THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN POCH TO ROCK AT WEMBLEY: ALLEZ LE FRANCE
A MONTH ON FROM my October column and all my fancies are doing well. The Rugby World Cup has just ended and my predictions included three out of the four quarter-final winners (yes Bernie the Book was strong on NZ defeating Ireland and SA defeating France) and anyone pressing at a whopping 9/2 about the All Blacks winning the whole shebang prior to the quarters had a masterful bet going into the final. In the Cricket World Cup, yours truly was sweet on New Zealand (10/1) and India (9/4) and I have no reason to jump ship as both look nailed on for the semis. Current odds of 13/2 and evens reflect their chances. And so to this month.
NFL With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the Superbowl is hotting up. My main fancy back in September when the season was just about to start, was Cincinatti, but they are going to struggle to win the ultra competitive AFC North in what is proving to be the hottest of Divisions. Still my fanciful selections for an eight timer on the Divisions are all going well (six look home and hosed so far) and now the season is in full swing it is clear to me only four teams can lift the Vince Lombardi trophy. They DO NOT INCLUDE current favourites KCC!! They are (current odds at time of writing) MIAMI (12/1), PHILLY (8/1) SAN FRAN (11/2) and BALTIMORE (12/1) with preference for one in each Conference of the Dolphins and the 49ers.
UK SNOOKER Oh, the green baize returns and the first leg of the Triple Crown, the UK Snooker Championship at York’s Barbican theatre at the end of the month. The longer format, especially in the later rounds will suit MARK SELBY and he is a confident pick at Nevis (7/1) and at a bigger price, surely time has come right for JACK LISOWSKI at a whopping 33/1 (half odds first two). Settle down to some precision potting.
SIX NATIONS Is February too long away?? Are you all rugbied out? One thing that the recent World Cup has told me is that FRANCE was by far and away the best Northern
PHTM NOVEMBER 2023
Hemisphere side and, bar the resilience of South Africa, would be contesting the final as favourites and therefore, before the price contracts, back them now to win next year’s Six Nations. And 6/4 is an unbelievable price especially as they play three games at home including Ireland and England, their two biggest threats. This is a maximum bet from myself and needs to be taken now.
CARABAO CUP England’s first domestic football trophy has reached the last 16 and no Man City!! So who has the will, the resources and the commitments to succeed?? Let me delve further. Who is NOT in Europe, has a large squad, one of the elite and who needs a return on their investment??
One name stands out... CHELSEA, and at 11/2 the club is great value especially as it has an easy last 16 tie, with no disrespect to
Blackburn. And
remember it’s not how you are playing now,
it’s how you are playing come
February and surely the Champions League knockout stage is going to take preference over the Carabao Cup for Arsenal, Man Utd or Newcastle and the Europa for Liverpool and West Ham? Back with confidence at a workman’s price.
SPOTY And finally to Sports Personality of the Year, where come December the annual outstanding individual achievement is given out. And looking back on the year, what was truly memorable? Not our footballers, maybe Stuart Broad for forcing a tie in the Ashes, maybe Mary Earps for standing up for women’s football goalie shirts over the might of Nike and thereby legitimising the importance of women’s sport in the oh so correct 2020s ... or just maybe a true global phenomenon, who is bowing out after a stellar year of success over success over success. So what if he’s not English (does that debar him?), so what if he continues to rewrite the rules, so what? He is 12/1 in the betting (and that’s your last clue) over Man United’s goalie (at Evens)...I say one last hurrah for FRANKIE DETTORI who above all else has transcended his sport in much the same way as Muhammed Ali did 50 years ago. Until next time Good punting…
Bernie the Book 79
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