USA

Golf Betting: In an unprecedented Monday finale for the Ryder Cup, the pairings have been drawn, and Europe go into the final extended day three points to the good. It was a super Sunday for Europe Captain Colin Montgomerie, as he watched his side win all but one of the day’s six matches. Europe now have a very commanding  9½-6½ lead, finally taking command of a Ryder Cup which was finely in the balance going into Sunday’s matches. There were two foursomes matches to start the day, and Europe really took the match to the USA, with Luke Donald and Lee Westwood destroying the partnership of Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, beating them by 6 and 5. To back that up, the North Irish pairing of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell picked up another point for Europe as they took down Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan by 3 and 1. That set up a great day of action going into the Fourballs, in which some late drama ensured that Europe finished unbeaten on the day. A thrilling finish by the Italian Molinari brothers to halve their match against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar really put the icing on the European cake that had been baking so well throughout the day down in Newport at Celtic Manor. The USA had started the day with a 6-4 lead, but the riposte from Europe was stunning. Even the battling Molinari pairing, who had to fight back from a shot down through the back nine, raised the proverbial roof when Francesco birdied on the 18th to rescue a half point.

It is incredible what a bit of momentum can do, and as unlikely as it seemed, Europe now start the final day, the twelve singles matches with a strong advantage. Only once before has a three point deficit been overcome going into the singles in Ryder Cup history. That is how strong a chance that the Europeans have of reclaiming the Ryder Cup. Here we cast a look down the singles pairings, as we gauge the betting tips for your Ryder Cup golf betting and see who should come out on top. Naturally with Europe in such a strong position, it is not going to be worth looking at outright match odds really, so here is a guide to the twelve singles pairings, along with tips, the best odds on golf betting

Lee Westwood v Steve Stricker

England’s Lee Westwood has been the backbone of the team. All concerns over his fitness have been blown away as he really has shown his worth. He is officially the second best player in the world according to the rankings, and he has certainly lived up to his reputation and has led calmly from the front. His partnership with Luke Donald in the foursomes on Sunday was phenomenal. Stricker goes with worse record over the three day’s play, and he is likely to find the going tough in this opener against Westwood. Not looking at his most enthusiastic or confident. Europe go out strong putting more points on the board early. Westwood will again be key to the entire European effort, and taking down one of the USA’s big hopes could really open the floodgates.
Tip: Westwood Evens at Ladbrokes
Others: Tie 6/1 at Stan James, Stricker to win 13/8 at SportingBet

Rory McIlroy v Stewart Cink

What can you say about the youngster McIlroy. He certainly has had plenty to say about the event, riling the Americans before a ball was hit in anger. Has been partnered with fellow countryman Graeme McDowell and now he goes out on his own. He has made some errors, which really can’t be put down to nerves, but he has the potential to explode. This round could really put a feather in his cap. He is a strong, passionate character out on the course and often looks fearless. He goes against Cink who was a captain’s pick for the team and he hasn’t quite delivered the goods, winning just one foursomes and losing his two fourball matches. The confidence which McIlroy has should carry him through this one against the old head.
Tip: McIlroy 21/20 at SportingBet
Others: Tie 6/1 at Ladbrokes, Cink to win 11/8 at Ladbrokes

Luke Donald v Jim Furyk

Donald was one of the top performers in the foursomes, and as expected has made a valuable contribution. Did lose his fourball match, but his two wins in the foursomes keeps in good standing, and he has looked relaxed around Celtic Manor. Steady performer and will need to be against Furyk, who came into the Ryder Cup with form. Furyk has not won a match, losing his fourball and halving his foursomes. Again, like so many of the American’s hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. Experience under pressure could count for a lot, and he is a steadying influence. But Donald is looking very good and should be riding high just about now after his storming win against Woods and Stricker. Again, momentum could be key.
Tip: Donald to win 23/20 at SportingBet
Others: Tie 6/1 at Ladbrokes, Furyk to win 5/2 at SportingBet

Martin Kaymer v Dustin Johnson

Germany’s Martin Kaymer was perhaps being carried just a little bit by Ian Poulter in Sunday’s fourballs. They ran out 2 and 1 winners over Mickelson and Fowler, but the German is on a good record and undefeated at the 2010 Ryder Cup. Two wins and tie has put him among the top points earners, but being paired with Lee Westwood may be embellishing things. Dustin Johnson is yet another who has not delivered at all and he will be looking at horror at his stats of three loses. Just not got the putter going either which could be too late to pull back, but has a good chance in what should be a tight match here.
Tip: Tie 6/1 at Stan James
Others: Johnson to win 6/4 at Stan James, Kaymer 10/11 at SportingBet

Ian Poulter v Matt Kuchar

Poulter and his experience, was always going to be looked at to make an impact. A colourful character is he, and he has delivered the goods in tight matches. Overall on the PGA Poulter hasn’t risen to the occasion enough this year, but he is a good match play golfer which has clearly shown, making him an important part of the team. American Kuchar came into the tournament, with a lot of admiration for the season which he has had, which has seen him perform consistently, but the wins have eluded him far to often. Two tied matches and a win under his belt, and he is doing well. This should be an entertaining match and really could swing either way. Nothing too much between them at all, but Kuchar could just edge it with consistency, after being the only American (paired with Cink) to pick up a half point for his country on Sunday.
Tip: Kuchar 6/4 at SkyBet
Others: Poulter to win 11/10 at Totesport, Tie 6/1 at Stan James

Ross Fisher v Jeff Overton

If Europe is looking for one of their best performers, then they do not have to look much further than Ross Fisher. Had an outstanding Sunday paired with Padraig Harrington, completely showing up his more established and senior partner. One of the best rookie performances of the 2010 Ryder Cup, and fully justified his place in the team. Again, accuracy and consistency. Those were traits which Overton was singled out for, but we haven’t quite seen the spark from him. He has looked steady and calm throughout, but two loses in three matches must have dented his confidence. Again, this should be a pretty tight match, with both having the potential to land heavy blows. Momentum again edges it for the golf betting.
Tip: Fisher 10/11 at Stan James
Others: Tie 6/1 at Stan James, Overton to win 7/4 at Ladbrokes

Miguel Angel Jimenez v Bubba Watson

Jiminez has been battling along, and picked up a great point along with Peter Hanson on Sunday. However, you would have to look at Bubba Watson edging this one. It should be an emotional final match for Watson due to his father’s illness, and has that little bit of extra spark over the experience of Jimenez. Would look to the Americans to draw back a point in this one fairly comfortably.
Tip: Watson 13/10 at SportingBet
Others: Tie 11/2 at SkyBet, Jiminez to win 5/4 at Ladbrokes

Francesco Molinari v Tiger Woods

The Italian brothers have been great fun watching, as they are getting really involved with the crowd, getting the home supporters pumped up behind them. However, along with Jiminez they are probably seen as the weaker links on the team, and Francesco, although pulling out a great 18th hole in Sunday’s fourballs, has made mistakes at crucial times, dropping shots from good positions. Woods doesn’t have a great Ryder Cup record, but have has two wins under his belt here. Woods got demolished by Westwood and Donald in the foursomes, and it will be interesting to see if he recovers from that. He hasn’t looked bad, but hasn’t looked his world beating best. Probably good for a point here though, if not, expect some wild celebrations from the Italian.
Tip: Woods 4/5 at Totesport
Others: Molinari 9/4 at Ladbrokes, Tie 11/2 at SportingBet

Edoardo Molinari v Rickie Fowler

Expecting Edoardo, although Francesco has looked the better of the two, to come to the good in this one, even it is by halving the match. Naturally playing with his brother in the pairs, he has looked comfortable, but again mistakes can be pointed out. Nevertheless, Rickie Fowler hasn’t enjoyed himself much down in Wales, and with the Italian brimming with confidence after rescuing a half a point, which in many ways felt like a win, it should even out.
Tip: Tie 5/1 at Totesport
Others: Molinari to win 5/4 at Ladbrokes, Fowler to win 7/5 at Totesport

Peter Hanson v Phil Mickelson

Hanson has contributed a point to the European cause, which will make his smile, and he has been given a big opportunity to grab a huge slice of the limelight here. He goes up against what was supposed to be the USA’s biggest weapon, their equivalent of Lee Westwood. Mickelson has looked all out of sorts and finds himself with three defeats to his name. It wasn’t supposed to be that way, but he hasn’t looked the strong confident player that was doing so well at the Masters. If Hanson can be bold on the front nine, then he could take whatever little wind that is left out of Mickelson. The American though is still class, and in a straight match, you have to expect to come good at some point during the Ryder Cup and to edge this one.
Tip: Mickelson 10/11 at SportingBet
Others: Hanson to win 15/8 at Ladbrokes, Tie 4/1 at SportingBet

Padraig Harrington v Zach Johnson

Was expecting some kind of fireworks from Harrington but they haven’t arrived. Was playing the quiet supporting mentor role to Ross Fisher, as Fisher was having a storming day on Sunday. Maybe Harrington has played a bigger part than may will recognise here. Looked fantastic during the practice rounds, and has won one, lost one and tied one, so anything can happen. He has the upper hand in experience here, and if he brings his top game, then Johnson, who has won one and lost one, shouldn’t get much change out of him. Harrington is exactly the right player to be holding things at the back end of the matches.
Tip: Harrington 13/8 at Ladbrokes
Others: Tie 4/1 at SportingBet, Johnson to win 6/5 at Ladbrokes

Graeme McDowell v Hunter Mahan

Graeme McDowell will be the last one off for team Europe and it could all be done and dusted by the time he gets home. Has partnered well with McIlroy and looks as if he has been enjoying himself. The US Open winner has shown signs of maturity, and with a 1-1-1 record in the Ryder Cup, he will fancy his chances against Hunter Mahan. Mahan was another of the Americans who had the tag of Mr Dependability, and he is a great player to watch. His form has looked a little below par than what was expected, like a lot of the American team really, but is good enough to push this match all the way.
Tip: Tie 7/2 at SportingBet
Others: McDowell to win 11/8 at Ladbrokes, Tie 7/2 at SportingBet

Now on to the crucial market of final scores. You will naturally find a lot more value here for your Ryder Cup golf betting than you will in a straight outright. The basic question for your golf betting, is how big a margin will Europe win by. Word from the American camp and captain Corey Pavin, is that they will come out fighting. The ball is in Europe’s court though firmly, and a three point lead would be a huge disaster to lose, especially at home, and especially after delivering the knock-out blow which they did on Sunday. Europe are full of confidence and you can see it, where the Americans are perhaps a little beleaguered. If you use the above golf tips as a guide, then you are looking at a comfortable 16-2 victory for Europe, which exactly the scoreline that most online bookmakers have laid as favourite in the Ryder Cup Odds. If everything goes to plan, then it really should pan out somewhere around that scoreline.

Ryder Cup Final Points Outrights

Europe 16, USA 12: 13/2 Bet365
Europe 15.5, USA 12.5: 7/1 at Bet365
Europe 15, USA 13: 7/1 at Boylesports
Europe 16.5, USA 11.5: 15/2 at Boylesports
Europe 14.5, USA 13.5: 8/1 at ExtraBet
Europe 17, USA 11: 10/1 at Bet365
Europe 17.5, USA 10.5: 14/1 at Ladbrokes
Tie: 14 at Bet365
USA 14.5, Europe 13.5: 15/1 at ExtraBet
Europe 18, USA 10: 22/1 at Ladbrokes
USA 15, Europe 13: 25/1 at ExtraBet

The 2010 Ryder Cup betting fell a little flat, as the day was inflicted with heavy rain and long delays. Still, that doesn’t mean there is not plenty of golf betting action to jump on at the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, Wales. The competition will change format from now on, in order to fit all of the games in. Usually Saturday would have been a repeat of Friday’s action, with four fourballs and four foursomes going. But because of all the time lost on Friday, and no actual match being finished yet, instead for the first time in Ryder Cup history, all of the players will be out on the course at the same time while the foursomes are being played. This is because instead of four foursomes in the Saturday’s second session, there will be six foursomes in action including all 12 players from each team. In order to make up time, the match referee has added a third session in the evening, in which four fourballs and two foursomes will be played. That kind of makes it all a bit more exciting, because there will be so much going on at the Celtic Manor on Saturday.

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So who will this suit and who will have the edge now in the golf betting? European captain Colin Montgomerie insists that he is happy with the revamped organisation of the matches, even though he finds his side down. Europe got off to a strong start in the rain, but the USA clawed their way back into things. The USA hold a two point advantage in the first of the four fourball matches, with only strong pairing of Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer doing the business for the home side. There are still enough hold left in all of those matches for things to really shift, but suddenly Europe’s overwhelming favouritism in the betting doesn’t look quite so solid. The USA will be feeling pretty confident, as Europe came out of the gates blazing, with Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher taking an early lead over Steve Stricker and Tiger woods and holding until the eighth where they lost ground and fell behind at the ninth. Westwood and Kaymer were a couple of shots ahead of Mickelson and Johnson at one point. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell fell behind just before the end of play for the day, but there were signs that McIlroy was really settling into things and enjoying, and come better weather he could have a major impact through. That pairing also held a good advantage after four holes, but the Americans came back strongly in a short spell which turned the contest on its head. So the Ryder Cup Betting, people will be thinking twice about the USA ahead of Saturday’s tee off now, after showing some battling qualities. There is still a very long way to go of course, but perhaps this whole contest is going to be a little closer than one though. Let’s look at the Fourballs in progress and explore the betting options left on those.

Westwood/Kaymer (1 up thru 12) v Mickelson/Johnson

England’s Lee Westwood is the key to this match, picking up three birdies for the cause. Europe have let this one from the second hole, and were three up at one point, but at the close of play were just one up. You expect more chances to come Westwood’s way and there isn’t a player on the European team you’d back more than him. Still worth backing.
Tip: Westwood/Kaymer 4/7 at Bet365
Others: Draw 4/1 at Boylesports, Mickelson/Johnson 9/2 at Ladbrokes

McIlroy/McDowell v Cink/Kuchar (2 up thru 11)

The European pairing really have the talent to grab this by the scruff of the neck, but two late birdies by Cink, swung the momentum the USA way. McIlroy and McDowell will be disappointed at having given up the lead, and they should be able to play with the pressure off, chasing the game. There isn’t a braver player on the European team than McIlroy, who could spark life into this one. Still a lot to play for, but Europe need to come out strong, or it could get away from them.
Tip: Draw 9/2 at Boylesports
Other: Cink/Kuchar 2/5 at Bet365, McDowell, McIlroy 6/1 at Ladbrokes

Poulter/Fisher v Stricker/Woods (All Square thru 10)

This one will probably go to the wire as they closed the day all square. This one which Europe led in right from the off, they just couldn’t build on their one shot lead. The colourful Poulter is key here, guiding the inexperienced Fisher around. It was Fisher who opened the scoring, but Poulter who has carried the can since. They have a little momentum back after drawing level right at the close of play from a Poulter putt. Woods, even though his Ryder record isn’t great, is doing OK, but halving this match would be a good result for them.
Tip: Poulter/Fisher 15/8 at Stan James
Other: Woods/Stricker 5/4 at Bet365, Draw 7/2 at Boylesports

Donald/Harrington v Watson/Overton (1 up thru

The fourth match has been all about Europe playing catch up right from the off. The experience is with the European team on this one, but it is the Ryder Cup rookies of Team USA who have been in good control here. Luke Donald pulled back a hole at the close of play, leaving the USA just one up. Harrington looked great in practice but hasn’t hit those heights yet. Still time for Europe to turn this one around, especially in the latter stages, but Watson’s driving could just give the USA the edge.
Tip: Draw 22/5 at Totesport
Other: Watson/Overton 10/11 at Paddy Power, Harrington/Donald 11/4 at Ladbrokes

Ryder Cup Outright Betting Odds

Despite being a little behind at the close of play, Europe are still favourites at the bookmakers to bring home the bacon as they say. With a best price of 4/5 at Totesport, Europe are still believed to be in the driving seat overall. Team USA, captained by Corey Pavin, who was a bit disgruntled that his team’s waterproofs weren’t quite so waterproof, are best positioned in the betting at BetFred for a price of 8/5. If you think the event will play out as a tie, then you can fetch odds of 12/1 at SkyBet. In the case of the 2010 Ryder Cup playing out as a tie, Stan James will refund all losing outright and correct points bets on the Ryder Cup as free bets.

2010 Ryder Cup Outright Betting Odds

Schedule:
Friday, October 1st - Morning: Fourballs (x4) Afternoon: Foursomes (x4)
Saturday, October 2nd - Morning: Fourballs (x4) Afternoon: Foursomes (x4)
Sunday October 3rd – Singles (x12)

Ryder Cup Outright Betting

Europe: 7/10 at Paddy Power
Tie: 12/1 at Bet365
USA: 2/1 at Stan James

Well, the big day has arrived, as the World’s top golfers head to Celtic Manor in Newport Wales to contest the Ryder Cup. Home advantage is with Europe this time and they look to get their hands back on the coveted trophy. In many circles, Europe are being tipped as having the strongest team, and while the USA do have some strong weapons in their pack, golf betting probably should be going towards Europe having a home victory. The two captains going head to head are Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, and the US may just have the edge in that department, in terms of selection strategy. Montgomerie though, is no stranger to being in the limelight and taking on the press, so that should ease some pressure off his players as all of the focus will be on the big man. However, the US should be underdogs in the golf Ryder Cup betting, and that is because there are question marks over their top players. Europe actually have more players making their debut in the tournament than the USA, but you can see a little better form and more consistency in the game of the Europeans. Team USA’s star players, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods really haven’t looked anywhere near their best over the second half of the season, and if their main talisman isn’t firing, then the USA could struggle.

Online Bookmaker Ryder Cup Betting Promotions:

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• Boylesports are running lost stake refunds if your player is leading after 9 holes, but then goes on to lose the match. If that happens, Boylesports will refund your bet. Also, if the winning putt for the Ryder Cup is made by an Irishman, which has a fair chance with McIlory, McDowell and Harrington in there, then Boylesports will also give refunds on lost bets for selected markets. The online bookmaker also offers a £20 free bet when you open a new account with them.

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You look at form and experience and you have to be guided towards an outright Europe win. There will naturally be a lot of nerves and with all of the rookies in the tournament, anything can happen and it may all come down to who can hold it together when the pressure is on. Again, Europe may just have the edge as a lot of the American side aren’t coming into the tournament on the back of great form. The signs are good for Europe, but there is a question mark over the setup of the course at Celtic Manor however as it seems to have been set up for big hitting. That would give a big advantage to Team USA, as they definitely have the longer drivers out of the two teams. That doesn’t automatically make it a shoe in for success there, because there is the need for accuracy, and on the look of things, you would have to swing slightly back in the favour of the Europeans again. History does not back a Team USA win away from their home soil, and with the added support of the home crowd and conditions, then it is almost like starting the match with an extra point or two in the bag.

Friday Fourballs Betting Odds

Match 1: Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer v Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson

Tip: Well, there is a clear statement from the American captain Cory Pavin, that they want to get off to a strong start. They have thrown in Phil Mickelson, arguably the ace in the American pack, along with one of the season’s most consistent performers in Dustin Johnson. This is a very strong pairing, with Mickelson having won the Masters this year, and Johnson who won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the BMW Championship this year, and finished 5th in the FedExCup standings. He only missed the cut on three of his 23 outings this year, and is a strongly consistent performer. This is the equivalent of the Americans throwing down the gauntlet. For Europe, there was a feeling that Westwood, Europe’s top golfer, was going to get a bit of a rest. He has been struggling with an injury going back to the Open, and missed out on the end of seeing PGA FedExCup party and the US Open. Nonetheless, even when injured he is a world class act and should make for a fascinating match up against Mickelson. Westwood’s partner Kaymer could well be one of the unsung heroes of Team Europe. The German won the US PGA Championship and leads the European rankings in the Race to Dubai (an end of season shebang). Has three solid wins to his name this year and had shown great calmness under pressure. With Mickelson struggling for some form over the latter stage of the season, and on home turf, Europe should be able to edge this one, but it will be a big tussle. Westwood should make all the difference.

Westwood/Kaymer to win: 23/20 at Boylesports
Draw: 5/1 at Ladbrokes
Mickelson/Johnson to win: 6/4 at Bet365

Match 2: Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell v Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar

Tip: This is a fascinating match. Two of Ireland’s best, McIlroy and McDowell have the capacity to thrill. McIlory especially, something of a prodigy in the game, is one of the most confident and brave players you will see. He has already riled up the opposition by stating that Tiger Woods has lost his aura because of his personal problems. This came after Woods was, to some surprise, including in Team USA. McIlory has played some phenomenal golf this year, but often pops up with a bad round which puts him out of contention. Won at Quail Hollow this year, plus has picked up a couple of good top three finishes. McDowell famously won the US Open this year, seemingly from out of the blue. Is in decent shape and can usually be backed for some consistency, but maybe not the cutting edge to pick up a lot more majors. His last appearance in the Ryder Cup was in 2008, where picked up two and a half points out of his four matches. There’s a little bit of history, as McDowell beat Cink (2 and 1) in the singles. Cink is in the team courtesy of being a captain’s pick (in order words he didn’t qualify automatically). Good experience in the Ryder Cup, but not a particularly outstanding record. Partner Matt Kuchar has enjoyed something of a great season, although most of it has been flying under the radar. Incredibly consistent and won The Barclays in the FedExCup play-off, which was his best finish of the year and deserved a win. This is a fairly even match up and McDowell could make all the difference in backing up McIlory. Europe should edge this, but a half is worth looking at.
McIlory/McDowell to win: 4/5 at Bet365
Draw: 11/2 at Coral
Cink/Kuchar to win: 11/5 at Stan James

Match 3: Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher v Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods

Tip: The colourful Poulter won the WGC Match Play earlier in the year, but was unable to back it up with another Tour win. His closest finish can in Abu Dhabi where he came in second. He can be hit and miss, but on his day, he can be a diamond. He does have a good Ryder Cup record, winning five of his seven matches from his two Ryder Cup Tours. Again there is history here, as Poulter has beaten Stricker before in singles at the Ryder Cup. His team mate Ross Fisher is making his debut in the event, and comes in strong after some good performances this year, including winning a hotly contested Irish Open. He also finished second at the BMW International. Poulter’s experience could be key here, but they are up against some tough opposition. Steve Stricker could be pencilled in as one of the PGA Tour players of the year, such as good season he has had. Always dangerous and there is little to complain about over his consistency. Being paired with Woods, he will actually be the senior player as Woods was only a captain’s pick. What will Woods be able to do? He has shown glimpses of greatness this season, but by and large he has kind of paled into anonymity. He is an enigma of course, but actually his Ryder Cup record isn’t one to whoop and cheer about, having lost more than he has won. Has a lot to prove, but with Stricker, they Americans could well have a slight advantage in this match.

Poulter/Fisher to win: 6/4 at Blue Square
Draw: 5/1 at SkyBet
Woods/Striker to win: 10/11 at SportingBet

Match 4: Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington v Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton

Tip: Europe will look to two players who have shown some great recent form for the fourth match. Luke Donald looked good in the FedExCup Championship, but lost out by one shot. He is one of those consistent players who quietly goes about his business and is a great team player. Has two titles to his name this year, and is a two times Ryder Cup winner. Has only made one previous fourball outing though, in which he halved the match. He will be ably partnered by Padraig Harrington, who was one of the star performers in practice this week for Europe and no surprise that he gets the nod. The Irishman hasn’t been able to get over the finish line first this season, but he came close in the Irish Open where he finished second. Has a long history in the Ryder Cup, where his record in the pairings is not particularly outstanding. He should get a lift playing with Donald though, and it makes a well selected pairing. In Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, the Americans field one of their potential pairings. Both Watson and Overton have their great merits, with Watson being one of the longest drivers on the PGA. However, both are making their Ryder Cup debut, and that has to give an edge to Europe.

Harrington/Donald to win: 3/4 at BetFair
Draw: 5/1 at Totesport
Watson/Overton to win: 9/4 at SkyBet

England’s Under 20 women’s side crashed out of the World Cup after failing to win any of their group matches, and there goes the national interest in this tournament, which has thrown up some pretty interesting football matches. England only managed to pick up one point from a draw against Nigeria in their opening match. They then dominated against Mexico but lost 1-0, and then the lively Japan completely over-ran the English as the Asian side ran out 3-1 winners. A lot more was expected of England to be honest, and even though they played quite well, there was a lack of a punch up front for the young women. Sadly it’s an all too familiar story for English national sides. So who is left in the competition? Let’s take a look at the quarter final line ups, and the predicted route to the final for the tournament, which is being held in Germany. The quarter final matches are being played on the 24th and 25th of July, with the final to come on August 1st.

Germany to win: 4/7 at Stan James
Draw: 29/10 at Bwin
North Korea to win: 17/4 at Bwin

Germany v North Korea is undoubtedly the match of the quarter finals to look out for. Germany simply blitzed their way through their group, being one of the most attacking and free flowing teams at the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup. They have hit eleven goals in their three matches so far, elevating them to one of the favourites for the tournament. They beat France 4-1 in their final group match, their supposed toughest game, thanks to a hat trick from Alexandra Popp. Now they have to go up against North Korea, who are one of the best women’s sides in the world, and former World Champions. After wins against Brazil and New Zealand, North Korea looked to be on course to top their group, but a strong comeback from Sweden in their final group match, saw the Asian side fall 3-2 after one of the best second halves of the tournament. The North Koreans are technically good, but they were just out-muscled by the Swedes. Germany have a tough match here, but they will go as favourites, but North Korea are not to be underestimated. On the whole Germany look to have the edge.

South Korea to win: 3/5 at Bwin
Draw: 27/10 at Bwin
Mexico to win: 18/5 at Bwin

Mexico v South Korea. The winner of this will play the winner of Germany v North Korea, so there could be a massive North Korea v South Korea encounter going on in the semi’s. Mexico, courtesy of one win and two draws, squeezed their way through England’s group. They haven’t looked the best side at the tournament, but have played with plenty of heart. South Korea on the other hand have showed some great attacking flair, hitting nine goals in their three group matches. Probably not the strongest defence, but they should be able to get the upper hand of possession against Mexico. South Korea matched up against the tournament favourites USA quite well in their last match, even though they lost 1-0. They will be happy that they created good chances, especially when JI So Yun came on at half time. Would lean towards South Korea getting through here.

Sweden to win: 4/5 at Stan James
Draw: 27/10 at Bwin
Colombia to win: 13/4 at Bwin

Sweden v Colombia starts things in the other half of the draw. The Swedes are one of those teams which dig in well and fight for each other, and they have always had a good record at the different levels of women’s football. Came through the group well, without really overly impressing, but they held Brazil to a draw which was a crucial result, and then stunned favourites Korea DPR in their final group match. The second half of that match was the best we have seen from Sweden, and should give them a huge boost. Colombia left it late to qualify for the quarter finals, a nice achievement for their first appearance in the Women’s U20 World Cup. They have had a mixed bag of results, showing some fight to come back from a goal down to grab a draw against France in their opener. They then got overran by the strong Germans, but bounced back well to beat the group’s weakest side Costa Rica 3-0 in their final match. With Germany beating France, that opened the door for Colombia to squeeze through. If they break down the more established Swedes, then it will be a surprise. Probably a tight game, but would edge Sweden.

USA to win: 7/19 at Bwin
Draw: 7/2 at Bwin
Nigeria to win: 6/1 at Stan James

USA v Nigeria could well have been USA v England. But to their credit, the African side weren’t overawed in their group matches, even if they lacked a little bit of a cutting edge up front. They managed two drawn matches and a win, which sent them through in second place from England’s group. The USA will be outright favourites for this one though, as they are the top ranked team in the world and have been for some time now. After a little bit of a slow start where they could only manage a draw against a hard working Ghana side, the USA have been gaining momentum, and won their group as expected. They perhaps have not had things as comfortable as they would like, but they, without doubt have the quality to go on and win the tournament. They will be relishing the chance against Nigeria, who are one of the weaker side in the quarter finals, and with a semi final match against the winner of Sweden v Colombia, then the road to the final is relatively comfortable for the world’s best team. Would back them comfortably here. They have the tournament’s joint top scorer in Sydney Leroux, who has hit five goals along with Germany’s Popp, and South Korea’s JI So Yun.

There’s plenty of hype surrounding the England v Germany and Mexico v Argentina matches on Sunday, although this match has the makings of a more entertaining clash. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg recently played host to an exciting match in the form of Denmark v Japan and there could be plenty more goals on show for the locals when these two teams take to the pitch.

Both Ghana and USA have already played at this ground during the group stages, drawing with Australia and England respectively. Indeed, the scoreline on both occasions was 1-1 and that’s on offer at odds of 5/1 (William Hill) for anyone thinks the same thing might happen here. There might be little to separate the two teams, who have shown lots of guts and character to reach this stage and both will want to go far for very different reasons.

The Black Stars are the only remaining African team left in the competition, with the hosts, Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast all falling by the wayside. However, Ghana’s 1-0 win over Serbia in Pretoria was ultimately enough to ensure they finished second in Group D behind Germany and Milovan Rajevac’s team are 19/10 (William Hill) to beat the Americans and reach the last eight.

The lion’s share of the support is likely to be for the Ghanaians, who might have got a decent result against Germany if they had shown more composure in front of goal. Indeed, the manager has called for the team to convert their chances and their main danger man when it comes to scoring is surely Asamoah Gyan. The Rennes forward has scored twice from the penalty spot and he’s 7/1 (Victor Chandler) to crank the vuvuzelas up to high volume by scoring the opener.

The United States of America have shown themselves to be very united in this World Cup! Bob Bradley’s team fell behind against England before drawing 1-1, while they were two goals down at half-time in their match against Slovenia but ended the match unfortunate not to win after pegging back the opposition to 2-2. It looked as though this bad refereeing decision was going to prove costly until Landon Donovan’s late strike won the match against Algeria and ensured they finished top of Group C.

Therefore, we should expect a never-say-die spirit from the Americans, who are marginal favourites to win at odds of 13/8 (Sky Bet). However, the 23/10 at Ladbrokes that the match ends all square looks infinitely more attractive. We know that both teams have the spirit to come from behind and you can never rule out a tense encounter with neither side wanting to make any mistakes. However, captain Donovan has scored in the last two matches for his side and he’s a tempting 11/4 (bet365) to be on the scoresheet in this clash.

Online bookmakers Boylesports are promoting a cash back offer for Saturday’s big World Cup match between England and the USA. The two nations go head to head in Rustenburg on Saturday, as they both open their accounts in Group C. England go into the match as firm favourites, as they remain one of the strong forces in betting to lift the trophy in the World Cup final in Johannesburg on July 11th. With all that in mind, it is time for the Boylesports US A-Team cash back special. The deal from Boylesports, is this. If England fail to win the game, then the online bookmaker will generously refund any losing single bets on the following markets. If you having any of the following bets on the England v USA match, then you will be covered by this promotion: 1st/last/anytime goalscorer, score and win, player to score 2 or more goals, hat-trick and score cast markets on the match.

That’s a pretty comprehensive list, which provides some good coverage on the big match. Can Fabio Capello’s men impress? How will the midfield hold up without anchor man Gareth Barry? Who threat will the Americans pose to English defence now that it is missing captain Rio Ferdinand. These issues are what Fabio Capello is getting paid to overcome, and all will be revealed on Saturday. In realistic terms, a good result for the USA in this 2010 FIFA World Cup opener, would be a result, and therefore, if they go ahead and do that, or even do the unthinkable of beating England, then at least your above bets would be covered if they lose as well. You are covered if England fail to beat the USA. Cash back offers from online bookmakers are well worth taking advantage of, as they do provide some coverage on markets you may never normally touch.

There is much more on offer from Boylesports of course, who throw cash back promotions out regularly for different sporting events. They also offer a nice welcome bonus of up to £20 worth of free bets when you open a new account. There is a great World Cup 2010 betting section on the website, which offers extensive coverage on outrights and match betting. There are also things like daily bonus accumulators that you can play, as well as plenty of totals betting. With plenty of stats, live in play betting and a soccer radio as well, Boylesports are an excellent bookmaker with excellent opportunities for your World Cup Betting.

England v USA is where all of the nations focus will be on Saturday, as the two teams go head to head in the Group C opener. England are the favourites to get their noses in front in the group, and online bookmaker Extrabet, who specialise in spread betting, are running a promotion surrounding England’s great hope, Wayne Rooney. For England’s first match of South Africa 2010, Extrabet are paying out a generous extra 20% on top of winnings for punters who buy Wayne Rooney Goal minutes.

What does this mean for those unfamiliar with spread betting? Well, if Extrabet put 27-30 for Wayne Rooney Goal Minutes against the USA at , then that is the spread for the market. So now, if you buy goals (meaning that you think it will be higher than the top end of the spread (in this case 30), then you name your stake for this bet. So, let’s just say in this example, you Buy Wayne Rooney Goal Minutes for £1. If Rooney scores in the 35th minute, then you will win £5 (£1 per Goal Minute after the 30). If he scores in the 45th minute, then you will win £15 (45th minute – 30 spread = profit of 15).

Be aware though, that spread betting can lead to losses. If in the above example, Rooney scored in the 10th minute, then you would lose £17 (27 spread – 10th minute). The only way you would win if Wayne Rooney scored before the 27th minute in this example, would be if you had sold Wayne Rooney Goal Minutes (essentially betting on him scoring earlier than the spread). But the Extrabet 20% promotion only applies when you Buy Wayne Rooney Goal Minutes in the England v USA match on Saturday. Spread betting can bring large rewards, and is worth studying properly before jumping in, as it runs higher risks. But with that risk comes the risk of loss, so you will need to bone up on your stats to help you!

Still, the options are there for punters who do enjoy Spread Betting, and Extrabet is a great place to go to do it. They have a fantastic looking website, which is well organised with awesome graphics and layout. There is much to be explored at Extrabet, and they provide a brilliant user guide to punters who are new to the experience of spread betting. The Wayne Rooney Goal Minutes promotion is just the beginning of the offers that Extrabet will be running for the summer’s big football tournament in South Africa. All you need to do is keep an eye on their home page to see what promotion follows.

It should be one of those inevitable World Cup moments, watching Wayne Rooney score. Paddy Power have launched their World Cup cash back offer surrounding England’s great hope. Although he hasn’t found the back of the net in England’s recent international friendly warm ups, there is a big chance that Rooney will score. He is one of the leaders to win the Golden Boot after all. England start their World Cup campaign against the USA on June 12th, and England will need to step up their drive and passion when they face the Americans, following lack lustre international friendly run outs. Paddy Power’s Money Back Special for Rooney, is focused on the England v USA fixture. The deal is this, if Wayne Rooney scores at any time during the match, then the online bookmaker will refund all lost stakes on the First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast markets. This applies to single bets, and is subject to a one hundred pound maximum return.

Paddy Power will provide great coverage on the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and offer a free £25 bet for new customers. Simply open a new account, and when you place your first stake of up to a maximum of £25, Paddy Power will match your amount with a free bet. With live in-play betting during the World Cup, and well known for their cash back promotions, Paddy Power have a lot to offer for your betting experience on the greatest football show on earth. Their World Cup section is loaded with betting opportunities, from individual match sub markets, to group and tournament outrights. England kick off on June 12th, so there is still time to join up and make the most of the “Roo Beauty” cash back promotion.

Canada vs. USA ice hockey betting will be through the roof on Sunday, as the two nations have to go at it all over again. The two sides met in the group stages of the Olympics, which the Americans, the firm underdogs, won out by a score of 5-3. That sent the Canadian nerves jittering, as their neighbours had simply outworked their superstar laden team from the Olympic host nation. After being taken to overtime by Switzerland too in the group stages, there were worries over a repeat of the last Olympics where the Canadian Ice Hockey team crashed and burned badly after starting as favourites.

The defeat against the Americans sent the Canadians into a quarter final showdown against the much fancied Russians (after they had easily won a quarter final play-off against Germnay), who have just as many superstar players as the Canadians. The downfall of having so many star players, is that it sometimes comes at the expense of teamwork, which is exactly what won the match for the Americans over the Canadians. But, in a blitz of a first period, the Canadians brushed aside the Russians, notably tying up Alexander Ovechkin, who is arguably the best ice hockey player in the world. The Canadians then went into the semi final full of confidence, but were brought down to earth again by Slovakia. After stretching out to a 3-0 lead, the Canadians started faltering, allowing the Slovaks to get score two goals to get within touching distance. It should have all been tied up right at the end, but Pavel Demitra missed in what only can be described as an inexplicable manner.

The USA had little trouble seeing off their semi final opponents Finland, after a storming first period. Team USA ran out 6-1 winners to coast into the Olympic final, somewhat against the odds. Unlike the Canadians, the American team is a very youthful one, as they have for young talent over experienced heads. They don’t have the pound for pound skill or class that the Canadians have, but they have a great hustle to their game on the forecheck, which has been disruptive for other teams. Thinking of betting strategies on this one, one wonders if the underdog can have their day twice in the same tournament over the favourites? The Canadians are blowing hot and cold, but they have the power and talent in the likes of Sidney Crosby, Rick Nash, Jerome Iginla and Joe Thornton to tear the Americans apart.

It could all come down to teamwork, something which the Canadians have been lacking. But if it comes down to a moment of sheer class to win a high pressured match between these two fiercest of rivals, then the betting will lean towards the Canadians. Will the home nation be frost bitten twice? Will they have learned their lessons from the first encounter? Sunday’s Olympic Gold Medal match will have all of the answers, and if the previous match was anything to go by, it should not be short on action and passion.

Canada to win: 1/2 at Coral
USA to win: 15/8 at SkyBet

Sunday could be one of the greatest days of International ice hockey for many a year. There are three rivalry matches taking place at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and topping the bill is the USA v Canada clash. These two exponents of the game, occupy most of the roster spots in the NHL, and now they come together in a winner takes all match to seal a bye through to the quarter finals of the Olympic competition. Qualification is a little confusing, it has to be said, with twelve teams participating in three groups of four. The winners of each group go through to Quarter Finals, along with the best placed runner-up. All of the remaining teams then play a Quarter Final qualifying match to fill the last four spots in the Quarter Final draw. Got it? Good.

Group A threw together the USA and Canada, with Canada being favourites to take Olympic gold. They really do have an embarrassment of riches, and opened their account by blitzing past a sorry Norway, 8-0. Canada, under the guidance of Mike Babcock, who has led the Detroit Red Wings to Stanley Cup honours, and all time legend Steve Yzerman, looked a shoe-in from the outset to go through the competition without much problems. With players such as Sidney Crosby, Rick Nash, Jerome Iginla and Joe Thornton on your side, it’s hard to argue against a case for them getting to the final. However, the Canadian dressing room, and home fans, may just be getting a little edgy, after they were taken to overtime in their second game, which was against Switzerland. The USA, considered to be somewhat weaker than Canada, beat the Swiss 3-1 in their opening match, so it was some surprise that the Canadians failed to beat the Swiss in regulation.

It went all the way to a penalty shoot-out, which the Canadians squeezed through, with a goal from Sidney Crosby. It should not have been that difficult, it should not have been that nerve-wrecking. Now they have turned up the pressure on themselves again, as the star studded squad will be reminded of the epic failure they endured at the last Winter Olympics after coming in as strong favourites. They looked panicky in the game, especially at the back when the pressure was on. The USA side aren’t great, make no mistake, although they have racked up two wins from two, running out 6-1 winners against Norway in their second game. They do not have the overall skill depth in the squad, like Canada does, but they do have team spirit. Team coach Brian Burke, who isn’t the most popular GM in the sport, has selected a very young team, which should bring some extra spirit. The lines they are sending out, don’t look to be gelling together greatly, and they are relying somewhat on the old style power forward game as opposed to the Canadian’s skill.

David Backes from the St Louis Blues is one of the players the Canadians won’t be looking forward to playing. In the run up to the Olympics, he dropped gloves in the NHL against some Canada’s front line players, apparently, wanting to fight the entire Canadian team at club level. He is big, he is strong, and not without his skill sets, and along with Ryan Malone, Pat Kane and Zach Parise, they have the ability to make a real nuisance of themselves, if not doing it with great flair. USA vs. Canada is all about national pride, and now, with the American’s one point ahead of the Canadian’s in Group A, a win could leave the Canadians in the Quarter Final play-offs, or at best for the home nation, a bye through to Quarter Finals as best runner-up.

The other great clashes of the day, comes between Euro rivals Finland vs. Sweden, and a monstrously mouth watering game between Russia vs Czech Repulic. Sweden are the defending Champions, are two wins from two games, just the Finnish, but are lagging behind on goal difference. The Russians are strong favourites to do well in the competition, but suffered a shock overtime loss to Slovakia. They now need a win against the table topping Czech’s to secure top spot. The Czech’s a talented, yet maybe understated side, certainly going forward, have progressed steadily through their opening two games, but Russia, packed full of superstars should get the upper hand. They have one of, if not the greatest hockey player at the moment, in Alexander Ovechkin, who can pretty much win games single handedly. It will need a concerted all round team effort though if they are to make the promised land of the Olympic Gold medal. Sunday, for ice hockey fans, is not one to miss.

Russia to win: 3/4 at SportingBet
Draw: 18/5 at Ladbrokes
Czech Republic to win: 29/10 at Bwin

Winter Olympics Outright Winner Prices at Coral
Canada: Evens, Russia: 9/4, Sweden: 6/1, USA: 8/1, Czech Republic: 14/1