Boxing Day Best Bets
With the weather likely to take its toll on lower league games we are concentrating on the Premier League’s both sides of the border and Championship matches for our selections.
Premier League
For a team who are on an unbeaten run of 9 games Birmingham look too big a price at 6/1 (Bet365) to get a home win, even if their opponents are league leaders Chelsea. Chelsea haven’t won any of their last three away matches in the league and while they do have a decent record against Birmingham we’re not attracted by the 1/2 (Ladbrokes) on offer about the away win.
Four of the last 8 games between the two teams have ended in draws and we’re inclined to go with the draw 3/1 (Paddypower) as the outcome. It could also pay to lay Chelsea on the exchanges as we don’t see them picking up three points here. We’re predicting a 1-1 result 7/1 (Skybet).
It will be a real six pointer when the League’s bottom two teams meet at Upton Park. In what could be a tight nervy match we’re taking West Ham to get the win 11/10 (Coral) and think a 1-0 result 7/1 (Ladbrokes) might be worth a bet. Our pick to be first goalscorer is Jack Collison 14/1 (Bet365).
We’re hoping Burnley’s good home form will be the deciding factor in their match with Bolton. A win for Burnley would give them a little breathing space from the bottom three and with Bolton not having won of four on the road we’re selecting the home win at 6/5 (Coral).
Blackburn have won on two of their last four visits to Wigan but they go into this match without a win in their last six games and although Wigan’s form is no better at the moment, the home win 13/10 (Bet365) is our selection. Blackburn are finding goals hard to come by and if Wigan play to their best then they could win comfortably. We’re going to take a chance on the correct score of 3-0 20/1 (Coral).
Championship
Cardiff look a home banker against Plymouth and they should be included in any multiple bets at 1/2 (Skybet).
Barnsley are unbeaten in 7 and it could pay to bet on them getting a win at Preston. These two teams usually fight out closely contested matches so a 1-0 correct score bet 8/1 (Coral) could bring some winnings. Our prediction is an away win for Barnsley 11/4 (Bet365).
Nottingham Forest are on a run of 14 games without defeat and we’re taking them to pick up all three points from their visit to Watford. We’re e predicting the away win at 5/4 (Paddypower). We’re also having a bet on a 1-0 result 7/1 (Ladbrokes) with Robert Earnshaw 11/2 (Skybet) our first goalscorer pick.
SPL
Falkirk were surprise winners at Kilmarnock last weekend and we think the SPL bottom club can get another win against hearts this weekend. The home win is available at 2/1 (Bet365). We’re also predicting a 2-1 scoreline 10/1 (Ladbrokes).