It’s been a hectic period of fixtures over the Christmas and New Year for Premier League teams, although some respite this week with the FA Cup taking place. As such I won’t be advising any bets as I prefer to concentrate solely on the Premier League and avoid the lottery that comes with the knock-out tournaments.

It’s perhaps therefore a good time for a re-cap on where we are now that we are just past halfway through the season. Way back in August, my clear goal was to continue to see if I could establish a long-term profit of a decent standard through the use of 3 main bets – Asian Handicaps, Over/under goals and straight 1X2 bets in the English Premier League. The good news is that I have been able to hit those straps, with my 2010/11 record now providing a 8.25 pt profit from 71 bets thus far (12.14% ROI). This follows on from the 10.66 pts profit (13.75% ROI) I managed in 8 months of the 2009/10 season.

Check out the table below for full details on Main bet performance

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I still want to re-iterate that this is still a work in progress and I would hate to think anyone is placing large sums of money on any of my selections just yet! It’s all about building up a strong record over the long-term, but at least we look as though we are heading in the right direction.

I will be back either in midweek if there are any bets on the Blackpool – Liverpool game or next weekend, when we have a full card in the Premier League once again.

Mike

Let down by a 90th minute Joe Cole goal in the last round of fixtures and its proven to be a tricky period with so many games in such a short period of time (too many if you ask me!)

I expect some tired legs with the huge number of games played recently so there could well be goals a plenty. I think both the overs lines in the Blackpool and Fulham games offer some excellent value. The Bolton AH -0.75 line would also be a main bet were if not for worries over the number of fit players they will have for this game (They only had 4 subs in the Liverpool game!).

Please note there will be no Premier League games this coming weekend as we have the FA Cup 3rd round instead.

Main Bets
1.5 pts Over 2.5 goals – Blackpool V Birmingham. 2.07 Canbet/SBOBet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals – Fulham V West Brom. 2.26 SBOBet

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Fulham (-0.25 AH) V West Brom. 1.88 Pinnacle/12Bet
1 pt Bolton (-0.75 AH) V Wigan. 1.98 Canbet/SBOBet

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

Let down by a 90th minute Joe Cole goal in the last round of fixtures and its proven to be a tricky period with so many games in such a short period of time (too many if you ask me!)

I expect some tired legs with the huge number of games played recently so there could well be goals a plenty. I think both the overs lines in the Blackpool and Fulham games offer some excellent value. The Bolton AH -0.75 line would also be a main bet were if not for worries over the number of fit players they will have for this game (They only had 4 subs in the Liverpool game!).

Please note there will be no Premier League games this coming weekend as we have the FA Cup 3rd round instead.

Main Bets
1.5 pts Over 2.5 goals – Blackpool V Birmingham. 2.07 Canbet/SBOBet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals – Fulham V West Brom. 2.26 SBOBet

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Fulham (-0.25 AH) V West Brom. 1.88 Pinnacle/12Bet
1 pt Bolton (-0.75 AH) V Wigan. 1.98 Canbet/SBOBet

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

A few more bets for the first set of games in 2011.

Main Bets
1 pt Bolton (+1 AH) V Liverpool. 1.83 Stan James
1 pt Sunderland (-0.5 AH) V Blackburn. 1.99 Ladbrokes
1 pt Over 2.5 Goals – West Ham V Wolves. 2.14 5Dimes

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Everton (0 AH) V Stoke. 2.02 Ladbrokes

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

A few more bets for the first set of games in 2011.

Main Bets
1 pt Bolton (+1 AH) V Liverpool. 1.83 Stan James
1 pt Sunderland (-0.5 AH) V Blackburn. 1.99 Ladbrokes
1 pt Over 2.5 Goals – West Ham V Wolves. 2.14 5Dimes

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Everton (0 AH) V Stoke. 2.02 Ladbrokes

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

Games are coming thick and fast at the moment and a few more bets for the games to be played on the 28th and 29th.

Main Bets
1 pt Over 2.5 goals West Ham V Everton. 2.13 188bet/12bet
1 pt Birmingham (+1 AH) V Man Utd. 2.00 Pinnacle

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

Games are coming thick and fast at the moment and a few more bets for the games to be played on the 28th and 29th.

Main Bets
1 pt Over 2.5 goals West Ham V Everton. 2.13 188bet/12bet
1 pt Birmingham (+1 AH) V Man Utd. 2.00 Pinnacle

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

An early look at the next round of fixtures for Boxing Day and the 27^th, although ultimately a number of these maybe called off if the bad weather continues.

One likely casualty if it snows (thanks to the lack of under-soil heating) is the game at Bloomfield Road where Blackpool host Liverpool in a game the scousers will be keen for revenge after the shock loss at Anfield a few months back. The Seasiders are better away from home while Liverpool suffer regular travel-sickness and look very wobbly at the back. I see plenty of goalmouth action in this one and with 12Bet offering a very generous 1.82 on over 2.5 goals, it looks worth snapping up to me.

Similarly in the games featuring Man Utd and Sunderland and Chelsea and Arsenal I think the over 2.5 goals lines are too generous. Man Utd have gone overs in 67% of home games this season and 84% last season and if Sunderland persist with playing 3 up-front the 1.77 looks a decent punt (albeit only shortlist quality as I would want a smidge more odds-wise for a Main Bet). You can also get 1.95 on over 2.5 goals in the game at the Emirates, which represents a 51.2% chance, and as I make it more likely a 55% chance, will take this bet too. Chelsea are surely also too good to go too long before improving back to early season standards and they seem under-rated for a fixture they have dominated in recent times – The 2.08 on them with a 0 AH line with Bet365 looks a decent shortlist bet.

Two more main bets including Aston Villa with a surprisingly good 1.92 on a +0.25 Asian Handicap at home to Spurs. Villa for all their woes have lost just once at home this year and just three times last season so with a 0.46 point profit if it’s a draw this looks a good punt. Finally Bolton’s odds again look too good on them at 2.08 to beat West Brom at the Reebok. This large price looks like an over-reaction to the fact they have narrowly lost 2 tough away games recently, but at home they are very strong indeed. I think Bolton should be odds-on here and so snapping this one up.

Finally I want to back Wolves at 2.22 against a poor Wigan side, who especially struggle on the road. Since last season, the latics have lost 18 out of 27 away from home and whilst Wolves are hardly prolific themselves, they look to be over-priced. Unlikely to be a game for the purists, 1-0 is the most likely result I imagine.

Please note I will do my level best to get my advice for the 28^th and 29^th games up in good time, although as I am away for a few days over Christmas I may struggle with an Internet connection! Keep an eye on the blog on the 28^th and over the festive period.

Main Bets
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Blackpool V Liverpool. 1.82 12Bet
1 pt Aston Villa (+0.25 AH) V Spurs. 1.92 188bet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Chelsea V Arsenal. 1.95 Pinnacle/SJ/188bet/SBObet
1 pt Bolton to beat West Brom. 2.08 188bet/5dimes

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Wolves to beat Wigan. 2.22 12Bet
1 pt Chelsea (0 AH) V Arsenal. 2.08 Bet365
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Man Utd V Sunderland. 1.77 10Bet

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

An early look at the next round of fixtures for Boxing Day and the 27^th, although ultimately a number of these maybe called off if the bad weather continues.

One likely casualty if it snows (thanks to the lack of under-soil heating) is the game at Bloomfield Road where Blackpool host Liverpool in a game the scousers will be keen for revenge after the shock loss at Anfield a few months back. The Seasiders are better away from home while Liverpool suffer regular travel-sickness and look very wobbly at the back. I see plenty of goalmouth action in this one and with 12Bet offering a very generous 1.82 on over 2.5 goals, it looks worth snapping up to me.

Similarly in the games featuring Man Utd and Sunderland and Chelsea and Arsenal I think the over 2.5 goals lines are too generous. Man Utd have gone overs in 67% of home games this season and 84% last season and if Sunderland persist with playing 3 up-front the 1.77 looks a decent punt (albeit only shortlist quality as I would want a smidge more odds-wise for a Main Bet). You can also get 1.95 on over 2.5 goals in the game at the Emirates, which represents a 51.2% chance, and as I make it more likely a 55% chance, will take this bet too. Chelsea are surely also too good to go too long before improving back to early season standards and they seem under-rated for a fixture they have dominated in recent times – The 2.08 on them with a 0 AH line with Bet365 looks a decent shortlist bet.

Two more main bets including Aston Villa with a surprisingly good 1.92 on a +0.25 Asian Handicap at home to Spurs. Villa for all their woes have lost just once at home this year and just three times last season so with a 0.46 point profit if it’s a draw this looks a good punt. Finally Bolton’s odds again look too good on them at 2.08 to beat West Brom at the Reebok. This large price looks like an over-reaction to the fact they have narrowly lost 2 tough away games recently, but at home they are very strong indeed. I think Bolton should be odds-on here and so snapping this one up.

Finally I want to back Wolves at 2.22 against a poor Wigan side, who especially struggle on the road. Since last season, the latics have lost 18 out of 27 away from home and whilst Wolves are hardly prolific themselves, they look to be over-priced. Unlikely to be a game for the purists, 1-0 is the most likely result I imagine.

Please note I will do my level best to get my advice for the 28^th and 29^th games up in good time, although as I am away for a few days over Christmas I may struggle with an Internet connection! Keep an eye on the blog on the 28^th and over the festive period.

Main Bets
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Blackpool V Liverpool. 1.82 12Bet
1 pt Aston Villa (+0.25 AH) V Spurs. 1.92 188bet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Chelsea V Arsenal. 1.95 Pinnacle/SJ/188bet/SBObet
1 pt Bolton to beat West Brom. 2.08 188bet/5dimes

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Wolves to beat Wigan. 2.22 12Bet
1 pt Chelsea (0 AH) V Arsenal. 2.08 Bet365
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Man Utd V Sunderland. 1.77 10Bet

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike

No time to write any commentary this week but 5 bets to get stuck into this weekend.

Main Bets
1 pt Birmingham (-0.25 AH) V Newcastle.  2.11 Canbet/12bet/SBObet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Liverpool V Fulham. 2.17 Canbet/10bet/SBObet
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Chelsea V Man Utd. 2.29 Canbet/SBObet
1 pt Everton (+0.75 AH) V Man City. 2.02 Pinnacle

Shortlist Bets
1 pt Over 2.5 goals Blackburn V West Ham. 1.95 Stan James

Whatever you bet on, good luck!

Mike