 Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle Five and Six year olds have dominated this race over the years, and winners often go on to greater things. Hardy Eustace won it in 2003, Galileo in 2002, and Peddlers Cross won it last year, so what we're looking for here is a horse that has bags of class. First Lieutenant is held in such regard. He wants the distance, and he's got the right attitude, showing resolve and stickability when required. Beating Zaidpour was a surprise at the time, but in hindsight, that was a cracking win after a disappointment at Fairyhouse that we can discount due to the ground. Nicky Henderson doesn't like this race much, and he brings Minella Class, who will need to find more against this lot if he's to get anything here. Connections like the look of Oscars Well, another who beat off Zaidpour, but the money is really going on a French 5-year-old called So Young who has been declared for this race instead of the Supreme Novice's. So Young has a real burst of speed, and Willie Mullins clearly believes he's got a horse for the future here. His first three races were on the flat in France, and he went to Ireland for the hurdles. Two good victories have raised his profile significantly, but he's yet to have a serious challenge and 3/1 is too short when there are question marks galore. For slightly longer odds, an each way bet on Tornado Bob might be the wiser option. He'll enjoy the ground, and Donald McCain knows he's got a good one here. He's always improving, and this race may have come at the right time. Our pick: First Lieutenant from Oscars Well and Tornado Bob. 2:40 RSA Chase Second in last year's World Hurdle, Time For Rupert is a Cheltenham specialist, having never been out of the first two in five visits. That'll be why he's 9/4 for the RSA Chase, a race that has been won by favourites 3 out of the last 4 years. He also has to overcome the trend that winners have at least 3 wins over fences. He doesn't. Equally, he hasn't run since December, and most of the winners of this race in the past have run within the same calendar year. In previous years, winners have come from outsiders, so it may be worth studying Magnanimity and Boston's Angel, the latter of whom appears to be especially appealing, and fits the profile of a winner quite nicely. Boston's Angel is a tough horse who will adapt well to Cheltenham. He's a fine jumper and has pace, and the same can be said for Magnanimity, who came a close second to the former in a Grade 1 Chase at Leopardstown. Mikael d'Haguenet came in third that day, and he's not in the same shape as these two, who have a bit of form and good attitude to go with it. Paul Nicholls brings Aiteen Thirtythree to the course after victory here under Ruby Walsh in October. Two wins at Newbury in short fields after that don't tell the full story - he's potentially a Hennessy horse and has every chance. Wymott and Wayward Prince are both unbeaten over fences, and represent good value at 10/1 - with McCoy in the saddle, Wayward Prince will definitely not end up 10/1. Equally, Jessie's Dream comes from a stable in form who believe that he's got a really good chance here, and also has to be respected. Our pick: Ainteen Thirtythree from Wayward Prince and Boston's Angel. 3:20 Queen Mother Champion Chase Arkle winners have a fantastic record in this race, so it's well worth having a peep at Sizing Europe, despite his dip in form since last year's race. In fact, not having won a race this season, there are doubts about last year's Arkle winner against better horses. Last year's Arkle win was the last in a run of 5 consecutive wins, and I'd be happy to place Sizing Europe, who looks a challenger here, if not an outright winner. Ruby Walsh takes back Master Minded, winner of this race in 2008 and 2009, and beaten by Big Zeb last year. I'd be happy to back Master Minded over Big Zeb this year, as it may be a year too much for the latter. Master Minded's bang in form after a below-par performance in 2010's Queen Mother, and is back to his best. Many winners of the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot go on to win the Queen Mother, so it's hard to look beyond Master Minded. The main doubts surround Master Minded's defeats, which all came on good ground. That might let in Woolcombe Folly, who loves the firm ground and was actually quicker than Master Minded with the same weight back in December. Somersby will attract support for Henrietta Knight, who expressed delight at a standing ovation for coming second! Perenially second, he commands respect for a place, but he doesn't look like a Queen Mother winner.. Our Pick: Master Minded from Sizing Europe and Woolcombe Folly 4:00: Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle What we're looking for here is a 6 or 7 year old carrying less than 11st (preferably), who won last time out. The thing is, this race appears to be littered with them. That shortens the list down a little too much, so I'd open it up to second-place horses, too, and we've cut the list down considerably. Joint-favourite at the moment is Call the Police, with Ruby Walsh in the saddle. At 8 years old, he'll have to break trends to win this, but he's got some class in reserve and the odds are probably deflated a little because of Ruby. Aegean Dawn may be carrying too much, but the good ground should cancel that out. As he's unbeaten, he already commands respect, but last time out he beat Mille Chief. Everyone expected Mille Chief to outpace him, but Aegean Dawn showed an awesome turn of speed, and deserves favouritism here. Tiger O'Toole looks perfect for this trip and ground. Back from a break, he'll be fresh, and 25/1 is way too long. A definite each-way opportunity. Bothy came a very close second to Menorah at Cheltenham back in November, and questions do remain over whether he'll stay the distance. He hasn't been penalised too harshly so that may compensate. Our pick: Aegean Dawn to head off Call the Police and Battle Chief. 2011-03-15T20:44:05+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cue_card_fails_as_al_ferof_wins_supreme_novices/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/cue_card_fails_as_al_ferof_wins_supreme_novices/#When:14:34:22Z Cue Card was beaten into fourth place by Al Ferof, won took the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 10/1 ridden by Ruby Walsh.Favourite Cue Card has pleased the bookmakers by failing to find the pace required to win the Supreme Novices Hurdle, with Al Ferof, ridden by Ruby Walsh, winning brilliantly. Hemmed in the pack for much of the race, Cue Card appeared to have got going three out, but with Sprinter Sacre challenging, the middle of the course was left open for Al Ferof. 8 lengths behind Cue Card last time they met, Al Ferof beat off the challenge of Spirit Son to win at odds of 10/1. The pace of the race was extremely quick, and Al Ferof appeared to be struggling behind a leading pack of three. Ruby Walsh managed to switch Al Ferof the other side of Spirit Son to take advantage of a lacklustre performance by Cue Card. Bookmakers around the country will be lighting up cigars as the first big gamble of the Cheltenham Festival appears to have failed. 2011-03-15T14:34:22+00:00 http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/long_shots_and_free_bets_for_day_1_at_cheltenham_festival/ http://freebetbookmaker.com/free-bets/content/news_blog/long_shots_and_free_bets_for_day_1_at_cheltenham_festival/#When:09:23:57Z Here’s our look at some longer odds possibilities for your each-way betting on day 1 at the Cheltenham Festival…In the 4:40, a Grand 2 Mares' Hurdle, there's an outstanding favourite - who has won this race twice already - and hardly anyone is betting against Quevega winning it for a third time. However, there's a mare called Santera who is currently 40/1 who has been running nicely of late. While nowhere near the same class as Quevega, it only takes a couple of mistakes here and there, and an outsider can sneak in. Often in the places, Santera likes to hit the front and is a really good prospect in a race that is dominated by one horse. A recent third to Carole's Legacy implies that Santera's got a little bit more to her than at first glance. Freney's Well in the 4.00 may not be Enda Bolger's number one choice in the Cross Country, but the good ground will open this race up beyond Garde Champetre and L'Ami, potentially to the favour of this outsider who has two Punchestown wins under his belt, and a half-decent record on this course. Trends tell you to avoid newcomers to cross country in this race, so you can eliminate a fair number of horses from the field, leaving you with a bunch of Enda Bolger horses (no wonder he does so well in this race). Freney's Well is available at 22/1 best price at the moment with a number of bookies - best free bets are to your right there. In the first race of the day, it's a case of who can beat Cue Card, and to be honest, I'm not sure many can. Thankfully the bookies are offering money back on your bet if you back another horse, and Cue Card wins, so the field is open for you to try your hand. I've gone for the mare Magen's Star, who has a good profile, and Recession-Proof. Magen's Star is a decent 20/1 shot for your each-way money, and Recession Proof has just had his jockey replaced, but further down the field, have a look at Rathlin. Phillip Rothwell, his trainer, thinks the world of him - and at 50/1, bookies consider him a rank outsider. He's got pace, and bags of it, and while he's only his trainer's second choice for this race, and it requires a significant step up for him, he does look a good sort and cannot be overlooked. King Fontaine is a good-looking horse in the 2:40, and represents good value at 25/1 with most bookmakers. The ground will most definitely suit him, and before his recent mishap at Haydock, where he pulled up on heavy ground, he was going great guns, winning five on the trot. Yes, it's another step up in class for him, but 25/1 is over-priced and he looks like an excellent each way opportunity in a race that is packed with question marks. I also like Wolf Moon in this one, who is over-priced too at 16/1 - he seems out of the handicap here and has got the speed and the ability to cause problems. 2011-03-15T09:23:57+00:00