THE BETDAQ PUNTER returns with his usual mix of looking back on his betting week on BETDAQ and looking forward to this weekend.
His bets this weekend include football bets in the Championship and for the Dubai World Cup meeting at Dubai on Saturday.
Now, how did the last seven days fare?
Not bad – but he wasn’t best pleased with Nigeria’s draw against Kenya.
Friday
When the World turns against you there is not a whole lot anyone can do and that is certainly how I feel lately from a punting perspective but will this week see the Phoenix rise from the ashes or just drop away in the heat of the action? With no French football to take my fancy, and an England game so accurately priced that I failed to dig out any profitable angle, all I was left with was the World Cup and the first day of the new flat racing season from Doncaster. First things first and a hands up apology for getting my days all mixed up last week – somehow I managed to arrange the games in alphabetical order not chronological but I have had my wrists slapped and it won’t be happening again! Uruguay only drew with Paraguay so my small treble went down on day one which was annoying, but I did alright on the horses! For reasons only a psychiatrist could explain in my house it is a tradition (blame my Dad) to bet on the Brocklesby, the first two year old race of the season and it is pure and simple guesswork. Trainer Bill Turner may not be a household name but as he had won the race three times in the last ten years by bet was on Mick’s Yer Man at BETDAQ odds of 6.6 and he duly won by (you guessed it) six lengths, though I really ought to stop for the season while I am still ahead. With a busy weekend ahead I called it quits for the day and sat back to watch England win with ease – though I have to admit it just isn’t the same without a load of money on the match.
Saturday
No premier league football, no racing on the turf (Newbury, Doncaster, Bangor, Stratford, even Kelso all abandoned), and just a poor Southwell card surviving – what is a man supposed to do to save him from the dreaded shopping? There was World Cup football but my bets were already down and I rarely double up, leaving me to scour the web for other sports to take a (small) interest in! I did find some tennis from Miami but as I am not an expert (or even a fan to be honest), I settled for backing all the favourites to small stakes from when I started (about three in the afternoon). Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with a match by match account but will simplify matters with stats of 15 bets on total (all singles), and winners at 1.25, 1.36, 1.10, 1.16, 1.46, 1.12 (Andy Murray!), 1.2, 1.5, 1.08, 1.16, 1.06, and 1.14 and just the three losers for a half point or so profit – not a lot I admit but a good laugh and profitable too. As for the football – I have never been to Nigeria and now I will never go and that’s as a matter of principle! Looking back I had a six-team accumulator and they were the only ones to fail to win, drawing at home to Kenya for goodness sake. Those who think I make my selections up as I go along will be delighted to know that I actually put extra effort in (for no reward), and I can tell you that the two teams have met a total of four times since 2007 with Nigeria winning them all 1-0, 3-2, 3-0, and 3-0 – now you know why this result really did my head in!
Sunday
The racing was poor at Lingfield and I only wish I had followed Jim Bolger at The Curragh with his four timer at BETDAQ odds of 2.4, 6.6, 5.8, and 2.7 but then 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing! Tennis came calling once again (at least they provide a steady stream of possible bets to keep me out of the kitchen), though this time I only found unlucky 13 to bet on combining men and women’s matches. Winners at BETDAQ odds of 1.12, 1.24, 1.7, 1.18, 1.55, 1.02, 1.02, 1.68, 1.08, and 1.7 (three losers), for the smallest of profits (a quarter of a point), but a good laugh and an excuse to get out of doing any DIY.
Monday
Horse racing is back on the cards and I am looking again at my new theory of following the most in form trainers. A quick look showed me that this weeks handlers of choice would be Richard Fahey, Mark Johnston, Jim Bolger (obviously), and John Jenkins. Last week I backed them to place only and saw a hat full of winners slip through the net so this week the rules have changed to win bets only which no doubt means they will all place and I will look even more foolish than normal! Three “qualifiers” today saw a Mark Johnston winner at BETDAQ odds of 3.2 (Limit Up) and two losers so no great profit – but a profit none the less which is what this is all about for me at the moment. Fourteen more tennis bets were just begging to be placed (and were), again on the favourites with thirteen winners (unlucky for the layers lol), and more profit, all be it only 2.3 points (less at starting price so thank you BETDAQ layers, love you), but look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves (Oh no, I am turning in to my Dad?).
Tuesday
If it isn’t broken don’t fix it is a great philosophy, so two types of bet again today – hot trainers and tennis favourites – you know it makes sense. Tennis gave me another nine bets and with two losers I expected it to add up to a loss with all my bets at odds on but no, another half point profit in a day off BETDAQ and now may be the time to up the stakes? As for the horses, well I am rolling in clover even if they aren’t? Nine qualifying horses took to the track resulting in winners at BETDAQ odds of 3.85 (Lexington Bay), 3.3 (Corn Snow), 8.5 (Glenreef), 5.8 (Ascendant), and 8.5 (Little Indian), and with just the four losers it was a very good afternoon and I am planning a trip abroad in the near future if this continues. As for the football, again I left England alone which was a good idea – I did consider the draw but in all honesty, there is so little spark in the National side at the moment that I can’t be bothered – I have money to make off of BETDAQ thanks which keeps me busy enough.
Wednesday
Not so good on the horses today but nothing is perfect in this world and if it was I doubt I would be sharing it? Six qualifiers from my little trainers list saw five losers but the winner was priced at 6.4 on BETDAQ (Billy Red) so even then I managed to turn a small profit. The tennis was comedy value as I only bet when I am awake to do so – which means I did NOT back the heavily odds on Djokovic and thus did not lose on the 1.07 shot, but then again I also missed the 1.74 winner Jankovic as it was past my bed time! Two bets only saw two winners at odds of 1.13 and 1.14 – not much but give me a winner over a loser any and every day of the week.
Thursday
Only two tennis bets fit my sleep pattern today so I am on Murray to beat Cilic at BETDAQ odds of 1.21 and Sharapova to beat Jankovic (1.14), though they need to win after the horses rather let me down. Four qualifiers, two for Mark Johnston and two for Jim Bolger saw no winners so not a good day – but still miles up for the week so no worries just yet though I never like backing losers regardless. No other football and a busy weekend ahead but amazingly a profitable week, though I so wish Nigeria had read the form book before their match………
Conclusions:
Bet of the week – Two winners for John Jenkins on Tuesday at decent odds brought a smile to my face for a change!
Disaster of the week – Nigeria – their draw with lowly Kenya cost me my accumulator, not happy at all.
Something for the weekend:
Firstly, although I am not willing to throw away a possible load of points on my trainers to follow, but I do feel they at least need mentioning and then you can make your own minds up? With no racing Friday at all (what on earth am I going to do, no work and no racing to fill the void?), Saturday sees a long list (too long to write down here), but do look out for the runners from Jim Bolger, Richard Fahey, John Jenkins, and Mark Johnston – I certainly will.
Carrying on with my horse racing theme, I am so jealous of whoever is out in Dubai enjoying the weather ahead of the World Cup meeting on Saturday, but plan to add to my own coffers via a few well priced winners (or even each way options). I know I shouldn’t be tempted but as there is no chance of realistically comparing form from Japan with South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, America, France, Ireland and the UK it is almost as if the pressure is off and I can just have a few fun bets for a change. Much as I am a massive admire of trainer David O’Meara, I just cannot see Penitent beating Soft Falling Rain in the Godolphin Mile that seems to be off at 1.10pm (presumably our time?), and as Mike De Kock ‘s three year old is unbeaten after five races and could be anything and at odds of 4.3 on BETDAQ I am hopeful he can take this step up in class in his stride.
My opinions on the Gold Cup are not strong enough to risk real money on, and although I like Secret Number for the UAE Derby, his odds of 3.3 on BETDAQ may be better than elsewhere – but they are still too short to tempt me on this occasion, which could yet leave me with egg on my face. Shea Shea is a worthy favourite for the sprint but however hard I look I keep coming back to Starspangledbanner who would win this if they have got him back to his best. If we take the massive risk of ignoring last season when he wasn’t his old self after returning to action after a disaster at stud, yet they persevere at the highest level with the now seven year old and at 22.0 the win (no place betting yet but I would guess at 6.0), a small each way bet is required in my book though it is a tough race so this is all a bit of fun.
Lastly, I cannot help but point out that top jockey Anthony Delpech comes over from South Africa for the one ride on Igugu in the Dubai Duty Free due off at 4.40pm. I admit to being biased as I was lucky enough to see her in the flesh in Cape Town but she is certainly better than we have seen in Dubai so far and at 15.0 the win on BETDAQ (4.0 to place at a guess) another small bet will leave my account.
Moving on to the football, and nothing leaps out as value in the Premiership, so I will drop a division to the Championship with promotion the biggest prize of all. Cardiff sit on the peak of the division at the moment but are not mathematically promoted just yet so the BETDAQ odds of 2.29 for them to win at Peterborough looks worth taking as bet number one. The favourites will be looking for revenge after losing at home earlier in the season, and I like that idea – an angry team is a winning team in my book! Hull sit second and I can see them winning at Huddersfield – they have beaten them in four of their last five meetings and at odds of 2.26 I am happy to back them to keep up that record here – and that will do me for this week so fingers crossed all round.
This week’s suggested bets (all prices with BETDAQ and correct at the time of writing):
Horse racing
1pt Win Soft Falling Rain 1.10pm Meydan (Dubai) 4.3 to win.
Half point each way Starspangledbanner 3.05pm Meydan (Dubai) 22.0 to win.
Half point each way Igugu 4.40pm Meydan (Dubai) 15.0 to win
Weekend Football
Saturday:
1pt Cardiff to win at Peterborough at BETDAQ odds of 2.29
1pt Hull to win at Huddersfield at BETDAQ odds of 2.26
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
