Betting Bad Part 3

Two weeks in and two weeks of bad bets, this is not good for my bank account, though is hopefully proving somewhat amusing for you regular readers out there (hi Ross, hi David)!! Before we look into this week’s selections, let us revisit the events of last week. In my first bet, I managed to go 0/3 on bets, although St Johnstone did win against Albion Rovers when their game finally got played! Last week I aimed to predict a daring five-fold, which finished with a lowly two correct picks out of five. Queen of the South beat Brechin City, thanks to a Stephen Dobbie masterclass which you can read about in my weekly Scottish Championship round up. The other correct pick came courtesy of Luton Town, who beat Grimsby. Hearts drew, thanks to a 96th minute equaliser from Motherwell, while Huddersfield and Scunthorpe also failed to record a win. The £103.64 returns would have been nice, but alas, it was chalked down as another loss. Fivefolds are tricky to call, but to make matters worse, this was a Jack Wills endorsed fivefolk, so naturally it wasn’t to be. I only hope you, trusted reader, took heed of my advice and didn’t follow my selections!

But enough of the past, because in the past, I have betted poorly! You aren’t reading this to hear about my failed bets (unless you really do not care for me!) but instead you are probably reading this to check out my predictions, hopefully so you don’t follow these yourself! To those who have followed this weekly blog before, I’ll keep my house rules nice and short. 1) No cup matches. 2) If it’s too good to be true, AVOID! 3) Stick to the hosts and 4) No cashing out, ever (unless it’s good value…) With no cup games this weekend then rule one is safe at least. Now, let’s get stuck in!

ASTON VILLA v Burton Albion – 4/11

This should be a comfortable won for the Villains, who sit third in the league and have won their last five games on the bounce. They face a Burton side who are rooted to the bottom of the league, and are on a three game losing streak. Burton have the knowledge that one win will be enough to haul them out the relegation zone, should other results go in their favour, yet an away trip to a revitalised Villa Park should be too much to handle. Steve Bruce has his side playing scintillating football, and with Lewis Grabban vying to make his debut, it may be a long afternoon for the Brewers. Villa fans are desperate to regain their Premier League status, and a three points this weekend would be welcomed.

Oldham v BRADFORD – 7/4

There should be some value in this pick. Bradford are on frighteningly bad form, losing their last four games in a row. They do, however, have an astute manager in Stuart McCall, who took Bradford to the playoffs last season, and has them sat in the playoff places currently. Despite Bradford’s poor run of form, they are away to an Oldham team who have struggled all season. While the Owls have bolstered their attacking options buy getting Eion Doyle from Preston, it is their defensive woes which make the pick of Bradford a logical pick. Oldham having shipped 55 goals this season already.

MANSFIELD v Barnet – 7/10

Decent value can be found in this pick, with Mansfield unbeaten in their last five games, while Barnet sit at the foot of the table. Barnet have picked up two points from their last two games, but the league table rarely lies. 18 places separate the sides, as well as 28 points. Life may not be good for Mansfield owner John Radford, after he was handed a hefty fine in relation to other business endeavours of his, but this should have little to no impact on the players, at least short term anyway. One can only hope that Barnet’s mini-revival was nothing more than a blip, and that Steve Evans can mastermind a comfortable win.

RANGERS v Hibernian – 10/11

Hibernian have been good this year. Having won promotion under Neil Lennon they have strengthened significantly and seem to have effortlessly regained their place in the top half of the Scottish Premiership. A Hibs win would put them only two points behind the Gers, but after the transfer dealings from the Ibrox club this January, they look a much stronger team. Russell Martin, Jamie Murphy and Jason Cummings have all signed on loan (questions over their finances resurfacing once again). Regardless of their financial issues, they should have too much to offer on the field. It is the riskiest pick of the bunch this week, but at close to evens, it is worth a punt, in my not-so-expert opinion.

Bet slip

ASTON VILLA v Burton Albion – 4/11

Oldham v BRADFORD – 7/4

MANSFIELD v Barnet – 7/10

RANGERS v Hibernian – 10/11

£5 placed at 11.17/1 returns £60.85

I have opted to change this week, going from the ambitious fivefold last week to a more realistic fourfold. The Premier League fixtures are much tougher to call this week in the 3pm Saturday slot, so the lower leagues and Scotland are where the picks hail from. As usual, this is my bet. Please do not follow this, YOU WILL NOT WIN!
Absolutely not. Please feel free to reply to this post with your own bet slip, or condemn me to ridicule over my own selections!

Money spent so far: £10

Winnings: £0

Profit-loss: -£10

As usual, please remember to GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY.