30 April 19.22
I have been running SBI for over 9 years now and have always been open, transparent and honest and I have come to know a lot of people I have dealt with over the years some of whom I would now regard as good friends. In the recent past I have had the misfortune of seeing the seedier side of this business and something I never wanted to be associated with - all I want to say is be wary of things - people are not always what you think they are.
Ian |
28 April 20.48
Right then - some final thoughts on this weeks selections and a few more bets to add to the portfolio -
Spanish Open - the simple reason for the round one play on O'Hara is his consistent round one performance here - he has been 7/5/2 and says he loves the course which was the venue for his first Euro top 10 back in 2004. With the rough up this week the course should play right into his hands - he is one of the most accurate players on tour. Colsaerts has shown glimmers of form this season and also played here back in 2004 when he led after the opening day and I am sure one day he will gain a victory on the main tour. A quick mention to one other player - Raul Quiros - he won the Peugeot Tour championship here in 2008 and then was 21st last year - worth a few small plays - £5 ew round one 200/1, £15 top 20 16/1 and £5 win 600.
Quail Hollow - can't say I am looking forward to Sky televising Woods first regular PGA event and I doubt we will see anyone else playing a shot. Immelman seems to be returning to his best and if injury free should go well on a course he has performed well before on.
Mississippi Gulf - Jodie Mudd makes his Champions Tour debut having effectively quit the game back in 1996 but he was a good player in his prime and all his best golf was played in the southern states - at the price he was worth taking a chance with.
Stadion Athens Classic - with the event switching venue to the Georgia University golf course it was worth looking at the Bulldogs playing this week who will have course knowledge but Kisner and Kirk are too short and Bolli won't have played it since it was revamped in 2006. Stan James seem to have missed Brian Harman - a top amateur who has been played on the Tarheel tour and is 3rd on the money list behind last weeks pick Kokrak - so he has to be worth a bet at 500/1 - got £8 ew. I also have an inkling Nick Flanagan might be returning to the form that saw him win three times on this tour in 2007 providing he is over his back problems - £15 ew 125/1. |
28 April 13.16
Well it certainly seems to be turning into rather a quiet week which I guess is not the end of the world with the way things have been going - my main 2 bets of the week are on the following players
Quail Hollow - Immelman £10 win 120 w/o Woods £15 win 160 + £10 ew 100/1 & £10 win 100 for round one leader
Spanish Open - O'Hara £10 win 250 + £5 ew 110/1 & £20 ew 100/1 round one leader
Back later tonight with final thoughts |
27 April 14.17
I have been a bit busy making some changes to the site so will just give a quick update on bets so far for this week - only small ones
Spanish Open - Nicolas Colsaerts round one - £4 ew 125/1, £6 ew 100/1 + £10 win outright 200/1 Betdaq.
Mississippi Gulf - Jodie Mudd £10 win 250/1 £15 place 50/1 Expekt
I am also working on the launch of a new product - Football Betting Index (or FBI for short - unsurprisingly!) to be launched in July - if you want to be kept updated about its progress simply send me an email with FBI in the title |
26 April 10.14
Sadly Kokrak couldn't keep it up after a good start to his round he faded badly and didn't provide any return at all. A busy week ahead - after the demise of HBI got all the refunds to do to outstanding clients and there is plenty of golf on this week |
25 April 12.02
A frustrating day - although I would have loved to have bet winner Shoubikova at the early 12/1 I would probably have cancelled that out with a big bet on Wanjiru! In the end Mergia got 3rd whilst Kirui who traded at Evens at one point faded badly in the last 2 miles to go from 2nd to 5th and finished very distressed.
On the golf front Kokrak still has a chance though his back 9 in tricky conditions yesterday was colourful to say the least! |
24 April 21.53
OK here is my take on the 2010 London marathon - my runners to follow are purely based on price and not necessarily who I think will win though I have commented on the chief contenders
Mens Race - when prices first came out on Tuesday I thought that maybe I had priced it up wrong when I went 6/4 Wanjiru but they opened 7/2 and 3/1 but as I would have no chance of getting on and had to wait and sure enough everyone else agreed with me so no bet there! He is the worthy favourite having won 4 of the 5 marathons he has run in including the Olympics and London last year although he has had some problems with his back. Second favourite is Tadese but I couldn't take him at such a short price - depite the fact he is the fastest half marathoner his one attempt at the full distance ended in failure. I think the 14/1 currently on offer for Abel Kirui is simply too big - known as a pace maker for Geb when he attempted his world records he is the second faster runner in the field and won the World Champs in Berlin with Kebede (half his price) back in 3rd - 14/1 just has to be wrong.
Womens Race - Mikitenko is a worthy favourite going for her third straight title but I would err on the side of caution as she has been suffering from shin splints - not the best thing to have when running a road marathon. I don't think the support for Brit Yamauchi is anything other than patriotic - she had a nightmare journey to London and I don't think she is capable of running the 2.21 she might need to win it. Shobukhova should be a strong contender - 2nd to Mikitenko on her marathon debut in London last year and then beating her in Chicago to win - the early 12/1 again was wrong but no chance to place a bet and now the price is about right. My main pick at the prices early doors was Kiwi Kim Smith who started one marathon back in 2008 in New York but withdrew as she was ill in the days running up to it. She was 66/1 then and that was with Radcliffe in the field and I would say she is a stronger athlete now and should be around 33/1 - she is a huge talent and the marathon is expected to be her best distance so she could be a surprise podium package. Yoshimi Ozaki is an interesting Japanese contender - I picked her for the World Championships when she was 2nd and she is the same price this week - her only two other marathon performances were in Japan where she finished 1st and 2nd. She is quoted in the Japanese press as she is aiming for a 2.21 which would get her bang in contention. A couple of dark horses who really could be anything are a pair of Ethiopians - Berlin winner Habtamu and Aselefech Mergia.
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24 April 21.21
I decided to wait and let the prices settle for the London Marathon as trying to take an early price is next to impossible and forces other bookmakers to price up correctly plus you never know what Betfair may show up. I will be back later with a bit more detail but my personal bets are as follows
Mens
Abel Kirui £30 ew 14/1
Ladies
Kim Smith £10 ew 100/1 & £20 ew 66/1
Yoshimi Ozaki £20 ew 25/1 & £6 win 33/1 (Betfair)
Aselech Mergia £9 win 40/1 & £9 podium 7/1 (Betfair)
Atsede Habtamu £6 win 43/1 & £7 podium 7/1 (Betfair) |
23 April 15.52
Quck update - Kim Smith is 100/1 at Paddy Power e/w for Sunday |
23 April 13.11
London Marathon this Sunday and thankfully all the athletes have got there one way or another and prices are starting to go up - the bet of the year would have been Wanjiru 7/2 ew 1/3 3 with Bluesquare - sadly they declined my request for £1000 e/w lol. One quick bet while the price holds for the ladies event - Kim Smith - I have had £10 ew 100/1 and £20 ew 66/1 - Hills,Skybet and Bluesquare are still that price - will go into details later
Best prices here |
21 April 19.16
This weeks Nationwide event is the South Georgia Classic where I have fond memories of John Kimbell winning a few years ago at 150/1 - Stan James weren't ebst pleased! This week I had a very close eye on Keegan Bradley who won the stage 1 Q school here by a country mile 6 months ago - however it seems that everyone and his dog knows this fact and 40/1 is a joke of a price. I have had a small dabble on Jason Kokrak whose big hitting game will be suited to the longest course on tour. He has been playing really well on the E Golf Tarheel tour with finishes of 5/1/16/2 and I have dabbled as follows £2.50 ew 400/1 (Stan James remember lol) + £6 win 300/1 and £15 top 10 20/1 from Sportingbet Aus - available here |
21 April 12.46
The player I really really fancy for the Ballantines is Mikko Ilonen, in great form and with some very solid rounds played on the Pinx course but the weather is going to play a significant part over the first couple of days so things have been tempered a bit.He is an OK player in poor conditions as witnessed by his rounds here over the past two seasons, maybe because he is a very good links player and apparently Jeju reminds him of Lapand! so he clearly feels at home on the island. I have gone -
£10 ew rd 1 50/1
£15 win rd 1 60/1
£60 win 55/1 average
£20 top 6 11/1
£30 top 5 11/1 |
20 April 21.28
Looks like it is going to be a quiet week - I do wonder if there will be any bets to be had for the London marathon with doubts over athletes getting to the start line but the research is done and I am ready! Over in Korea I am waiting for a really accurate weather forecast before deciding whether to go for a strong bet. I have bet one player in the Zurich Classic - Jay Williamson £5 ew 200/1 and £10 ew 175/1 for round one plus £15 at a shade under 500 just in case he gets up there and stays there. |
19 April 21.08
Managed to lay back my stake on Baddeley and Barnes after they both made good starts - but that was as good as it got as they both never got in a blow afterwards. Got a few ideas for this week - a round one bet for Louisiana, one for Ballantines - maybe outright as well and an interesting one for the Nationwide if the price is right - oh and its London marathon week - be nice to get another Meb Kef at 100/1 and both fields are really strong. |
18 April 10.52
Well Yang did the business in China but at the price he was on a new course having flown in from the Masters I couldn't have backed him before the off. In the US the leaderboard looks very tightly packed and anyone could win it - expect a lot of changes tonight - hopefully Baddeley can play a little more consistently and I must admit before they teed off yesterday I had to get Barnes onside at 100 (£20) having championed his cause several times this season I wouldn't want to miss out on his debut win!! |
16 April 21.36
Baddeley played well today from a late tee added a 69 to yesterdays score and now sitting on -5 and with every chance - just before he birdied the last I added another £20 at 60/1. It was also good to see Cameron Beckman reward my original faith as he shot a 66 today from his early tee time and as he strode through the field I nicked £10 at 1000/1 so another 66 tomorrow would be nice! |
16 April 11.58
Looking at the revised prices for the Verizon on Betfair I am not sure I understand why Baddeley is three times the price of Weekley on the same -3 score (apart from the fact that he is out later) - when you consider his course form includes a 1st,2nd and 10th - well worth a bet at 70 |
16 April 10.55
Davis Love did not improve my mood last night - on his final hole standing at -5 he needed a par to get a full place - 97 yards out - stuffed it in the bunker and failed to get up and down relegating him to an umpteenth tie for 4th - when your lucks out it really is out!! |
14 April 21.32
Have had a very quiet week and not added to the Verizon bets I made on Monday and I wouldn't touch the China Open with a bargepole - new course which is an odd links mix combined with an iffy weather forecast - no thanks! Sticking with the round one leader bets in the Outback Steakhouse pro-am David Eger is worth £10 ew at 100/1 - whilst getting on a bit now he can still produce the goods early on. I am somewhat concerned at the lack of prices for this weeks Nationwide event - maybe its a sign of things to come but Canadian Dustin Risdon is worth a pop - £10 ew 125/1 - he plays his best golf on the West Coast and shot a course record 62 when the course was first used last year. |
13 April 22.30
I have calmed down a bit after last weeks frustrating run of events - no further mention of them so back on with this weeks round one bets for the Verizon + I wouldn't rule out a small bet on the outrights for them - especially Beckman who is way overpriced
Davis Love £20 ew 66/1 average
Pampling £20 ew 80/1
Purdy £3.50 ew 140/1 & £10 ew 125/1
Beckman £2 ew 250/1 & £15 ew 175/1 |
11 April 23.34
Things haven't got any better - Couples 6th, Yang t8th and Barnes t10th - there won't be any posts for a few days methinks. |
11 April 10.47
It's been an incredibly frustrating past 24 hours - which started in the Grand National with Erics Charm falling at the first, then Ricky Barnes bogeyed his first hole and Yang double bogeyed the easy par 5 second. To cap it all Poulter folded like a cheap suit and McCoy won the Grand National to make a mess of the SPOTY bet. To make matters worse the golf in Myanmar has just finished with Flint finishing - yup you guessed it - 6th - Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggg!!!!
As they say in politics - things can only get better - lets hope so with a decent finish to the Masters tonight. |
9 April 11.57
After last years debacle I said I wasn't going to get involved in SPOTY this year but there is someone I just have to bet and it has to be now really - Ian Poulter will have three main chances to shine in 2010 - this week at the Masters where he has started well, then the Open (both of which are on the BBC) and then the Ryder Cup. I guess the one additional thing he has in the favour is he does have a personality whether you like it or not. I have dabbled over the last week or so and now have the following position - not big but definitely worth it £10 win 80/1, £30 ew 66/1, £15 80 & £10 top 3 20 on Betfair. |
9 April 09.26
Was a bit tired and just a little bit frustrated to post last night having watched Barnes' putt on 18 miss by an inch which would have got him into a tie for 2nd!! Overall though things don't look too bad - I have Couples place only, Yang right up there (don't you just love him!) and Barnes on -4. In all honesty I don't think Slocum and O'Hair are totally out of it on level par either so still all to play for and I haven't adjusted any positions yet |
8 April 14.27
Augusta well under way now and as ever trying to find decent coverage is nigh on impossible though I guess every year you know it will be the same. Sadly Velasco didn't play great in round one in Madeira but Gavin Flint clearly loves the Myanmar course and sits 2nd after a 66 from a difficult afternoon tee time. |
7 April 12.27
I feel like a little boy on Christmas Eve with the Masters starting tomorrow but back down to earth for five minutes - Madeira Masters - absolute shocker of an event this year in my eyes - even if I was having an outriht bet before the off I would be hard pushed to find one!! On the round one leader betting front sadly only three books up but I will have a small bet on someone who is usually a fast starter - Alvaro Velasco £15 ew 90/1 average. |
6 April 20.05
Well the Masters is getting closer with the tee times announced today - and I guess the downside is that with Tiger being in the penultimate group we will have to endure the hype all day - then again I guess if he went out early his round would be analysed for the rest of the day - swings and roundabouts. One thing I will say from a betting point of view - the 5/1 on offer about a Tiger win is either one of the best prices ever or the worst!!
I have thought about doing a full preview but there are plenty out there already echoing the same thoughts as myself on a lot of picks so I will try to add a lot more comments over the course of the four days and maybe a few bets in running.
Don't forget all your best Masters odds can be found right here |
6 April 15.22
A few more bets for the Masters just about brings to a conclusion on the betting front for the first Major of the year - I have added fpr the round one market Tim Clark - £20 ew 801 & AUS$20 100/1 win only + a further AUS$10 on Ricky Barnes at 350/1 win only plus £4 ew Larry Mize 500/1. ItI also suddenly dawned on me that on one of my main selections Sean O'Hair I had no place money on so got £40 at 14/1 on Betfair.
There is an Asian tour event in Myanmar this week and I have had a couple of small bets - Gavin Flint won an event here back in January by eight shots and is worth a bet at 100/1 in the hope the venue rekindles his form. Also in that event Lucas Lee was 3rd and the talented youngster could well repay dividends at 125/1. |
5 April 14.53
I followed the golf last night with an odd outlook - Stupples worried me having only backed her for the first round and I think I would have torn my hair out had I backed her outright as she double bogeyed two of the last four to end up in a four way tie for 5th. In Houston weirdly Taylor lost in a play off!!
A quick update on how my Masters book looks - has changed a bit over the last week
Betfair Win Market
O'Hair +£7790
Yang +£75
Slocum +£24000
Barnes +£5250
Field -£90
Betfair without Woods
O'Hair +£6380
Singh +£1850
Yang +£3500
Campbell +£850
Slocum +£7375
Barnes + £3790
Field -£210
Bookmakers
Yang £40 ew 150/1
Slocum £10 ew 400/1
Barnes £10 ew 500/1
Couples £20 top 5 30/1
Campbell £30 ew 125/1
Flesch £10 ew 400/1
Barnes Rd 1 leader £10 ew 250/1 - 1/4 6 Stan James
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3 April 11.25
Woke up this morning to find the Tote had gone all pink - well they had pushed out every player in the Masters - so I would suggest looking there if you want a bet. Annoyingly they go 150/1 Campbell but I don't want to invest any more on him but Flesch at 400/1 caught my eye - for a player who has been 5th and 6th the last tow years despite being out of form (as he is again) there is clearly something about Augusta he likes - £10 ew. |
2 April 14.09
As I said earlier today - following the Houston leaderboard with a view to the Masters and Chad Campbell has to be added to the portfolio as he lost in the play off last year and was 3rd in 06 - £30 ew 125/1 + £15 winner without Woods 105 |
2 April 11.31
Well not too bad a result from the new tactic - and a lesson learnt as well - in Houston the only one of the five to reach the frame was Taylor who finished 3rd having rather annoyingly bogeyed 2 holes close home - he was the only one who I backed win only - so each way from now on for all!!!! In the Kraft Nabisco Stupples again played well in round one landing part of the each way money.
Its surprising how much more relaxed the week feels - and I have been tempted into a small bet on Points 190 win 17 top 5 just for a bit of interest over the weekend, I know I shouldn't but it will keep my eye on the leaderboard lookin for further Masters pointers. |
1 April 10.34
Having looked at the tee times and the weather forecast for Houston there is a chance the early tee times may have an advantage so have added a small e/w play on Wagner who has led here twice after round one - £5 ew 125/1. Thats it - back later with what will hopefully be some positive news for the change of tactics!! |
