There’s nothing like a flutter to add another layer of excitement to the day one fixtures. There’s also nothing like the bookies’ odds to give us an indication of where we should place our Fantasy faith when it comes to our lineups.
I’m MoneyMike, I’m new here and I’m going to be your guide this season to all things betting related in a bid to bring you some very decent odds and offers with partners Paddy Power, whilst examining how we can use their thinking to our advantage when it comes to our Fantasy selections.
Let the gameweeks begin…
Clean Sheets
It would be remiss not too begin with the obvious Man United and Chelsea clean sheet potentials, both are odds on at 1.61 with Paddy this weekend, and both will be hit hard for punters. Defenders and keepers in each will be a staple diet for many of your teams, but they will come at a cost of course. Even so the mid-price offerings of Jonny Evans and Paulo Ferreira could well start and offer strong short-term value based on Paddy’s reckoning.
Newly promoted Blackpool have struggled to score in their last three pre-season fixtures and seem set to be the leagues whipping boys. Their opponents Wigan, have been scoring freely and should be full of confidence despite talk of Charles N’Zogbia’s transfer request. It still jars to see Wigan at third favourites for a cleanie with odds of 2.25 but they look difficult to ignore at both ends with Maynor Figueroa offering good value, with decent attacking potential thrown in.
Clean sheet value looks questionable after that. Villa come next but given the O’Neill upheaval and with James Collins and Carlos Cuellar sidelined, you have to question Paddy’s current ranking against a West Ham side that have looked confident and conceded few pre-season.
After that you’re looking at the mid-price offerings of Bolton and Sunderland with decent home fixtures in their favour. Gary Cahill looks to be the key target here – a handy fixture against a Fulham side who struggled for away goals last term. Cahill himself is a major factor from set-plays too.
Significantly Paddy turns his back on both Spurs and City for their encounter at the Lane. Man City have had a “mixed” run in pre-season and Spurs should be able to keep tight at the Lane, but the risk of City’s new forumula clicking and Carlos Tevez coming good, Heurellio Gomes and Michael Dawson look dubious first day options.
- Chelsea 1.61
- United 1.61
- Wigan 2.25
- Villa 2.40
- Sunderland 2.60
- Bolton 2.62
- Wolves 2.62
- Liverpool 2.80
- Everton 3.00
Anytime Goalscorer
The big names of last year’s Golden Boot should all be in action on the weekend, although Torres still looks a doubt. Rooney and Drogba look to start and should return to Premier league action hungry for goals. Massively odds on for anytime goals, at least one of each of these two look essential for your day one lineup.
United and Chelsea at home and both against promoted sides, seems to be the gameweek one points cash cow. United feature both Berbatov and Hernandez as odds on scorers, whilst Malouda and Anelka are similar odds for Chelsea. Paddy are expecting a goal bonanza with these prices, so a red and blue strike force seems a must.
Below that wave of Chelsea and United you’ve got injury doubts Torres, Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe all with home fixtures but all with concern surrounding their likelihood to start. It falls again to Wigan to provide the value then with Hugo Rodallega and Mauro Boselli reinforcing their early season Fantasy potential with strong backing from Paddy.
- Drogba 1.44
- Rooney 1.72
- Hernandez 1.90
- Anelka 1.90
- Lampard 2.00
- Berbatov 2.00
- Bent 2.25
- Torres 2.40
- Defoe 2.7
- Rodallega 2.80
- Boselli 2.80
- Malouda 2.87
- Tevez 2.87
- Doyle 2.87
- Carew 2.80
- Agbonlahor 2.80
- Saha 2.80
The Scout Specials
With Rooney and Drogba featuring in many line-ups, it is to the second and even third choice strikers that opinions start to diverge. Will it be Defoe or Tevez to shine at White Hart Lane, Chamakh or Joe Cole at Anfield? Well if you believe your insider info or perhaps simply intuition to be a dead cert, Paddy have priced up a couple of match bet markets for you so you can put your money where your picks are.
Paddy’s also put up our usual pairing of Scout Markets with 11/1 available in the Clean Sheet Accumulator if you fancy Chelsea, Bolton and Wolves all to keep shutouts in the gameweek. As for the Scout Picks market, you can get 25/1 on Frank Lampard, Martin Petrov and Mauro Boselli all finding the net.
Paddy’s New Season Specials
Characteristically Paddy has gone that little bit further with their season opener offers. Their “You Snooze – We Lose!” offer gives you the chance to get a refund on all First/Last Goalscorer and Scorecast bets on any match that ends 0-0. They’ve also got a new long-term deal – they’re offering to double the odds on any winning Premier League Top Scorer bet if that player scores 30 or more goals.
Members Last Man Standing
Just a reminder to Fantasy Football Scout Members who may have missed the news, Paddy’s Last Man Standing Tournament with a £250 prize pot is open for free entry. Members should view the News section in the Members Area for details. We will be sorting a free-for-all Last Man Standing Tournament very soon.
Bet £10 Get £20
If you’re new to this betting lark and new to Paddy Power then you can take up any of these odds and offers and get yourself a bonus. You can sign up via this site and get a free £20 when you register and bet a tenner.
Finally of course, we should state that all these offers are only available to those aged 18 and over and are subject to Paddy Power’s terms and conditions.