Online Betting News from Sky Bet

Murray 8/15 To Beat Tipsarevic In Straight Sets

Today saw Britain's Andy Murray successfully progress through to the third round of the French Open after he saw off Potito Starace 6-3 2-6 7-5 6-4. Murray now faces unseeded Janko Tipsarevic and is 1/10 with Sky Bet to progress pass the third round. It's 8/15 for Murray to win his third round match in straight sets and 1/5 he go on to reach the quarter final stages.

Murray, who has never got past the third round at the Roland Garros is 6/1 to be eliminated at the current stage. It's 9/2 for the Scot to be eliminated at the 4th round, 5/2 the quarter finals, 10/11 the semi finals, 18/1 he finishes as runners up and it's 20/1 he goes on to lift the title.

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Plunge on Manchester United for Champions League final

Champions League betting at Sky Bet is going into overdrive ahead of the final showdown between two of the world's greatest teams in Rome this evening, and it's Manchester United who are coming in for a torrent of support.

Sky Bet's Champions League betting spokeswoman, Helen Jacob said: "Patriotic punters have backed Man United down to 8/5 from 7/4 this week. The money is flooding in on Fergie's charges. So far over 75% of stakes and 71% of bets placed on the match result having been for the reigning champions and these figures only look set to increase by kick-off this evening."

Sky Bet are offering over 80 Champions League final betting markets, including a vast array of special bets, offering odds on everything from man of the match to first keeper to touch the ball.

In Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two of the world's greatest players will go head-to-head at the Stadio Olimpico. Bet on the Champions League final with Sky Bet and get 3/1 for either of the prolific marksmen to score the first goal. 8/1 is on offer for both star men to score in 90 minutes.

Those betting on the Champions League final with Sky Bet can also have a wager on what Ronaldo and Messi will do first in the match. In the Ronaldo market, it's 11/4 that Portuguese winger scores before being carded (6/1), hitting the wood work (8/1) or subbed (10/1). With Ronaldo having his right ankle heavily strapped in training, perhaps the 10/1 for him to be substituted before anything else could appeal? It's 10/11 for the final whistle to go before any of the four Ronaldo eventualities.

After winning last year's Champions League final on penalties, Manchester United are 10/1 with Sky Bet once again to lift the trophy by winning a dramatic penalty shootout.

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Black Cats Eased To 11/2 For Relegation

Following news that American tycoon Ellis Short is to assume 100% control of Sunderland football club, Sky Bet have lengthened the odds of the Black Cats being relegated next season to 11/2 (from 4/1).  Sky Bet pitch their total season points quote for next season at 46.5 points (under 5/6, over 5/6) and they are 20/1 to win a trophy (Carling Cup, FA Cup, Premier League).

Wigan boss Steve Bruce is understood to have been cleared for talks with the Wearside club and Sky Bet have cut his odds of taking over at the Stadium of Light to 10/11 following heavy support this week.

Reports are also coming in that Sunderland have rejected a £20million offer from Tottenham for Kenwyne Jones. Sky Bet make the Trinidadian striker 2/5 still to be playing for Sunderland next season and 4/1 to sign for Spurs.

Ahead of the cash injection, Sky Bet are offering odds on how much Sunderland’s most expensive signing this summer will cost the club and quote 5/6 for over £9.5m. It’s 5/6 that they make 5.5 or more signings during the upcoming transfer window.

Sky Bet’s Dale Tempest said, “ Sunderland only just stayed in the Premier league last season so changes were definitely required but who Niall Quinn makes the new manager will be crucial to any possible improvement “

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Beckford Backed To Join Magpies

Following news that Leeds United star striker, Jermaine Beckford, has been put on the transfer list, Harrogate-based bookmaker Sky Bet are offering odds on which club he will be playing for after the summer transfer window closes, with the early money being for newly relegated Newcastle United. Sky Bet have cut the odds of Beckford joining the Magpies to 8/1 (from 12/1).

Sky Bet’s John Rhodes said: “With Newcastle bound to offload some high earners like Martins, Viduka and Owen, the Geordies will be looking for a potential threat upfront and Beckford may well fit the bill.”

Scunthorpe, where Beckford spent a successful loan spell during the 2006-07 season, scoring eight goals to help guide them to the League One title, have also been well supported. Sky Bet have cut his odds of joining The Iron to 25/1 (from 40/1).

8/1 is quoted for the prolific scorer, who bagged 34 goals for Leeds this season, to be recruited by a Premier League team.

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Wade 7/2 For 2010 Premier League Title

Following James Wade’s 13-8 victory over Mervyn King to claim the 2009 Whyte and Mackay Premier League darts title, Sky Bet have installed him as a 7/2 chance to retain his title next year.

Wade’s victory ended Phil Taylor’s four-year domination of the event but ‘The Power’ remains Sky Bet’s odds-on favourite at 8/11 to take the 2010 Premier League title.

However, Taylor’s shock semi-final defeat at the hands of Premier League debutant King has resulted in Sky Bet easing his odds for the other major events of 2009/10. Taylor has been lengthened to 10/11 (from 4/5) to win the UK Open and to evens (from 10/11) for the PDC World Championship, while Wade has been cut to 7/1 (from 10/1) and 11/2 (from 8/1) for the two events.

Sky Bet have also eased Taylor’s odds of wining all eight televised ranking events this year to 33/1 (from 20/1).

Sky Bet’s darts compiler, Craig Ibbotson, said: “In my opinion, last night Taylor put on his worst ever televised performance, while Wade’s maturity on the oche was more obvious than ever. This could be the start of the shift of power from the ‘master’ to the ‘young gun’ and we have reacted accordingly.”

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Déjà Vu? Manchester United 10/1 To Win On Penalties

The Champions League final is one of the most eagerly awaited matches in the football calendar and tomorrow evening Manchester United will face Barcelona in Rome, live on Sky Sports 1 from 7:45pm.

Manchester United, who will go into tomorrow’s match with no injury worries after Rio Ferdinand passed a late fitness test, are 10/11 with Sky Bet to defend their title. Last year saw United crowned European Champions after beating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out and it’s 10/1 for the Red Devils to again claim European glory by means of a penalty shoot-out.

Barcelona have won the Spanish league and cup titles this season and are 10/11 with Sky Bet to be crowned champions of Europe. Pep Guardiola's team know they must improve on their recent form against English opposition. They have won just one of their last eight matches against English clubs and are 17/10 to beat the English champions in 90minutes (17/10 Manchester United and 21/10 Draw).

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are unbeaten in their last 25 Champions League matches and have not lost to Spanish opposition in their last seven fixtures. They are 7/2 to win to nil and 4/9 to win with a handicap start of a goal (4/1 Barcelona -1 and 3/1 H’Cap Tie).

Ahead of tomorrow’s match Sky Bet are offering a special market on what Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo will do first. The Portuguese winger, who opened the scoring in last year’s final, is 11/4 to find the back of the net first. It’s 6/1 he’s booked, 8/1 he hits the woodwork, 10/1 he’s subbed and it’s 10/11 that the final whistle is blown before any of the other outcomes.

Sky Bet’s Tim Reynolds said, “The British betting public are certainly putting their faith in Manchester United. We originally made the Red Devils the outsiders of the game but with over 75% of the total stakes all been on the defending champions, they look sure to be going off strong favourites.”

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Steve Bruce 8/13 To Take Over At Sunderland

Wigan Athletic manager Steve Bruce has today attracted significant support for the vacant Sunderland position. Bruce, who is from Corbridge in Northumberland was 11/8 with Sky Bet this morning and is now trading at 8/13 after steady support throughout the day. Gordon Strachan, who was the early price favourite after recently departing Celtic, is 2/1 (from 8/11) and the current Hull City manager Phil Brown is 25/1.

This morning has also seen Carlo Ancelotti announce that he would like to stay at AC Milan for as long as the club want him. Ancelotti, who has been strongly linked with a move to Barclays Premier club Chelsea, is still 1/5 to be at Stamford Bridge on the first day of next season.

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Déjà Vu? Taylor 11/8 To Defeat Wade In The Final

The Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts finals day gets underway this evening, live on Sky Sports 1 from 6pm. Phil Taylor, who is on target to achieve a fifth successive Premier League, title is 4/11 with Sky Bet to take the Premier League crown. It’s 11/8 for a repeat of last year with Taylor beating Wade in the final and 2/1 that the Power beats Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld in the final. It’s 6/1 for Wade to gain compensation for last year and defeat Taylor in the final.

Taylor, who averaged 106 in his 8-2 victory over King in his final group match, is 1/10 to progress through to the final (11/2 King) and it’s 4/6 for James Wade to get the better of Barney (11/10 Barney). 

In the semi finals, Phil Taylor is the 7/4 favourite to hit the most 180’s and it’s evens for there to be over 19.5 maximums hit. It’s 10/11 for the Wade v Barney match to produce the highest checkout of the semi finals (5/6 Taylor v King and 14/1 Tie) and 21/10 for Wade to produce the highest checkout.

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Hamilton cut for Monaco Victory

World champion Lewis Hamilton has been cut to 6/1 (from 10/1) to get his first win of the season in Monaco this weekend after posting top-three lap times in both of today's practice sessions.

Hamilton's time of one minute 15.445 seconds in the second session was beaten only by Williams driver, Nico Rosberg, and Sky Bet make the Brit 6/1 to be fastest in the third and final practice session on Saturday.

Sky Bet have eased Jenson Button's odds of winning his fifth grand prix this season in Monte Carlo to 7/4 (from 5/2). The Brawn GP driver had the front end of his car removed and inspected after making contact with a wall in the second session.

Brawn GP team mate, Rubens Barrichello, has been cut to 9/2 (from 7/1) thanks to a consistent showing. He was quickest in the first session and third in the second session

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Esther Rantzen 6/4 to be next celebrity MP

With the House of Commons in disarray and dozens of MPs being exposed as allowance cheats, punters are beginning to turn to celebrities to help the country out of the mess.

Leading bookmaker Sky Bet has been fielding requests for odds on well known faces from the world of celebrity standing at the next election as anti-corruption candidates, prompting them to chalk up some odds on the next celeb to turn MP.

Sky Bet’s Helen Jacob said: “Originally, we were planning to offer bets on outlandish items claimed for by MPs. We only made a list of 10 and 8 of them have already been claimed for, although we didn’t have moat clearing or duck islands down as possibles. I would happily have laid 100/1 or bigger on those so I’m rather glad we avoided that market.”

Esther Rantzen, who has already declared her intent, heads the ‘next celebrity MP’ market at 6/4. Former BBC foreign affairs correspondent, Martin Bell, and former Watchdog presenter, Lynn Faulds Wood, have also expressed an interest and are both quoted at 5/2. Jeremy Clarkson is a 9/2 chance.

Joanna Lumley, who this week helped Gurkha veterans win the right to settle in the UK, could be an attractive 7/1 shot.

Sky Bet also fancies the chances of Will Young (6/1), Frank Skinner (10/1), Bono (10/1) and Bob Geldof (6/1) throwing their hat in the ring before the next election.

Sir Alex Ferguson is not without a chance at 25/1 and Katie Price, aka Jordan, could also jump at the opportunity of more free publicity.

Kings of reality TV, Simon Cowell and Sir Alan Sugar, are quoted at 33/1 and 8/1 respectively. 

Not completely without a chance are Sir Fred Goodwin and Pinky and Perky, both at 500/1, although you argue that as they’re both accustomed to having their snouts in the trough they should be shorter.

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