Rangers

There is a big Glasgow derby match on December 28th in the Scottish Premier League, as we get to enjoy some heated rivalry in Celtic v Rangers betting. Rangers have the edge at the top of the league going into the busy Christmas period, leading their rivals Celtic by four points. So it is going to be a big encounter , with both of the sides playing on Christmas Eve before the big derby clash. This is the second meeting in the league between the two Glasgow giants this season, with Rangers taking first blood at Ibrox with a 4-2 win back in September. So now it is round two of the Celtic v Rangers betting for the Scottish Premier League and it is a match in which Celtic really need to close the gap on their opponents, and take advantage of this meeting, assuming both will win their Christmas Eve matches. Both sides are in a good stretch of form, with the Bhoys starting to close the gap at the top already with a run of seven straight wins now, while Rangers have dropped five points from their last five matches. So the pressure is on, and the battle will resume. Rangers do have the better defence of the two sides, conceding just nine goals in their 19 league matches so far, while Celtic have conceded five more than that.

In the head to head between Celtic and Rangers, the Bhoys have won 71 of the meetings at home, while Rangers have earned themselves 48 wins, and 44 draws there. Last season’s corresponding fixture ended in a 3-0 win for Celtic. Celtic also picked up a home win over Rangers in the Scottish FA Cup last season as well, before losing at home to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup. Celtic have a W7 D1 L1 record at home this season in the Scottish Premier League. Rangers have a very impressive away record of W8 D0 L1 in the Premier League this season. There a big points on offer at Celtic Park on December 28th, will Rangers boss Ally McCoist be able to stretch his legs at the top of the table, or will Celtic’s Neil Lennon be able to reel in their rivals.

Online bookmaker Paddy Power have a money back special running for the Celtic v Rangers betting on December 28th. If there is a Red Card in the match then Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast single bets which have been placed on  the match. So a wonderful bit of coverage for your Celtic v Rangers betting. Online bookmaker offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will pay out a free bet to the maximum value of £50, to match the value of your first stake on a new account.

The strong British presence in the Europa League has caused a clash in the play off stage as the teams vie for a place in the Group Stage. Tottenham Hotspur will square off against Scottish Premier League side Hearts for a place in the competition proper. After tasting the highs of Champions League football last season and impressing many, Tottenham have come back down to earth with a bump and now have to negotiate their way through qualifying for UEFA’s second tier tournament. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is a little concerned that endeavours in the prolonged tournament is going to take away a lot from their challenge in the Premier League. So it will be interesting to see how Tottenham do this year. They surely won’t pass up the chance of silverware, as they will be one of the front runners to take the Europa League title this year.

Last season’s defeat FA Cup finalists Stoke City, making their foray into the Europa League, scored a great victory over Croatian Hajduk Split to move into the final play off round. Tony Pulis now takes his men on to face FC Thun from Switzerland for a place in the main stage of the competition. Also joining Stoke in the final play off round, is Fulham who safety negotiated their way past RNK Split this week. The Craven Cottage crew, now under the guidance of Martin Jol, will face a long trip to the Ukraine as they take on Dnipro. Birmingham City, who were relegated but made their way to the Europa League after winning the Carling Cup will take on Nacional from Portugal. There were worries that Birmingham’s dire financial situation would prevent them from playing in the Europa League, but they were granted licence to do so by UEFA. Glasgow Rangers will also be putting in an appearance in the Europa League Play Off draw, as they face Maribor from Slovenia, while Scottish Premier League rivals Celtic have a trip to Switzerland to battle it out with Sion. Ireland will be represented by Shamrock Rovers as they face Partizan.

So there are huge British football betting opportunities for you in the Europa League at the moment. Sadly we will have to lose at least one British side with the interesting Tottenham v Hearts clash on the cards. The Europa League is a long test of endurance over the season, but many are fancying Tottenham to do the business and they are the favourites out of the British entrants to lift the trophy this year. But the stiffest opposition in the way will come from the Spaniards Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. We will present the latest outright Europa League betting odds below, but remember that third placed teams from the Champions League group stage join the competition at a later stage as well.

Europa League Winner Odds
Sevilla: 12/1 at SkyBet
Atletico Madrid: 14/1 at Boylesports
Paris St Germain: 14/1 at Totesport
Tottenham: 14/1 at Blue Square
Roma: 16/1 at Paddy Power
Lazio: 20/1 at Stan James

Other British Europa League Winner Odds
Fulham: 40/1 at SkyBet
Celtic: 66/1 at Victor Chandler
Stoke City: 100/1 at Victor Chandler
Hearts: 150/1 at Totesport
Birmingham City: 150/1 at Paddy Power

Europa League Play Off Draw involving British Clubs
Hearts v Tottenham
Maribor v Rangers
Dnipro v Fulham
Sion v Celtic
Nacional v Birmingham
FC Thun v Stoke
Shamrock Rovers v Partizan
 

The early start of the Scottish Premier League season may be causing upset to many fans, managers and players, but it does signal the return of some great online football betting opportunities. Rangers are the defending champions, but Celtic are being tipped by many to wrestle the title away from them this season. The big two will be the prominent forces against this year, and while the action starts on the weekend, we need to look at some of the Scottish football betting promotions which you can pick up around the web.

Gary Hooper shone so well for Celtic last season and Celtic fans will be hoping that the deadly striker can fire them to glory this year. Celtic start their season away from home, but with Hibs showing poorly last season, there could be the opportunity for goals. If Gary Hooper scores the last goal of this match, then Boylesports will refund losing stakes placed on a host of markets. Refunds will be paid out on First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Anytime Goalscorer, Score 2 or More, Hat Trick and Scorecast bets placed on the match, if Hooper is the last scorer of the game. Great value for your Hibs v Celtic betting, and Boylesports welcome their new customers with a £40 free bet when you place a first bet of £20 or more on a new account.

BetFred 5 Goals Special

If there are five goals or more scored during the Hibernian v Celtic, or Rangers v Hearts matches on the weekend, BetFred will refund all losing First and Last Goal Scorer, Correct Score and Scorecast bets placed on the match. The coverage on this is up to £200, so provides some great insurance. When new customers register an account with BetFred ,they can receive a free bet up to the value of £50. Place a first bet on a new account of £5 or more, and receive a free bet from BetFred, to the same value, up to that £50 limit!

Paddy Power Money Back Special

If there are four or more goals scored during the weekend’s big matches of Hibs v Celtic and Rangers v Hearts (that’s four goals in the individual matches, not combined of course) then popular bookie Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles placed on a match. The highly rated bookie welcomes new customers to their website with a £50 free bet as well. Sign up for a new account and the bookie will match your first stake, up to the value of £50 as a free bet!

Bet365 Bore Draw

Don’t forget that highly recommended online bookie Bet365 constantly run their 0-0 bore draw promotion. When you have a pre-match bet on any football match at Bet365, if the match finishes as a bore draw, then the bookie will refund any Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time, or Scorecast bets which have been placed on that match. This is great ongoing insurance for your football betting from one of the most highly rated bookies available. Bet365 offer a massive £200 free bet for new customers registering an account with them.

The Scottish Premier League, for all its criticism and discussions over change of format to a 10 team Premier League, it starts off the first serious domestic football betting opportunities. The English Premier League doesn’t start until August 13th, but the Scots are getting a good three week head start over most of Europe. This enraged Inverness boss Terry Butcher, who is livid at the short summer break the league has had, and questions whether the teams will really be ready for the early start of the new season. The limited time has affected the preparations of clubs bringing in new players, and getting new players fit into the squad. Most clubs have been vocal in their opposition to such an early start for the league, but regardless, for all the down sides of the league starting so early, it is here again, and the action starts on July 23rd. Naturally your Scottish Premier League outright betting is going towards the big Glasgow duo of Rangers and Celtic, but Hearts are drawing a lot of outsider bets, as they have assembled a decent squad who can challenge. But once again ,just a look at last year’s finishing table, where third placed Hearts finished a massive thirty points behind winners Rangers, suggests that the gap is really not as close as neutral fans, as well as Hearts supporters really want it to be. It is hard to see the 2011/12 Scottish Premier League title not going back to Glasgow. That means your betting options are limited a little bit, but because the two main sides here are so closely matched, there is still value on having a punt on either one. Here we take a look at the setups of the two clubs as the new season hits Scotland.

Glasgow Rangers

Rangers are the defending champions after beating Celtic to the finish post by a single point last season. There as been a big change at the top, with Ally McCoist stepping into the full managerial role. The big question is whether or not he can fill the immense boots of the departing Walter Smith, who brought the league title back to Ibrox for the past three seasons. Is McCoist ready? Well, there is no time like the present, and McCoist has been learning his trade for the past five years at Ibrox. The club was taken over by Craig Whyte in the summer, but there has not been a major influx of new players coming to the club despite the financial security. McCoist has had money at his disposal after being fully backed by the new man in charge, but actually spending that money on the players that they want has been far from easy. Rangers have had several bids for players rejected, and time is running out on them to get players signed before the Champions League deadline. But, McCoist is insistent that they are just not going to throw money around freely, they are going to do things the right way, even if that means being a little bit more patient. Rangers have lost a few free agents, but most of last season’s championship winning squad is there. With the rush to get back into the game, Rangers have not had the most impressive of pre season friendly result, as they failed to win any of their three tour matches out in Germany. They did respond a little bit better when they best Linfield and then Blackpool ahead of their season opener in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday. We are unlikely to see much difference between Rangers of last season and this. The style will be the same, as McCoist has been Walter Smith’s apprentice, and won’t see any drastic need to chance a winning formula. Things are pretty settled at Glasgow Rangers, but after only squeezing home by a point last year, Rangers know that Celtic will be gunning for them. The priority has to be the Scottish Premier League title against for the Gers, and getting back into the Champions League. The one question mark about Rangers, is whether or not they have the strength in depth compared to rivals Celtic. Rangers do roll out a good defence, and they are hard to break down, as Manchester United found in last year’s Champions League. If they can add to the depth in the squad, then Rangers should be in the hunt. This is a high pressure season for McCoist, as they are very much on a par with Celtic, and then it could come down to management decisions, so the heat will be on. A good start is crucial for McCoist and Rangers.
Prediction: 2nd

Glasgow Celtic

While rivals Rangers will be hoping that new boss Ally McCoist can pick up where the successful Walter Smith left off, Celtic will be hoping that boss Neil Lennon finally delivers. One advantage that Celtic do have over Rangers, is that they have a much stronger squad in terms of depth, ability and variety. Celtic have gone steadily through their pre season, most recently picking up a comfortable 1-0 away at English Premier League new boys Cardiff, in which Celtic’s goal was rarely threatened. That came off the back of a successful tour of Australia, as Celtic prepare to wrestle the Scottish Premier League title away from Rangers. Celtic are a good, creative threat going forward, and the youthful side plays with a great deal of tenacity and vigour. Neil Lennon really put up a good fight with Rangers last season, and Celtic did play with a lot of consistency. Their defence was really aided by their powerful attacking play, because teams couldn’t get near their back line. In many people’s eyes, Celtic, because they have a little more cut and thrust, a more complete and youthful squad than Rangers, are favourites to win the Scottish Premier League this time around. Although they ended up with the best defensive record last season, there is a small question mark of their defensive line when they get bombarded in physical games. However, you know that Celtic will score plenty as they push forward. After losing the league title and the League Cup final to Rangers, Celtic and Neil Lennon in particular need a bounce back season. Celtic, like Rangers have not been splashing the cash around much in the summer break, and will want to take as much fluency and consistency over from last season as possible.
Prediction: 1st

2011/12 Scottish Premier League Winner Odds

Celtic: 5/6 at SportingBet
Rangers: Events at Totesport
Hearts: 66/1 at BetFred

Liverpool have drawn Czech side Sparta Prague in the knockout stage of the Europa League. The three time UEFA Cup winners progressed through their group with out any great flair or excitement and will now face a tough test against Sparta. This is taking place in the round of 32, into which has come all of the third placed teams from the Champions League group stage, including Scottish Champions Rangers. As well as the draw for the Round of 32, the draw for the Round of 16 has also been made, and if Liverpool progress past Sparta, then they will face either Braga (the Portuguese side which beat Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League) or Lech Poznan, who scored a triumph over Manchester City in the Europa League group match. As for Roberto Mancini and Manchester City , they have drawn Greek side Aris Thessaloniki in the round of 32, and should they progress through that, then they will face either Besiktas or Dynamo Kiev. You look at the list of teams in the Europa League and see some tricky ties, but nothing really which Manchester City should not be able to handle. They remain one of the strong outright bets to win the tournament, but there are a couple of quality, stand out teams to watch out for. Rangers go up against Sporting Lisbon in their tie.

Zenit St Petersburg were in blistering form in the group stage, winning all six matches and averaging three goals a game. Sevilla, and the winner of Napoli v Villarreal should post big threats, along with Spartak Moscow and Ajax. There teams which have come in from the Champions League will make a good bet really, as they are dropping down a level, and most of the first legs are scheduled in for February 17th with the return legs on the 24th. There are a couple of exceptions though, with Manchester City’s first leg being played on February 15th. The final of the Europa League will be played at the Dublin Arena on May 18th. 

Europa League Outright Odds

Manchester City: 4/1 at SkyBet
Liverpool: 8/1 at Extrabet
Zenit St Petersburg: 9/1 at Boylesports
FC Porto: 12/1 at Victor Chandler
CSKA Moscow: 16/1 at Bet365
Villarreal: 19/1 at Unibet

Rangers v Manchester Betting Odds and Tip: Manchester United head up north to face a Rangers side desperate for a win to keep their hopes alive. United have a great record in the Champions League away from home, and it is hard to see the Scottish challenge throwing them off the scent of winning the group. Even though United are sending a slightly under strength team out for the battle, the match should see the return of Wayne Rooney. A United win should still be on the cards, but it could be one which they have to work hard to earn. Unlikely to be anything more than a two goal margin of victory. Manchester United -1 Asian Handicap 7/5 at Victor Chandler

Rangers to win: 4/1 at BetFred
Draw: 11/4 at Stan James
Manchester United to win: 5/6 at Boylesports

Champions League Match Preview: It’s the Battle of Britain part two in this season’s Champions League, as Rangers welcome Manchester United to Ibrox. The Scottish Champions put in an admirable display at the start of the campaign, holding Manchester Untied to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, when they hadn’t been given much of a chance in that match by anyone really. With Rangers going along at a fine clip in the Scottish Premier League again this year, there is a brimming confidence about the ‘Gers. The Scots will be keen for this one, and will be dreaming of a win which would keep them in the hunt for a qualification spot for the knockout stages. But there is a thin line between success and failure, and Rangers are on it. A defeat, plus a win for Valencia over bottom side Bursaspor, would mean that Rangers would bow out of the competition this year. Getting back into the competition will be harder next season, as there is no guaranteed place for the Scottish Champions anymore, they will have to go through qualifiers. This is something of a last big splash for Rangers this season. Not saying that they won’t be back, but the fact that they were drawn against Manchester United has added that feeling that they will be looking for something just that little bit extra special this year.

This is their chance to provide it. After three games in the group, Rangers were unbeaten, with two wins and a draw, but then a mighty away collapse against Valencia on Match Day Four hurt them badly. They are now two points behind second placed Valencia, knowing that they need a win to keep their dreams alive a little bit longer. Rangers boss Walter Smith has selection problems, as Rangers go into the match a little bit depleted. Rangers are waiting for clearance on Sasa Papac to play, after he picked up a concussion, and the defender is in danger of missing out along with Madjid Bougherra and Andy Webster. Rangers will miss the influence of Maurice Edu in the middle of the park as well. With the defensive issues happening, it may actually serve to help the game from a neutral point of view, as Smith may have to adjust and change formation to a more attacking line up. Understandably, Rangers have adopted a more cautious, defensive approach to their European matches (which served them so well at Old Trafford), which is more necessary than when playing their domestic games. If they do switch back and be all gung-ho about getting the win they will need against Manchester United, then they could give themselves a huge change. However, the Rangers defence will need to be stern again, just as they were at Old Trafford, as the night should welcome the return of Wayne Rooney to the United starting line up.

Yes, Rooney looks ready to make his return from his ankle injury to the starting eleven, and will be hoping that the United fans don’t bear him any ill will after he threatened to not sign a new contract following his concerns over dropping standards. United boss Alex Ferguson is ready to rest his main centre half pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. This will open the door for Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans to fill in as a makeshift back line. United have not been great away from home all season, and in the Champions League, they have looked a little disinterested, putting in some very lack lustre performances. United have only hit two goals in their three matches, which as produced a draw and two wins. So in the intimidating atmosphere at Ibrox, United could find themselves in for a rough ride, especially if they are just going through the motions again. United would guarantee their place in the knockout stages of the competition with a win at Ibrox, but will face a gritty, determined Rangers side who are looking for a huge night in front of their home fans. However, United are experts at this, just getting the job done, and with a great record of eight away Champions League wins in their last nine matches, they are strong favourites to nick it. The last time United went north to Scotland to face Rangers in the Champions League, they earned themselves a 1-0 victory back in the 2003/04 competition.

Online bookmaker promotion: BetFred Double Delight! This is a fantastic football betting promotion from BetFred. This is your chance to double or even treble your odds on a First Goalscorer price. When you back a First Goalscorer and that player comes through and scores the first goal of the match, you will naturally receive some good news as your bet will have won. However, if that player then goes on to score a second goal in the match, BetFred will double those initial odds. If that player then nets a hat trick, then you will receive treble those initial goalscorer odds. With Wayne Rooney back in action and priced at 4/1 as First Goalscorer, this could be a fantastic offer to take advantage of.  BetFred also offer a Free £50 bet for new customers opening an account. The bookie will match the value of a first bet on an account, up to £50 with a free bet.

Rangers v Manchester United Betting Statistics

Rangers Last 4 Results
Manchester United 0, Rangers 0
Rangers 1, Bursaspor 0
Rangers 1, Valencia 1
Valencia 3, Rangers 0

Manchester United Last 4 Results
Manchester United 0, Rangers 0
Valencia 0, Manchester United 1
Manchester United 1, Bursaspor 0
Bursaspor 0, Manchester United 3

Rangers 2010/11 Champions League Form: P4 W1 D2 L1 GF2 GA4 Pts 5 (3rd)
Manchester United 2010/11 Champions League Form: P4 W3 D1 L0 GF5 GA0 Pts 10 (1st)

Champions League Betting | Matchday Four Tuesday Predictions

Online bookmaker SportingBet is a prime place to go to do your Champions League betting. There is a great £10k guaranteed cash prize for their Champions League Predictor game. Just head to the page and you can see the amount of winners who are picking up decent cash prizes every week. Simply make a qualifying offer by placing a minimum £10 bet on their sports book, and you will earn yourself a free predictor entry. Simply predict the outcome of all sixteen Champions League matches for the upcoming match day, and if you are the sole person with the highest amount of correct predictions, then the prize money will be coming to you. SportingBet have also extended their increased welcome offer again through the month of November. All new customers can now get up to £50 free in bets on a new account, instead of the regular £25. Just open an account, deposit £10 and when you make your first bet (before November 30th) the bookie will match that first bet up to the value of £50. Want more good Champions League betting news? SportingBet are running a déjà vu Last Scorer Refund offer for this week’s fixtures featuring British Clubs. If the last scorer from the previous matches between the two sides (as these Match Day Four fixtures are the reverse of the Match Day Three ones) is the last scorer this week, then SportingBet will refund all losing First Goal scorer, Anytime Goal scorer, Correct Score and Score cast bets on the game. The refund will come as a Free Bet to have a go on a football match the very next day. Great offer as always from this highly recommended online bookmaker. There is always something going on at SportingBet and it’s usually very impressive.

Group A

Inter Milan P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Tottenham Hotspur P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Werder Bremen P3 W0 D2 L1 Pts 2
FC Twente P3 W0 D2 L1 Pts 2

Tottenham Hotspur v Inter Milan Betting Tip: Away win 9/5 at Boylesports

This is the big Champions League night that White Hart Lane has been waiting for, as the defending Champions hit the capital. See our full match preview here
Other: Inter 19/10 at Unibet, Draw 12/5 at Totesport

Werder Bremen v FC Twente Betting Tip: Away win 9/2 at SkyBet

The Germans are still having a pretty miserable domestic season sitting in the bottom half of the table, but there is a big chance here to get themselves into a position to make a serious move into the knockout stage. If Tottenham fail to pick up a point against Inter Milan, then a first win in the group for Werder would jump them into second place with two games left. They hold the same match record this year at FC Twente, so there isn’t much to chose between them. They played out a less than exciting 1-1 draw in the Netherlands on Match day three, but the Germans have home advantage which they really need to press home. Would expect another draw here really, as Twente are a very strong side, at least on the domestic front where they haven’t lost a game all season. But, throwing all of that out of the window, FC Twente actually look a great tip for Tuesday. This is largely going against the grain of things, but they are potent side if they can put it all together, and the Germans are certainly there for the taking.
Other: Werder Bremen 7/10 at Paddy Power, Draw 29/10 at Unibet

Group B

Lyon P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Schalke P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Benfica P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Hapoel P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

Hapoel Tel Aviv v Schalke Betting Tip: Away win 11/10 at Ladbrokes

Well, the Germans Schalke are having a miserable season in the Bundesliga, sitting second from bottom and only one win in their ten matches this season. However, they have picked things up a little bit in the Champions League with two wins, which has put them in a strong position. They have taken full advantage of playing at home in the Champions League and ran out 3-1 winners over Hapoel when they met on Match Day three. They should have enough quality to make a repeat performance, and they do have Klaas Jan Huntelaar who is on fire, and probably won’t be at the club for too long if he keeps playing like he does, and the club itself plays the way it does for much longer. Having pulled out a strong enough win over Hapoel in the first meeting, seems more than reasonable that they’ll do it again.
Other: Draw 12/5 at SkyBet, Hapoel Tel Aviv 14/5 at Victor Chandler

Benfica v Lyon Betting Tip: Away win 13/5 at Bet365

After having gotten their Champions League campaign off to a winning start against Hapoel, Benfica have lost their last two matches 2-0. Now it is the turnaround point for them, and while they need a win, it is going to be a tough ask against a polished Lyon side. The French team have won three out of three so far in the campaign, and another three will guarantee them a place in the next round. Lyon have hit six goals and conceded just one and that shows how accomplished they are in the Champions League. There are some strong chances of some good away wins in the Champions League this week, and that usually affords you some little extra odds. Adversely in the French League, Lyon are having something of a stuttering season, having lost as many as they have won. They are a good European side though, and you would expect them to come through this one unscathed.
Other: Benfica 6/5 at Totesport, Draw 12/5 at Stan James

Group C

Man Utd P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Rangers P3 W1 D2 L0 Pts 5
Valencia P3 D1 L1 Pts 4
Bursaspor P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

Bursaspor v Manchester United Betting Tip: Away win 4/5 at Victor Chandler

Yes, another away win on the board in the Champions League tips for Tuesday night. See our full match preview as United head to Turkey to try and put a seal on top spot.
Other: Draw 11/4 at Bet365, Bursaspor 4/1 at SkyBet

Valencia v Rangers Betting Tip: Home win 2/5 at Unibet

This is actually a more enticing prospect than many may have though it would have been at this stage of proceedings. All credit where it is due, Rangers are proving to be a tough, stubborn side in the Champions League this year, and haven’t rolled over in the face of sterner and higher quality opposition. They earned a great 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, and held Valencia to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox on match day three. Sandwiched in between that was a win over Bursaspor, and that is why they find themselves in a decent position. Even a draw would really keep their qualification hopes alive, and it would a great effort from them again against the strong Spaniards who are fourth in La Liga. Valencia have hit a bit of a sticky path though in terms of form, with no win in their last three domestic games, and the draw at Rangers has put a bit of a dampener on them. You would expect the Spaniards to step up a level on their home turf, and there ends the run of away win Champions League tips. Having only scored two goals in three matches, Rangers don’t look as if they will have the firepower to match Valencia, if the Spaniards really get their game going.
Other: Draw 15/4 at Stan James, Rangers 9/1 at Totesport

Group D

Barcelona P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Copenhagen P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Rubin Kazan P3 W0 D2 L1 Pts 2
Panathinaikos P3 W0 D1 L2 Pts 1

FC Copenhagen v Barcelona Betting Tip: Away win 4/9 at Totesport

Everything was looking quite rosy for Copenhagen after two match days. There they were sitting at the top of Group D, and then came the visit to the Nou Camp. Barcelona beat Copenhagen 2-0 to wrestle their way to the top of the group, and now the Danish side could find themselves even further behind Tuesday’s opponent, if they don’t pick up at least a draw against the Spanish giants. Even if Copenhagen lose they will still be in second place, simply because Rubin or Panathinaikos haven’t managed a win between them. So, another defeat wouldn’t be a disaster for the Danes, but it would put them under pressure. This group is actually wide open and is no done deal. The Danes have looked a hard working and compact unit, but you will expect the high scoring Catalan side to come out on tops. That having been said, Barcelona could only manage an away draw against Rubin, and Copenhagen are top of the Danish league by a country mile (they have a 14 point lead after just 14 games, having won 12, drawn 2 and lost 0!). So is a draw on the cards? No. Barcelona will win.
Other: Draw 50/13 at Bwin, Copenhagen 8/1 at Victor Chandler

Rubin Kazan v Panathinaikos Betting Tip: Draw 29/10 at Unibet

As predicted, the two sides ran out to 0-0 draw when they met in Greece on match day three. Rubin was supposed to be putting pressure on Barcelona at the top of the league by this stage, but the Russian champions haven’t even posted a win yet. Clearly having only hit one goal in their three matches so far, there are issues up front, and with the Greeks only managing the same amount from their attack, another draw seems more than likely. Panathinaikos have failed to score in their two home matches so far, and getting away goals in the Champions League is no easy task. If you are looking for an edge in this one, then the Russian will have it with home advantage. The Russians really need to play catch up to Copenhagen, and a win would do just that.
Other: Rubin 8/13 at Boylesports, Panathinaikos 6/1 at Bet365

Champions League Winner Betting Odds

Barcelona: 13/4 at Unibet
Chelsea: 9/2 at Paddy Power
Real Madrid: 9/2 at Ladbrokes
Man Utd: 11/1 at Stan James
Arsenal: 12/1 at Ladbrokes
Inter Milan: 13/1 at Unibet
Bayern Munich: 16/1 at Totesport
AC Milan: 30/1 at Unibet
Tottenham: 40/1 at Boylesports

With the Group Stages of the Champions League betting hitting the halfway mark, we present a football betting guide for your perusal. Things are largely going as expected in the Champions League betting for this season, and at least that should make your bets a little more secure. As far as the British teams are concerned, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal all look to be in comfortable positions to progress, while Spurs and Rangers still have a little bit of work to do. Below is a betting guide along with best UEFA Champions League Odds for the individual groups and top scorers for the 2010/11 Champions League. Don’t forget the Champions League Predictor Game which runs through the match days of this year’s tournament at online bookmaker SportingBet. There is £10,000 up for grabs every match day. There has been a lot of cash paid out already, but no single match day jackpot. All you need to do to get in on the action, is place a qualifying £10 bet on any Sportsbook market and you will gain a free Champions League Predictor entry. Predict the outcome of all 16 matches correctly on any given match day, and you will win the cash prize, guaranteed. You can also earn yourself a free £50 bet when you sign up for an account with the popular online bookmaker.

Group A

Inter Milan P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Tottenham Hotspur P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Werder Bremen P3 W0 D2 L1 Pts 2
FC Twente P3 D2 L1 Pts 2

The Italians are in firm control of this group after their thrilling 4-3 victory over Spurs at the San Siro on match day three. However, there is a feeling that this group isn’t quite done and dusted yet. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was incredibly brave sending out an attacking line up in Italy, which backfired a bit, but there should be enough encouragement there to take on Inter back at White Hart Lane. That really will be the crucial fixture in this. Spurs now have two home matches to book themselves qualification, so it is all in their own hands, and you cannot ask for more than that at this stage. Spurs will really need to win against Inter to be comfortable, and then facing Werder Bremen who are in terrible form at home, Spurs still have a great chance of making the knockout round. You have to fancy them above the bottom two sides on strength and form.
Group A Winner: Inter 4/11 at Coral, Spurs 9/2 at SkyBet
Group A To Qualify: Inter 1/33 at SkyBet, Spurs 4/9 at Totesport, Werder Bremen 5/2 at Bwin, Twente 16/1 at SkyBet

Group B

Lyon P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Schalke P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Benfica P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Hapoel Tel Aviv P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

The Champions League stalwarts Lyon have really taken a firm grip on Group B. After reaching the semi finals of the competition last season, they are off to a flyer again and look to be a threat again this year. With Michel Bastos banging in three goals in three matches, and their defence holding pretty tight, Lyon will be a hard side to beat. Their opening day win over Schalke was a big one, and although the German side are not in great form in the domestic league, they look a sure bet to join Lyon in the next round. Lyon and Schalke won’t meet again until Match day 6, and qualification could all be settled before then. It could be a group winner decider though, so keep an eye on Schalke’s form up to that final clash, and they will need to win that home match to pinch first place. Back Lyon well here and they will make a huge nuisance of themselves in the knockout rounds again. Neither Benfica or Hapoel are going to come close as they have looked largely outclassed.
Group B Winner: Lyon 1/2 at Coral, Schalke 11/4 at BetFred
Group B To Qualify: Lyon 1/25 at SkyBet, Schalke 4/9 at Coral, Benfica 2/1 at Paddy Power, Hapoel 100/1 at Bwin

Group C

Man Utd P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Rangers P3 W1 D2 L0 Pts 5
Valencia P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Bursaspor P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

One of the more intriguing groups. Manchester United haven’t put in a good performance at all yet in their three matches, and Alex Ferguson, with his team selections, seems to have taken it a bit lightly. With the Rooney saga now over after the disgruntled striker had a change of heart and signed a 5 year contract at Old Trafford, once he gets back into form United should get stronger. The fact that they are top of the group without playing well says a lot about their experience in this. Rangers are the surprise package so far, holding both United and Valencia to draws. That’s big kudos to the Scottish champions, and have put themselves in with a great chance of progressing. Their next match will be crucial. It is away in Spain and Rangers really need to get something out of that to keep up their challenge. Showed some good mettle this year in the competition, as Valencia and Man Utd were earmarked as the strong teams in Group C. You would still back United to win the group now that they have the cushion. With Valencia having to come to Old Trafford, there doesn’t look a game left which they could lose.
Group C Winners: Man Utd 1/4 at Bet365, Valencia 11/2 at Unibet, Rangers 18/1 at ExtraBet
Group C To Qualify: Man Utd 1/25 at Coral, Valencia 1/3 at SkyBet, Rangers 3/1 at Bwin

Group D

Barcelona P3 W2 D1 Pts 7
FC Copenhagen P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Rubin Kazan P3 W0 D1 L2 Pts 2
Panathinaikos P3 W0 D1 L2 Pts 1

Barcelona again haven’t had things all their own  way in the group, but they are still in control and cruising into the knockout stages of the competition, as to be expected. Their only slip up came in an away fixture against Rubin Kazan where they played out a draw. Not a disaster, not when you have Messi on fire. The big surprise package of the Champions League so far this season has been FC Copenhagen, who lost top spot to Barcelona on Match day three, when the Catalans beat them 2-0 at the Nou Camp. While Kazan would have made a great tip at the start of the competition to quality, the Danes have taken a much firmer grip of things. Even if Copenhagen lose the return fixture against Barcelona, Rubin Kazan with a win, would still be behind them in the table, so Copenhagen are in a strong position. However, what may hurt them, is that they have to go to Russia and if Kazan win that, it’ll blow things wide open. There is a serious race for second place in this group to finish behind Barcelona, as Kazan go to the Nou Camp on match day six. The standings may look a little lop sided at the moment, but Kazan are not out of this just yet.
Group D Winners: Barcelona 1/19 at Bwin, Copenhagen 18/1 at ExtraBet
Group D To Qualify: Barcelona 1/250 at Bet365, Copenhagen 4/7 at Totesport, Rubin Kazan 9/4 at SkyBet

Group E

Bayern Munich P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Basel P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Cluj P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Roma P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3

Well, this group as far as the winner goes, is pretty much done and dusted. Win three wins out of three, and the other three teams all taking points away from each other, last year’s losing finalists are having things pretty easy in Group E. As to who will join them in the knockout phase, well that is not so cut and dry at the moment, as there has been another surprise team in the Champions League this year. That has been Claudio Ranieri’s Roma, who were pencilled in as a major threat this year. However, their home collapse on match day three against Basel has left them rooted to the bottom of the group at the halfway stage. Do they have enough to get through now? They have to face Bayern at home still, and Cluj, but their next match is now a massive one. They have to go to Switzerland and hope for a big result. For a team which is going to strong in Serie A, you still have to have a good hard long look at them to qualify. If however you are looking for an upset, there are some decent odds on Basel.
Group E Winner: Bayern Munich 1/10 at Totesport
Group E To Qualify: Bayern Munich 1/33 at Coral, Roma 3/4 at Unibet, Basel 5/2 at 888Sport, Cluj 6/1 at SportingBet

Group F

Chelsea P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Spartak Moscow P3 W2 L1 Pts 6
Marseille P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Zilina P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

Premier League Champions Chelsea are pretty much in the next round of the competition. Their solid, steady and unspectacular win in Moscow saw to that. It was a professional job well done, and that is all that can really be said about their progress so far. They now have two home matches out of the remaining three, and that makes them bankers for the group. There is an interesting race for second, largely because Marseille have been incredibly below par. A lot more was expected from them, but they only picked up their first win in a 1-0 home triumph over Zilina on Match day 3. That was also their first goal in the group stage this season. However, if Chelsea beat Spartak on Match day four, while Marseille again beat Zilina, that would put the French and Russians on level points. Then it will be all to play for in Russia when Marseille visit. Spartak have looked the better side out of the duo though, and make a more sound bet, especially with the crucial match being in their own back yard.
Group F Winner: Chelsea 1/20 at BetFred, Spartak Moscow 18/1 at SkyBet
Group F To Qualify: Chelsea 1/100 at BetFred, Spartak Moscow 8/15 at SportingBet, Marseille 17/10 at Bwin

Group G

Real Madrid P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
AC Milan P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Ajax P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Auxerre P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

One of the more exciting groups, although Real Madrid’s match day three victory over AC Milan sort of sorted out the issue of who is going to finish top. Under Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid have made steady progress, not conceding a goal yet. They were given a tough time in Auxerre on match day two, but came through 1-0 in typical Mourinho style. You can take Madrid as group winners right now, so the interest in this group is in the runner’s up spot. Will it be AC Milan or Ajax? As the two sides drew in Holland on match day two, this issue probably won’t be settled until match day five when they meet again, this time at the San Siro. You would expect Ajax to have a bit of an advantage in points come that point, and AC Milan will be playing catch up. That’s because in the next round of fixtures, Milan face Madrid again, while Ajax face Auxerre. You would fancy another Madrid win, so if Ajax pick up even a point against Auxerre, they will hold the cards in their hand. Their last fixture is against Madrid though, so there is still an arduous task of picking either side out of a seemingly parity laden situation. To be honest, Ajax look a little more adventurous, and could be a great punt at the price below to qualify.
Group G Winner: Real Madrid 1/8 at Totesport, AC Milan 23/2 at UniBet
Group G To Qualify: Madrid 1/150 at BetFred, AC Milan 6/17 at Unibet, Ajax 5/2 at Bet365

Group H

Arsenal P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Shakhtar Donestk P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Braga P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Partizan P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

This is taking the path which was it was fully expected to really. Arsenal are head and shoulders above the rest, and the dominant force in the group. Their 5-1 thrashing of second placed Shakhtar Donetsk pretty much put a seal on that, and that was against the Ukrainians who were in pretty decent form. So, Arsenal will be expected to take the group title, especially if they come through their trip to the Ukraine on match day four unscathed. It should be plain sailing for them then. Donetsk was always going to look the second strongest side in the group, and neither Braga nor Partizan have looked anywhere good enough really. Expect an Arsenal – Donetsk 1-2 finish to the group. It should be a formality.
Group H winner: Arsenal 1/6 at SkyBet, Donetsk 7/1 at ExtraBet
Group H To Qualify: Arsenal 1/100 at Coral, Donetsk 2/9 at Boylesports, Braga 9/2 at Paddy Power

Group A

Inter Milan v Tottenham Hotspur

Inter Milan to win: 3/4 at Boylesports
Draw: 14/5 at Bwin
Spurs to win: 9/2 at SkyBet

See our full match betting preview here

FC Twente v Bremen

Twente to win: 7/5 at Boylesports
Draw: 5/2 at SkyBet
Werder Bremen to win: 2/1 at BetFred

Just as the other match is a battle for the top of Group A, this one is to see who get further away from the bottom. Twente and Bremen are both on one point at the moment, with Bremen holding Spurs, and Twente holding Inter for their respective points. A lot more was expected from German side Bremen really, as German sides are usually tough and difficult to beat. However, Bremen are in some very poor form this year and it shows in the Champions league. They were outclassed in a heavy 4-0 away defeat to Inter, and they should have been buried at home by Spurs when they fell 2-0 behind. You put these two sides on paper and you would fancy Bremen as the stronger team. However the form is letting them down, and confidence as well, and you could visibly see that in their last outing. This will give Twente a good chance to shine again at home, and after holding Inter Milan to a 2-2 draw, they actually go into the match as favourite. However there really is little to separate them, and it’s a tough call picking a winner out of them. If you want a winner then a simply betting strategy is to go with the narrow home advantage this one will bring. However, a draw is a plausible outcome here.
Tip: Draw

Group B

Schalke v Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Schalke to win: 1/2 at victor Chandler
Draw: 7/2 at Totesport
Hapoel Tel Aviv to win: 7/1 at Bet365

This is one your football predictions will have home win written all over it. After losing to Lyon in their opening fixture, German side Schalke overturned Benfica 2-0 in a comfortable home victory. They will have been happy to get that one under their belt, and having seen Lyon beat Hapoel away from home, Schalke will see this as an easy two points. You football betting should as well. Schalke are actually in the relegation zone in the Bundesliga and could only manage a home draw against bottom side Stuttgart on the weekend. They aren’t in great form, but they should still have the energy and quality to beat Hapoel who have shipped five goals in two matches in the Champions League. They have Klaas Jan Huntelaar up front who is firing on all cylinders at the moment at international level, and in the domestic league. Huntelaar is 11/10 at Bet365 to get on the score sheet as Anytime Goalscorer. They also have ex Real Madrid legend Raul who is 11/8 at SkyBet. As for Hapoel, the really haven’t managed to pose much of a threat to anyone. Look for a home win in this one, as German grounds are notoriously intimidating at the best of times to travel to.
Tip: Schalke to win

Lyon v Benfica

Lyon to win: 5/4 at William Hill
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
Benfica: 13/5 at BetFred

Lyon are always one of those sides which you look to and think that they should be a banker at home. They are always hanging around the Champions League, and always give a good account of themselves. They reached the semi finals of the competition last year, ousting Real Madrid along the way, and they are very sound group stage players. After seeing off the main threat of Schalke in their opening match, and backing that up with a comfortable win over Hapoel, they now have a comfortable home match against Hapoel. Another three points will see them on maintain at least the three point lead they hold now. Six goals in two games shows that there is no shortage of confidence up front. Portugal’s Benfica got themselves off to a nice start by beating Hapoel, who are regarded as the weakest side in the group, before falling to Schalke on match day two. That was really a missed opportunity for the Portuguese, who didn’t find the Germans in great form, but still couldn’t get the better of them. Now they have the extremely hard task of trying to get the better of one of the best Champions League performers around in Lyon. They travel to France as underdogs, and your football betting should easily reflect that. Expect Lyon to push on comfortably with a win and maintain expected progress towards winning the group.
Tip: Lyon to win

Group C

Manchester United v Bursaspor

Man Utd to win: 2/9 at 888Sport
Draw: 6/1 at Bet365
Bursaspor to win: 14/1 at Bodog

See our full match betting preview here

Rangers v Valencia

Rangers to win: 13/5 at BetFred
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Valencia to win: 5/4 at Totesport

It may be a little bit of a surprise to some as to how well Scottish Champions Rangers are do in the Champions League so far. With no automatic place in the competition from next season for the winners of the Scottish Premier League, Rangers have to go for broke. They sit on four points, level with Man Utd at the top of the group, and a lot of that was down to the incredible amount of hard work which they put in to earn themselves a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. Many had expected the Scots to go there and get walked all over, but they didn’t. In many ways they generally held on comfortably and made Man Utd look a bit lethargic and devoid of ideas. That was to their credit, and even more to the credit of Rangers, they sneaked themselves a win against Bursaspor in their second match, leaving them unbeaten after two matches. Man Utd and Valencia were supposed to be the strong teams to lead the way, and that may yet happen. Valencia really were the better team against Man Utd, but they just never took their chances, and the Spaniards paid the price when United stole a late goal through Hernandez to claim all three points. Up until that point, Valencia really had looked the most likely to win, and with their 4-0 thumping of Bursaspor prior to that, Valencia have to be strong favourites in your betting for this one. They are a good, quality side, and could over power Rangers. Rangers need one of their biggest European nights at home to stay in contention in the group with this one. However, you have to question the lack of firepower in Europe, and it is hard to see them outscoring Valencia.
Tip: Valencia to win

Group D

Panathinaikos v Rubin Kazan

Panathinaikos to win: 9/5 at William Hill
Draw: 23/10 at Boylesports
Rubin Kazan to win: 7/4 at Victor Chandler

There is still a lot to play for in this group really, and this is an important match. Rubin were seen as one of those potential dark horses in the tournament, and difficult to beat. Their opening day loss against Copenhagen really put the dampeners on that reputation, and now they find themselves on one point from two matches and in danger of being out of the qualification race. However, a win for them here would really get them back on track with Copenhagen and Barcelona squaring off. Rubin put in a better performance on match day two, frustrating the might of Barcelona in Russia in a 1-1 draw. That was more of what was expected from them, and you have to look at them as favourites to go on and win this one, if they are to give a serious account of themselves. Panathiakos haven’t shown up to the races yet, as the Greeks have suffered two defeats and only one goal. They got hammered 5-1 by Barcelona on the opening day, and then lost at home to Copenhagen, leaving them bottom and without a point. There doesn’t look enough quality to really challenge for a qualification spot, but this is their best chance of picking up at least a point. A draw here looks very promising, otherwise would lean towards  Kazan sneaking it by the odd goal. Nothing more than that, in what should be a tight match.
Tip: Draw

Barcelona v Copenhagen

Barcelona to win: 1/7 at Bet365
Draw: 15/2 at Victor Chandler
Copenhagen to win: 20/1 at BetFred

Not many would have expected to see Copenhagen topping Group D after a couple of matches. TO their credit though, the Danes have done what Barcelona have failed to do, and that is win their opening two matches. What is more pleasing about the performances of the Danes, is that they have really ran a tight ship and kept two clean sheets with good, organised defensive displays. While the win against Panathinaikos was somewhat expected, holding on to a 1-0 against Rubin showed some good mettle. With Barcelona trailing Real Madrid in La Liga, and after only managing a 1-1 draw away at Rubin on match day two, the mighty Catalan side really need a victory here. It looks as if it is not going to be as comfortable as a ride as they would have thought when the draw was made. Anything less than a win for Barcelona would really set the cat amongst the pigeons and in situations like this, your football betting is generally well served by backing the favourites to come through any little awkward tricky patch. A good away win would put Barcelona firmly in the driving seat of Group D, in which they sit in second place at the moment, two points behind Copenhagen. Barcelona will have home advantage left against Copenhagen and Rubin still to come.
Tip: Away win