Online Betting News from Sky Bet

Williamson 5/6 To Break The 10 Second Barrier

Following Simeon Williamson’s victory in the men’s 100 meters at the World Trials and UK Championships last weekend, Sky Bet are offering a number of specials for the 23 year old, including 5/6 that he breaks the 10 second barrier at the upcoming World Championships. Williamson, who has always had to play second fiddle to Dwain Chambers in the 100 meters, is 8/13 to beat Chambers at the World Championships in Berlin and 20/1 to break the British 100 meter record of 9.87 seconds.

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Tiger 8/1 To Hit Every Green On His First Round

The 138th Open gets underway on Thursday at Turnberry and Sky Bet are offering a wealth of markets ahead of the start of the championships. Tiger Woods, who had to miss last year’s Open due to injury, is Sky Bet’s 9/4 favourite with Sergio Garcia, who is yet to win a tournament in 2009 22/1. Three-times Open winner Woods, is 8/1 to hit every green on his first round and also 14/1 to lead through every round. Woods’ Open victory in 2006 was notable because the world number one only used his driver once in 72 holes. It’s 6/1 he doesn’t use his driver during the 2009 Open and 1/12 he does. With Woods having never played the course before, it’s 6/5 that he hits a bogey before a birdie and 12/1 he finds himself in the bunker on the first.

Sky Bet’s Tim Reynolds said, “We’re offering a host of specials on Tiger Woods including a few for his first round performance. With the world number one capable of anything on his day, it wouldn’t be a shock for him to land the 8/1 and hit every green on his first round.”

Sky Bet are also offering a special outright market on previous Open champions without Tiger Woods and make Pádraig Harrington, who is looking for his third consecutive Open victory the 5/2 joint favourite along with South Africa’s Ernie Els. Ben Cutis, who lifted the title in 2003, is 7/2 and Justin Leonard is 8/1.

From the host of specials on offer, it’s 11/10 for any player to hit a hole in hole, 5/2 that the title is decided by a play-off and 9/2 that winner takes the title by 2 shots.

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Harmison 5/6 To Start 2nd Test

Following today’s squad announcement for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, Sky Bet are offering 5/6 for Durham’s Steve Harmison to make the starting eleven. Harmison’s team-mate Graham Onions, who took 10 wickets on his debut against West Indies earlier this year and was 12th man for the first Test, is 4/9 to start.

With the Lord's pitch likely to favour seam rather than spin, it’s 4/1 that England follow the same tactics as the firstTest and play both Monty Panesar and Graham Swann. It’s 5/1 that the England selectors make no changes to the starting eleven that played in Cardiff and 1/4 that just one change is made. James Anderson’s 26 in England’s first innings and 21 not out in their second innings saw the Lancashire man extend his record for most innings without a duck to 50. It’s 11/4 that Anderson gets out for a duck during the second Test and 8/11 that his string of ducks comes to an end during the current series.

Sky Bet’s Tim Reynolds said: “England will definitely be making changes from the first Test especially with Lord’s usually favouring seam bowlers. After his performance with the ball against Australia for the England Lions and his excellent spell against Yorkshire at the weekend, Harmison could be the man drafted in, especially if Flintoff is not available to play.”

The second Test gets underway on Thursday and England are 3/1 with Sky Bet to beat Australia at Lord’s in an Ashes Test match since 1934. Australia are 7/4 to win the second Test, with the draw the favoured outcome at 11/10. After his 150 in Australia’s first innings, Ricky Ponting is 8/11 to outscore England’s Ravi Bopara in a first innings match bet and it’s 5/4 that the Australian captain is their leading runscorer. From the other batsman match bets in the second Test, the Australian opener Simon Katich is 4/5 to outscore England captain Andrew Strauss (10/11) and Michael Hussey, who was the only Australian batsman not to reach double figures in the first Test, is 5/6 to outscore Kevin Pietersen (5/6).

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Common Touch For Ryan

Ballycommon has been backed into 6/4 from 2/1 with Sky Bet to make a winning debut in the 6f maiden (2.30) at Ayr on Monday.

By the American first season sire Roman Ruler he is reported to be a colt with a bright future by trainer Kevin Ryan, who has given him a Gimcrack entry.

Matt Doyle of Sky Bet said: ‘An auction maiden is an unusual starting point for a future Group winner, but he only cost 30 Euros at Goffs and it is a shrewd bit of placing. We have even had a few enquiries about him winning here and completing the double next time at Group 2 level at York.’

Ryan, who made his name with older sprinter Halmahera, burst into the top tier of the training ranks in 2005 with the juvenile Group 1 wins of Amadeus Wolf in the Middle Park and Palace Episode in the Racing Post Trophy.

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Khan backed to beat Kotelnik inside the distance

Money is flooding in on Amir Khan to beat Andreas Kotelnik when the pair meet in their WBA Light Welterweight Title fight on July 18. The Bolton boxer has been backed down to 2/5 (from opening odds of 5/6) with Sky Bet to come out on top against the Ukrainian, who has been friendless so far and is out to 7/4 (from 5/6) for victory.

Khan has also been very well supported to win inside the distance and Sky Bet have cut him to 13/8 (from 11/4) after amassing a hefty payout.

Sky Bet’s boxing compiler, Scott Springgay, said: “Kotelnik has never been stopped inside the distance so we hope he can maintain this record against Khan, as we have a five-figure liability already on Khan winning in round 1-12 and this will only increase in the run-up to the fight.”

Sky Bet make Amir Khan 33/1 to beat defending champion Kotelnik by Technical decision. Khan goes into the fight off the back off an impressive victory over Marco-Antonio Barrera, a fight which ended by way of technical decision.

Sky Bet’s odds on Kotelnik to win by KO stand at 9/1. This will come as no surprise to many who have questioned Khan’s chin since his surprise defeat against Breidis Prescott six months ago, when he was knocked out within the opening 60 seconds. It’s 66/1 for Kotelnik to knock Khan out in the opening minute.

Since fighting Prescott, Khan has teamed up with new trainer Freddy Roach who oversaw his confident display against Barrera. Odds of 66/1 are available with Sky Bet for Khan to beat Kotelnik in the opening 60 seconds of the fight.

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Tevez 9/2 To Be Top City Scorer

Carlos Tevez is reportedly close to completing a deal with Manchester City and Sky Bet are betting on how the Argentinean international will perform at Eastlands, offering 9/2 for him to be City’s top scorer and even money for him to score twelve or more league goals in the upcoming season.

Tevez will join Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry and Stuart Taylor as City's latest recruits this summer ahead of what promises to be an exciting Premier League campaign for Mark Hughes’ men. Sky Bet are offering odds on where City will finish in the table and make them 2/5 to finish 5th or lower, 7/2 to come 4th, 9/1 3rd, 16/1 runners-up and 20/1 to win the title.

Sky Bet have suspended betting on Emmanuel Adebayor also joining Man City after a flood of bets on a move to the north west preceded news that City are in talks with Arsenal about signing the Togo international. The 25-year-old striker was backed down to 1/4 (from 100/30) today to join the Citizens.

Sky Bet’s Mike Triffitt said: “There was a bit of interest for Adebayor moving to Man City at 8/1 last night. After we reopened betting at 100/30 this morning, he was backed at all odds down before we closed the book when customers were still taking 1/4.”

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Chambers 4/6 to break 10-second barrier

Great Britain's athletes will be looking to book their places at the World Championships in Berlin this weekend as they contest the UK Championships, which double up as the trials, and once again it will be Dwain Chambers taking centre stage in the 100 metres.

His main rival for victory in Birmingham will be Simeon Williamson, who has run a best of 10.09 seconds this season, and Sky Bet have priced up a range of specials on the sprint duo.

Chambers is 4/6 to break the 10-second barrier at the World Championships and 16/1 that he dips lower than the British record of 9.87 while you can get 6/4 and 50/1 on Williamson achieving those respective feats in Berlin. In a special head-to-head market Chambers is 1/2 to do better at the Worlds than Williamson, who is available at 6/4.

Obviously Chambers is unable to compete at the 2012 Olympics but you can get 100/1 on Williamson to win gold in London and 12/1 to get a medal.

Sky Bet's athletics compiler, Ben Wright, said: "Chambers and Williamson would seem to be the best that GB currently has to offer. Chambers has put up some decent times running against limited competition.

"It is difficult to gauge his current form due to his previous drugs use impacting upon his race eligibility. Beating the 10 second barrier for the first time in eight years would seem to be his target.

"Williamson on the other hand sees Chambers as his yard stick and is determined to beat him. Williamson has been training with Asafa Powell and has since recorded some decent times on the European circuit.

"We still feel Chambers is the quicker man, while neither of them look likely to better Linford Christie's time of 9.87."

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Strachan 1/5 To Return To Saints

Sky Bet have cut Gordon Strachan to 1/5 in their next Southampton manager market after taking a flood of money on the former Celtic boss to make a shock return to St Mary’s.

Strachan has been backed down from Sky Bet’s initial offering of 4/1, which was available yesterday afternoon when new Southampton owner Markus Liebherr sacked Mark Wotte as head coach, less than 24 hours after buying the club.

Sky Bet’s Mike Triffitt said: “Strachan is the only candidate that customers have wanted to back since news broke of Wotte’s sacking yesterday. We took a steady stream of decent bets from the Southampton area at odds against last night and this morning we had several requests for four-figure bets at 8/13. We are close to suspending the market as, if the money is to be believed, Strachan will be making a return to St Mary’s.“

Sky Bet make Southampton 5/6 favourites to win their opening league fixture against Millwall (11/4, draw 9/4). Saints start in League One with a ten point penalty and are 25/1 to win the title and 8/1 for an immediate return to the Championship.

Saints travel to Bournemouth on Saturday for what is always a hotly disputed pre-season friendly against their south coast rivals and are 11/8 to win the match.

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Campbell 5/2 To Be Top Sunderland Scorer

Steve Bruce is set to making his first signing at the Stadium of Light, having reportedly agreed a fee of £5m with Manchester United for Fraizer Campbell. Sky Bet are offering odds on how the 21-year-old striker will perform at Sunderland and make him 5/2 to be the Black Cats’ top league scorer in 2009/10 and 5/6 to score eight goals or more.

Sunderland are keen to bolster their squad ahead of the start of the new season and currently head Sky Bet markets to sign a number of big name players. Bruce is said to be interested in signing Portsmouth’s Peter Crouch, who is 7/4 to line up at the Stadium of Light next month. Sky Bet also make Sunderland 13/8 to secure the services of Tottenham’s Darren Bent this summer and Manchester City captain Richard Dunne is odds-on (4/5) to head to Wearside.

Sky Bet have cut the Mackems to 7/4 (from 9/4) to achieve a top-half finish this season and have also moved their total season points line to 46.5 points (from 43.5). They are 15/8 to get off to winning ways at Bolton on the opening day of the season.

Sky Bet’s Mike Triffitt said: “Sunderland are really splashing the cash and punters are always quick to latch onto any club that is seen to be brandishing the cheque book, so it’s no surprise that the sleeping giant of the north east has come in for support in several markets.”

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Sky Bet Speedway World Cup Specials

Sky Bet have a wide range of markets ahead of the opening event of the speedway World Cup, which takes place at Vojens in Demark on Saturday.

Poland are Sky Bet’s 10/11 favourites to be crowned world champions but they face tough opposition from reigning champions Denmark, who stand at 9/4 to retain their title. Rob Lyon’s Great Britain team are 100/1 outsiders.

Sky Bet are also offering a handicap market on event one and the Danes are offered at 5/2 off scratch. The Czech Republic have come in for support with a start of 45.5 points, prompting Sky Bet to move the line to +42.5points.

Top points scorer markets are also available and Sky Bet pit teenage sensation Emil Sayfutdinov against the entire Russian team, giving the 19-year-old a handicap start of 2.5 points at 5/6. Sayfutdinov is 2/1 favourite to be the top points scorer of event one, with Denmark’s Nicki Pedersen second favourite at 4/1.

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