We all like to dabble in a little football betting from time to time, and this weekend offers some interesting matches to get stuck into. I have been casting my eyes over the English football fixture list, and have come up with a treble that may prove profitable, as well as a few other outsiders who might spring a surprise. Whether you choose to follow or not, these are my tips for this weekend’s matches: 


Premier League – Queens Park Rangers to win at home to Swansea City (2.10)

Last season, these two sides were hotly tipped to drop down to the Championship, but they proved their doubters wrong by avoiding the relegation fly-trap. It’s often the case that second-season blues can kick in, and I expect this to be a difficult campaign for both clubs. Swansea may well mourn the loss of manager Brendan Rodgers, who decided to try his hand at Liverpool in the summer, and time will tell if new man Michael Laudrup can steady the ship. I don’t think they’re any better or worse than QPR, but home advantage can often turn draws into wins at Loftus Road. I tip the Rs to edge a close match by the odd goal.

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League One – Sheffield United to win at home to Shrewsbury Town (1.57)

Shrewsbury finished second in League Two last season but that’s obviously no guarantee of success for the coming campaign. A visit to Bramhall Lane is likely to be the toughest away trip for many clubs in League One this time around, if only because the Blades have such a vocal home support. Only a penalty shoot-out prevented Sheffield United from being promoted in May, and I for one think they will go one better in 2012-13. I also think they will start their quest with a win against the Shrews.

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League Two – Port Vale to win at home to Barnet (1.91)

Barnet managed to keep their League Two status last May thanks to a dramatic last-day victory at Burton Albion, and I think they will again be hovering around the relegation zone for much of the coming campaign. Port Vale may not be any great shakes in the coming season, but their home record is likely to help them stay out of trouble. Beset by financial problems, manager Micky Adams will want to get the home side’s season off to a winning start, and I predict that’s exactly what his side will do.

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The Treble:

Queens Park Rangers (2.10)
Sheffield United (1.57)
Port Vale (1.91)

Total return for £5 stake = £31.49



In addition to this treble, there are several other interesting bets in this weekend’s fixture list:


Lukas Podolski to score for Arsenal against Sunderland (1.80)

It’s been an interesting close season for Arsenal fans, with some big names coming in and the traditional annual attempts to prevent others going out. The arrival of Germany’s free-scoring Lukas Podolski is perhaps the most intriguing development, because the Gunners have always created plenty of chances, especially in relation to the amount they actually put away. Whether he starts the match or is one of the substitutes, my spidey senses are telling me he’ll find the onion bag on his debut.

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Clint Dempsey to score the first goal for Fulham against Norwich City (5.75)

There are some players who like to shout their names from the roof-tops and there are others who prefer to simply get the job done with a minimum of fuss. Clint Dempsey definitely falls into the latter category, and despite the continuing uncertainty about his future you can be sure on Saturday that he’ll be concentrating on, as Elvis Presley liked to put it, taking care of business. If he starts the match against Norwich, I feel sure he’ll be putting the ball in the net early on.

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Over 2.5 goals scored in the Ipswich Town v Blackburn Rovers match (1.73)

It seems unthinkable that any club would put unnecessary pressure on a manager before the season has even started, but these are strange days at Blackburn. Steve Kean will know all about the need to avoid defeat at Portman Road, so I expect his side to hit the ground running. The problem is that both Ipswich and Blackburn are more than capable of conceding goals in the coming season, so I think there could be several during Saturday’s clash.

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