The Top Ten British Sports Bets for 2011

Sports Betting

1 ) 2010/11 Champions League

Chelsea to win – 5/1 at BetFred

Yes, Barcelona just have incredible power and are as near to a perfect team as you could want. Real Madrid, who are better than they have been for years, were crushed by Barca 5-0 in a recent El Clasico encounter in La Liga, and Madrid remain second faouvrites to win the Champions League. That is how good Barcelona are. The three times European Cup winners (the last time being in 2008-09) are favourites to go all of the way again, and who could argue against it? Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol and Xavi merely scratch the surface of a phenomenal side. However, Chelsea really do represent England’s best chance of being a Champions League winner for 2011. They are the team whose style are most suited to winning the tournament, and they have come so close but just haven’t been able to get their hands on it. What may work in their favour, is their poor domestic form. Yes, that may sound weird, but last year, when they crashed out from the Champions League early to Inter Milan, their league form picked up. If they are falling behind in the Premier League race this year, perhaps it will spur them on to something bigger in the Champions League. They have the quality and technical ability up front to win it, as they are a great European side, patient and looking for just that one opportunity. No, they are not in great form at the moment, but that is what makes them such an interesting proposition and good value at the moment. Who knows what the draw is going to throw up in the future. Perhaps they can avoid one of the strong Spaniards until the final, and with the final at Wembley, it seems fitting that it could Chelsea’s time finally.

2 ) 2010/11 Premier League Title

Manchester United to win – 6/4 at SkyBet

Sir Alex Ferguson, who will be United’s longest serving manager by the time this season has been done and dusted, will probably be rewarding himself with the Premier League title. It is December and no-one has beaten the Red Devils yet this season. The worrying thing for the other challengers for the title, including defending Champions Chelsea, is that United have not even been in great form. Wayne Rooney has been absent for a chunk of the season, and they haven’t had his goals to count on. Dimitar Berbatov has blown very hot and cold, and the squad looks decidedly average to what it has done in the past. However, Ferguson knows how to get the best out of people, and make them into a team which is just incredibly hard to beat. The old flair and power play of wave after wave of attack isn’t there at the moment, but they are solid enough at the back not to suffer too many hiccups on the road this year. United were tipped here at the start of the season, and are looking a good bet now at the price above. The only tweaking that they need to do, is to find a bit more of a cutting edge away from home, just to accent their great home form. It’s not been a great season in terms of out and out quality from any of the main challengers this year, and if someone is going to rise above and go all of the way, then it will be Manchester United.

3 ) 2011 Cricket World Cup

England to win – 6/1 at SportingBet

Well, no-one expected them to win the Twenty20 World Cup last year, but they did. England have really grown as a force in the shorter formats of the game, and after a long (and hopefully successful) Ashes tour Down Under in Australia, England will be in good shape. It’s been a very good year for English cricket, and why not back them to continue their good run? The One Day International format would have struck fear into England fans over twelve months ago, but England have improved enormously and that is thanks to the selectors being a bit braver in their selections. England are in a group with Bangladesh, India, Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa and the West Indies for the tournament which starts in February. Yes, the hot cricket action really doesn’t stop! Four teams from the two groups will go through to a Quarter Final knockout stage. The tournament is being hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, so there will be the conditions to deal with, which aren’t really suited to England’s game. It has put the ball in India’s court as favourites really, and the Aussies will no doubt be having a big say in things. But, with England priced as they are, and with a pretty strong batting line up which can be selected from, they really represent some good value.

4 )  2011 Women’s World Cup

England to win – 14/1 at Bwin

England do have a pretty good chance of some glory here. They are not one of the outright favourites, but an impressive 2010 has put them in some pretty good standing. They came through qualification unbeaten in their group, running up a crazy amount of goals all backed up by a solid, watertight defence. Hope Powell has built a pretty strong squad and are well worth a punt. Bwin has them out at 14/1 to win Germany 2011, and yes, they will be up against it, but why not. They are arguably the strongest European team in the tournament behind hosts Germany, and they should come through their group stage without any hassle. They are teamed up with Mexico, New Zealand and Japan. It is only Japan who realistically should cause England any real problems, and it should be a two horse race between those for the group winner. The draw could have been a lot worse for England, so they have a great chance in front of them. Germany, led by Birgit Prinz, who is probably the best woman footballer in the world are outright favourites, and Brazil and the USA will be in the mix as well. England really don’t stand toe-to-toe with the quality that Germany and the USA produce, but you know, being patriotic and hopeful of progressing further than last time, they are worth a long punt. They exited from the 2007 World Cup in the first knockout stage against the USA, but now, with veteran forward Kelly Smith leading the line, England are unbeaten in 10 matches since early 2010. They are currently the ninth ranked team in the world. Ground to make up, but potential.

5 ) Lee Westwood to win a Major in 2011

Yes: 3/1 at Unibet

Why shouldn’t the World Number One be able to win a Major? He came pretty close again during 2010, even carrying an injury. He still looked one of the most natural and comfortable players out on the PGA Tour. He surely has to be destined to win a Major, and as he keeps improving his performances in the Majors, the next natural progression for Westwood will be to land one in 2010. He has worked hard in finally deposing Tiger Woods from his world number one spot and he didn’t show any signs of letting the fantastic accomplishment get to him. Now he just needs to crown himself a Major winner to put that extra bit of gloss on his career. One of the finest strikers of the ball, with immaculate approach work with the irons, Westwood will be a threat wherever he goes. He will be in a lot better shape next year of course if his injuries do not bother him, but at least he gets a bit of a rest now before he hits the fairways next year. Helped Europe win the Ryder Cup this year as well, put it is as if the entire PGA Tour is just waiting for him to lift that Major. In a way it almost seems inevitable. Has to be backed to get that missing feather in his cap.

6 ) 2011 RBS Six Nations

England to win – 9/4 at Totesport

After some good performances in the November series of matches against Southern Hemisphere opposition, England have been instilled as favourites to win the 2011 RBS Six Nations. While England only won two of their four matches in November (against Australia and Samoa), there was a lot more promise there than has been seen for a long, long time. England finally started playing with a bit of adventure, throwing the ball around and running at the opposition instead of kicking aimless balls away. There are still plenty of flaws to their game, but at least they are now addressing one of the biggest ones, developing a cutting edge. Still, in those November matches, the gulf between real finishing power and coming close was evident against South Africa and New Zealand. The Six Nations takes on extra importance for Martin Johnson this year, as there is a World Cup to be contested in 2011. If England are going to be serious contenders there, then they have to be serious contenders to win the RBS Six Nations. England need to continue building momentum, and with the Premiership back in full swing, hopefully there is more to come from England. They have to be brave and tactically sound enough to win the Six Nations in 2011 if they are going to make an impression at the World Cup, and they stand a good chance. France and Ireland will be the main challengers, with the French looking awesome last year. The Irish always play a tight, solid game and they will push hard. It could be a close run thing, the next RBS Six Nations, and if England prevail, it will say a lot about their character.

7 ) 2011 Wimbledon

Andy Murray to win – 7/1 at Victor Chandler

It is what every British tennis fan wants to see. They all want to see the Scot lift the title at Wimbledon, and it will be worth having a punt on Murray there for 2011. That price for a third favourite is worth a flutter! Murray had an OK 2010, but didn’t quite live up to the start he had made by reaching the final of the US Open. Murray lost there to Federer, and while he had some great moments throughout the season in beating Federer and Rafael Nadal, again he could not get over the line to win a Major. His performance at the US Open really summed up his year, as he went in on pretty good form, but then crashed out early, looking a bit fatigued and out of sorts. There has to be more to come from Murray, who spent a lot of the season without a coach. On his day, he has proven that he can take on the best and beat them, that is because he is one of the best players on the ATP Tour. If he can get that same consistency and focus that Nadal and Federer is blessed with, then Murray has the natural talent in him to reach the pinnacle of men’s tennis and get his name in the hall of fame by winning a Major. He will get another four chances next year, so why not see him do it at Wimbledon?

8 ) 2011 Formula One Drivers Championship

Lewis Hamilton – 3/1 at Stan James

Another chance to get all patriotic with your betting. The only thing really which stopped Lewis Hamilton from winning his second Drivers Championship this year, was Lewis Hamilton. The British driver was in a strong position, but he edgy driving caused him to have a couple of crashes towards the end of the season, and he blew his lead and couldn’t catch up. The McLarens really were playing catch up to the Red Bull and Ferrari teams for most of the season, but still Lewis Hamilton put himself in a position to challenge for the title. If the McLarens can now go off to be upgraded properly through winter testing, then there is a great chance for Hamilton to get back to being the best in the world. What Hamilton has is bravery, and is one of the most aggressive drivers on the F1 circuit. It is a fine line which he treads which makes him so dangerous, as he pushes the limits between success and failure, unlike the steady controlled driving of team mate Jenson Button. Exciting to watch, and although he is relying on his team, worth backing to be world number one again in 2011. Hopefully he will have learned from his mistakes this year to make him an even better driver next season.

9 ) 2011 Rugby World Cup

England to win – 12/1 at Totesport

Martin Johnson’s men are currently four favourites to win the 2011 World Cup. They are worth a bet, simply because of their past performances in the tournament. Yes, we all remember the Jonny Wilkinson drop goal against Australia, and yes,  we all remember the try that wasn’t against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup final. That’s two consecutive finals for England, with the latter coming against the odds. England went into that tournament in terrible form, and without much hope, but they showed that they could grind it out when necessary (apart from the final), enjoying a much heralded victory over the Australians along the way. England are in a pool with Argentina, Scotland, Georgia and Romania, and naturally they will be clear favourites to win that group. The All Blacks, the Aussies and the Springboks are all ahead of England in the betting and understandably so. The tournament is in New Zealand, and it should be their time to lift the trophy, as they are simply a phenomenal side, and the Australians have one of the most dangerous back lines in the world. South Africa were crushed by New Zealand and Australia in the Tri-Nations this year, but they got the better of England at Twickenham in November with a great performance. World Cup winners though have pretty much been built on a solid defence, something which has been a strength of England in the past. If they can because hard to beat again, but add that spark of running creativity from the backs, then they are worth an outside bet.

10 – Elena Baltacha World Ranking

Over 61.5 6/7 at Unibet
Couldn’t let any though of the 2011 sporting year pass by without mention of Britain’s Elena Baltacha. Britain’s number one ranked tennis player has been something of an inspiration this year, picking up victories over top ten ranked players in the season, winning titles and being the face of women’s tennis for Britain. Making a return after a long injury to action in 2010, the Scot wasted no time in racing up the rankings and currently sits at a career high of 55th after starting the season in 89th. Always smiling and giving her best, there is a lot of promise and hope that there will be even more to come from her. Baltacha really epitomises British women’s tennis, and with Laura Robson and Heather Wilson coming up behind her, things are looking pretty good at the moment. Keep an eye for her on the WTA Tour.