Sports Betting Tips (Golf, Cricket, NFL, F1) – 3rd to 6th September 2015

There is a myriad of top quality sport taking place this week around the world, and plenty of betting opportunities that go with it. We start in the USA, where the world’s best golfers meet at TPC Boston on Thursday and will attempt to usurp the currently unstoppable Australian Jason Day. From Boston, we go to Seattle, where Super Bowl runners-up the Seahawks host the Oakland Raiders in their final preseason game before the 2015 NFL season comes around.

There is plenty going on closer to home, as well. England and Australia face off in a third different format of cricket this summer, and after triumphs in the Ashes series and Monday’s T20 encounter in Cardiff the hosts will fancy their chances of winning the first ODI in Southampton. British interests overseas focus mainly on Lewis Hamilton, who will look to extend his lead in the Formula One Drivers Championship with victory in the Italian Grand Prix.

  • Deutsche Bank Championship – Bubba Watson to place top 5 (4/1 at Bet365)
  • England vs Australia, 1st ODI – England to win (11/8 at BetVictor)
  • Oakland Raiders at Seattle Seahawks – Seattle Seahawks to win (4/7 at BetVictor)
  • Italian Grand Prix – Lewis Hamilton to win (4/9 at Coral)
  • See also our football betting tips for this weeks Euro 2016 Qualifiers

Deutsche Bank Championship – 3rd to 6th September

The second of four FedEx Cup events, the Deutsche Bank Championship, represents another chance to earn vital points to stay in the top 70 and qualify for next week’s BMW Championship. Last week’s Barclays was the Jason Day show – the Australian started slowly before blowing away the rest of the field with rounds of 63 and 62 to canter to victory on -19. The win takes Day above Jordan Spieth into first in the FedEx Cup places, and Day could seal a place as world number one with victory at TPC Boston. The world’s attention will be on these two pretenders to the crown as they look to usurp Rory McIlroy in what is turning out to be an intriguing three-way tussle for dominance that could shape the years ahead.

With the average hole length at TPC Boston an imposing 400 yards, it takes powerful drivers to make a real dent in the course. Henrik Stenson, Vijay Singh and Charley Hoffman have all used their hitting power to their advantage, scoring -22 on this course in past years, and chief among the contenders to rival that record is Bubba Watson. The left-handed, big-driving Watson finished third in the Barclays and cemented third place in the overall rankings in the process. Watson has established himself as a constant contender and, although all eyes will be on Day and Spieth, he should be backed to be in the running. Therefore 4/1 from Bet365 on Watson to place in the top five represents good value.

  • Bubba Watson to place top 5 – 4/1 at Bet365

England vs Australia, 1st ODI – 3rd September

Two of the most exciting young sides in limited overs cricket met at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff on Monday, and unsurprisingly it was a riveting affair. England came out all guns blazing, and after falling to 18-2 a partnership of 135 off 72 deliveries between Eoin Morgan (74) and Moeen Ali (72*) steered Morgan’s side towards a respectable total of 182-5. Australia captain Steve Smith seemed to be single-handedly driving his side to victory but after the skipper departed for 90 the Australian run-chase wilted. Three wickets fell in the final over from Ben Stokes, two of which were run-outs, and Australia fell five runs short of England’s total. More fireworks are expected when the two sides meet in the first ODI at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.

Both sides will field a similar starting XI to those that competed in Monday’s T20 thriller, and what stands out is England’s batting depth. In the Ashes series accomplished batsman Moeen Ali played at eight, while in the T20 the Worcestershire batsman opened while David Willey, victorious in the T20 Blast with Northants as an opener, played in the spot vacated by Ali. It this this sort of depth that makes England the favourites in Southampton. Having qualified batsmen all through the order means there is cover in case of an early collapse, or the power to hit plenty of runs if they are needed in the latter stages. If England’s openers fire on all cylinders they are capable of posting a score the Australians could not beat. BetVictor are offering 11/8 on England being too powerful for the Baggy Greens yet again this summer.

  • England to win – 11/8 at BetVictor

Oakland Raiders at Seattle Seahawks – 4th September

The NFL season is just around the corner now, and a whole clutch of sides are making the most of the limited time they have left with a final round of preseason fixtures. One such side is Super Bowl XLVIII winners and XLIX runners-up Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks host the Oakland Raiders, who will be looking to improve on a terrible showing in the previous campaign as they became the earliest team eliminated from postseason contention since the Miami Dolphins in 2004. Jack del Rio has been hired as head coach to avoid such a slump this time around, and will be keen to avoid ignominy with a side that at one stage in the season boasted a 0-10 record.

Both sides come into this clash with 1-2 records in preseason – the Raiders beat the St Louis Rams 18-3 before 12-20 and 23-30 defeats to the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals respectively. The Seahawks started with a 20-22 defeat to Superbowl XLVIII runners-up Denver Broncos before a narrow 13-14 defeat at the Kansas City Chiefs. A 16-15 win over the San Diego Chargers followed but Pete Carroll’s side must improve quickly if they are to become only the third team in NFL history to reach three successive Super Bowls. 4/7 from BetVictor represents decent odds on the Seahawks winning this one as, despite a sluggish preseason, will be the favourites as they seek revenge for the Raiders’ 41-31 win in last year’s preseason.

  • Seattle Seahawks to win – 4/7 at BetVictor

Italian Grand Prix – 6th September

The 85th edition of the Italian Grand Prix takes place at Monza this weekend, and all eyes will be on the winner of last year’s race. Lewis Hamilton, champion in 2014, will be looking to replicate last year’s form yet again in Italy. Hamilton won his sixth race of the season, the Belgian Grand Prix, last time out to extend his lead over Nico Rosberg in the Drivers Championship to 28 points. Hamilton and Rosberg are entwined in a battle for the championship, with only Sebastian Vettel getting even slightly close, and even then the four-time world champion is still 39 points behind his fellow German. The Constructors Championship is all but over, with Mercedes well clear of Ferrari. The only question that remains to be answered is if Hamilton can keep his cool and pick up his third world title.

Pirelli have been praised for their tyre choice for Monza, with Sauber’s Head of Track Engineering Giampaolo Dall’Ara predicting better entertainment as a result with teams looking to hit pure top speed on the course’s elongated straights and fast corners. Mercedes’ superiority has shown all season and it would be a shock if neither Hamilton nor Rosberg occupied top spot on the podium come Sunday. Hamilton’s driving in Belgium was tight and clever, and it is that sort of race management that should see the Brit coast to victory if he can secure pole positon. Coral are offering 4/9 on Hamilton emerging victorious.

  • Lewis Hamilton to win – 4/9 at Coral