I know the football season is only four short weeks away but bookmakers are already reaping the rewards by betting on the pre-season friendlies. A word of warning, don’t trust the betting odds.
Everton were very short priced favourites in their friendly against Bury last night and those that took the short odds got their fingers burnt – and badly burnt at that. Everton were 1/4 with Bury 7/1. Bury took the game right up to the Toffees and then came away with a 2-1 victory.
There are quite a few friendlies in play this week and generally speaking these games do go the way of class – a good team will beat a weaker team. However, you need to understand several factors that bookmakers don’t always consider when setting their betting odds.
Being football friendlies, the aim of the game is not winning. Be very clear on this visit here . When it comes to football friendlies they are just that – friendlies. Each team is trying out different moves, different player placements and different combinations.
What the football managers are trying to do is give their new arrivals game time with the team. This is the only way that players can develop team work and goal scoring combinations. They need to learn how a ball will act when kicked by player A compared to how it will act compared to player B. Like golf, some players can bend a ball in, or bend it out, or kick over another player’s head yet have it drop quickly into the net (hopefully).
Enough of the coaching – when it comes to gambling, short odds are extremely risky under those circumstances. In a normal season, Everton would have buried Bury (no pun intended).
Everton fielded three new faces, Anton Peterlin and Shkodran Mustafi, who both started the game, and late signing Jo who came on in the second half. All three failed to have any significant effect on the game.
As we approach the start of the new season, these friendlies will increase in frequency. If you’re having a bet, keep your eyes on the UK Football News and only bet if the betting odds are realistic given the nature of football friendlies. Better yet, save your money until the real football starts.
