Bookmaker Reviews

Archive for December, 2008

Hey everyone, I’m kind of new here, and was wondering how to use the vbookie? How to put some virtual money down on some games.
I actually went 9 out of 10 this week with my picks, and feel I could make a killin’ on here… Thanks! more

Schottenheimer & Cowher are the early choices, a toss up between two former Browns staff members…

ESPN – Sources: Cleveland Browns eye Marty Schottenheimer for 2009 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3752018) more

Now I know I have already guaranteed an Eagles playoff wilcard spot, but does anybody else think that the Birds are the true team to beat right now in the NFC EAST?

*Go EAGLES*!!! more

Paul Krishnamurty looks back on some of the golf trading highlights of 2008….
Tiger Woods lands his third US Open after an epic play-off

In my view, the most amazing tournament ever seen. Not just for the thrilling finish, with Woods draining a birdie putt on the 72nd hole to force a play-off with Rocco Mediate. Nor the ups and downs of that 18-hole play-off. Nor even any single one of the dozens of incredible recovery shots from the greatest sportsman alive.

The fact is, it would be impossible to single out isolated moments from Woods’ performance because it was amazing from start to finish. He was so obviously suffering from serious injury, that there was constant speculation that he would withdraw at any moment. With all the dramatic betting implications panicking traders, four days of market mayhem ensued. It became impossible to read the short-term fluctuations in the market on virtually every hole. Golf, sport and Betfair at their very best.

Harrington breaks Garcia’s heart….again

Even when Sergio Garcia was seemingly storming to his first Major title at Oakland Hills and trading at heavily odds-on, anyone with a memory could see the potential for disaster. Not only has Sergio developed a reputation as a bottler, but one of his two main rivals for the PGA title was the man who’d hunted him down at Carnoustie a year earlier, Padraig Harrington.

And so it proved to be. Sergio found the water on 16 to open the door, and Ireland’s finest gave a demonstration in how to close the deal with an outstanding par on the final hole. And lets not forget the third man in that memorable day of topsy turvy trading, Ben Curtis.

David Smail turned over at [1.01] in the Australian Open

Four shots clear with four holes to play, with his nearest challengers already finished, some of us decided that it was game over and time for a well-earned sleep at 4.30am. Bad move; Smail duly dropped five shots in three holes to drop back to third place. The lucky recipients were Tim Clark and Matthew Goggin, who watched in amazement as a play-off opportunity arrived from nowhere. Well done to anybody who backed Clark in running at [220.00].

Thomas Levet sneaks through the middle as Westwood and Fisher crumble in Andalucia

Going into Sunday, the scene was set for a showdown between two very different Englishmen; experienced, in-form world star Lee Westwood and 19-year old prodigy Oliver Fisher. Westwood quickly shortened to [1.5], before losing the plot as victory presented itself (not for the last time in 2008), and the youngster pulled away for what appeared to be a breakthrough first title. However after trading at [1.09], nerves got the better of the youngster, who drove into the water on the 72nd hole. A grateful Thomas Levet, who had never led and traded at [150.00] in running, landed the resulting play-off.

Vijay throws it away at Pebble Beach

If there’s one player you’d want to be on your side down the stretch, (OK, bar Tiger), it would have to be Vijay Singh. One has to sympathise, therefore, with the poor punters who piled into Vijay at [1.08] over the closing stages of the A T & T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

A comfortable lead was whittled away by a trio of late bogeys, enabling Steve Lowery to reach a play-off. Even then, on all known form Singh had to be fancied against a journeyman not best known for his temperament under pressure. But to the delight of punters who got on at up to [410.00], the American won on the first hole. more

I like most others need a rock in the middle.
My problem is I’m on a real budget. So much so i technically dont have any money, so to fund your suggestions i will have to flog a few people.

Playing as Stoke, 1st season coming up to Jan.

The CMs i have are Tales, Delap, Gravesen, Soares,… more

Pittsburgh Steelers 11-3
Team Stat Leaders
*_Passing Att Cmp Yds TD Int _*

Roethlisberger 416 247 2862 15 12

_*Rushing Att Yds Avg TD Long*_

Parker 168 644 3.8 4 32

Moore 133 537 4.0 5 32t

*_Receiving Rec Yards Avg TD Long _*

Ward 68 864 12.7 6 49

Holmes 47 697 14.8 4 48

Tennessee Titans 12-2
_Team Stat Leaders_
*_Passing Att Cmp Yds TD Int _*

Collins 384 221 2461 11 7

*_Rushing Att Yds Avg TD Long _*

Johnson 235 1159 4.9 8 66t

White 178 700 3.9 14 80t

*_Receiving Rec Yards Avg TD Long _*

Scaife 53 528 10.0 2 44

Johnson 41 259 6.3 1 25

Lets hear some predictions for the game! Im getting excited for this one:applaud: more

I really hope they take out the transportation selection(bus, charter plane, private plane, etc…) in the franchise. The other financial stuff is not a big deal, I like the sponsors and trying to achieve the bonuses. But I flat out hate having to deal with the transportation. Please take it out!!! more

We all know about Aston Villa’s recent heroics at Everton and their away form in general but West Ham may well see this match as the springboard for replicating their away form at the Boleyn Ground which may all lead to a share of the spoils, says Richard Walker.
If you’re reckoning on reading an Aston Villa lump-on style preview here, think again.

Because while when they’re hot they’re very hot, they can also be luke-warm – even tepid – at times. While their hosts for this half-five Setanta Saturday tea-time offering, West Ham, are also maintaining a fairly steady level of inconsistency.

I’ve discussed before that life below the ‘Big Four’ (are Villa truly breaking that apart just yet?) is an enigmatic affair with teams seemingly taking it in turns to look great and look appallingly average from week to week.

What incarnation we’re likely to be served up by the two claret & blue protagonists at the Boleyn Ground this weekend is anyone’s guess. But my hunch – and I’m in decent nick of late, I reluctantly reveal for fear of failure – is that this will end all-square, The Draw weighing in at [3.45] in the Match Odds list.

West Ham are [3.25] to back with Villa [2.42] so a compromise, if you weren’t convinced of a draw, is to lay the hosts at what would be slightly larger than a 2/1 liability.

On their own official website, Hammers’ boss Gianfranco Zola is banging on about bringing their away form home with them. This alludes to a fine recent pair of draws at Liverpool and Chelsea. Yet of the five they’ve won this season, three have come in east London – albeit the last of those against a then disjointed Newcastle United back in September.

However they’ve certainly been more stubborn of late and that’s what’s leaning me towards a stalemate. Correct score wise, again the possibilities are limitless with two teams who can score ‘em and ship ‘em. Two-all feels about right at [17.5] with possibly 3-2 to the Villa, a [34.0] chance, worth a cover.

Clearly then, Overs is my call for the 2.5 goals market. The odds of reward there are [2.04] while you’d get [1.94] backing Unders. While they’ve tightened up have West Ham, I think Villa make every game an open match (aside from shutting up shop against the big boys) so player high here. The [3.65] about Over 3.5 goals also looks tempting.

West Ham/Draw, a [17.5] shot in the Half-Time/Full-Time list, looks an interesting selection, with Draw/Draw – a more conservative [5.8] – as a sensible fall-back position. I think there’ll be attacking intent from the sides who need the win for different reasons.

I tipped Ashley Young as a First Goalscorer at Everton recently so that didn’t quite come off, but I think, given his form, you’d be mad not to stick with him as a To Score option, round about [3.0] when that market develops. West Ham’s Diego Tristan might be worth a small investment too. The coaching staff are suggesting he’s on the brink of being more fully involved and might get long enough from the bench – or perhaps even in a starting role – to show the class of yesteryear. He’ll be more like a [5.5] shot to notch first.

Whenever I close with something like ‘Entertainment’s guaranteed with this one’ it ends up a goalless draw…so I’ll simply say let’s hope for a tea-time spectacular. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be. more

http://www.operationsports.com/forum…ote-setup.html

Please read our rules as we are a league which tries its best to keep things realistic. Let me know if you’re interested… more

The XY Factor judges head to Lingfield for the 1.35 race on Saturday…..
Date: Saturday 20 December

Selected Race: Lingfield 1.35

Suggested Bets (with current Betfair win odds):
5 point win BANKNOTE [2.86]

Staking Plan Records (on £1 per point basis):
Yesterday: -5.00
This Week: +22.66
All time: +2.88

Today’s Verdict:
Gayanula made hard work of finishing second yesterday – hopefully better luck today with BANKNOTE in the 1.35 at Lingfield. The Andrew Balding trained runner hasn’t managed a win so far this year but has been running consistently well and his runner-up in a conditions race at Great Leighs last time out behind Orchard Supreme was a fair enough effort. more