BET DEC V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (26 FEB)

 

Thanks to the cold snap we’ve had recently, my New York Giants hat has come in pretty useful – and it’s also helped wind up some of the boys after successfully backing the Giants to win the Superbowl in the column against Gloucester. We’re getting close to the £500-mark for the Princes Trust now, which hopefully we can pass by the end of the season.

 

This week’s first bet is on the Carling Cup final, where Liverpool are comfortable favourites to end a six-year trophy drought against Cardiff City at Wembley. A number of the lads are big Liverpool fans, including Topsy Ojo and Bob Casey, who I’m sure would be there if we weren’t playing today, especially Bob, who was at the Champions League final in Istanbul in 2005, the night of the famous comeback against AC Milan.

 

Owing to the timing of our own game, we’ll only get to see the second half of the final, but that’s when I’m expecting all the action.

 

As FA Cup runners-up in 2008, even Cardiff have been to a major final more recently than Liverpool, so the Reds will be nervous, despite their obvious superiority. With that in mind, I don’t think Kenny Dalglish will mind too much if the scores are level at the break and his opposite number, Malky Mackay, certainly won’t.

 

Furthermore, the honours have been even at half-time in the last three, and in four of the previous five, League Cup finals. With Liverpool overwhelming favourites at 1.37, a better value option for me is backing the draw at half-time and Liverpool to win at full-time, at 4.3 on BETDAQ.

 

I’ll have £10 of this week’s stake on that and save the remaining £15 for Cheltenham Festival.

 

I’m sure Big Buck’s will win the World Hurdle for a fourth year in a row, although he is a very short price. One of my best tips is Willie Mullins to be the top trainer at Cheltenham, but I’m going to put the money on Long Run in the Festival’s main attraction, the Gold Cup, at 3.3 on BETDAQ.

 

Nicky Henderson’s runner will be up against Kauto Star, one of the most popular horses in the sport, but I think he will just have the edge after winning this race as favourite in 2011.

 

Dec’s best bet on BETDAQ

Our betting and gaming partner, BETDAQ, is giving Dec a £25 bet each home game. All winnings will go to the Prince’s Trust at the end of the season

 

Tip of the week: Carling Cup final: draw HT / Liverpool FT @ 4.3 (£10) & Long Run to win Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 3.3 (£15)

 

Dec’s last bet: New York Giants to win Superbowl XLVI @ 2.36 (£25) on BETDAQ returned £59.00 |Dec’s winnings: £449.00