Месяц: Август 2014

The Commonwealth Games feature thousands of athletes, dozens of events and several ways to bet on them. We’ll fill you in on all the necessary information.

The Commonwealth Games are the world’s second largest sporting event after the summer Olympics; this year almost 7,000 athletes from 71 countries will meet in Glasgow, Scotland to compete in events as diverse as badminton, lawn bowls, hockey and rugby.

The Commonwealth Games are perfect for sportsbetting because they are so large and diverse, giving us the opportunity to bet on athletes and sports we normally wouldn’t think about. Given that the sport attracts bettors from (almost) every corner of the globe, it’s important to have some knowledge on how to bet on the games.
How to make an account and deposit money
While betting on the Commonwealth Games is popular on most continents, that doesn’t mean it’s legal everywhere. Some governments like India and Malaysia ban online betting altogether. If you’re from a jurisdiction which banns or restricts online gambling some bookmakers may not allow you to access their sites.

If you live in a country like the US (in which case you probably aren’t wagering on the commonwealth games in the first place!) your bank or credit card company may not allow you to deposit money with an online sportsbook. In this case, opening an e-wallet account like Skrill, Paypal or Neteller should do the trick.

But if you’re from a betting mecca like the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, feel to free to bet on the games to your heart’s content, as long as you’re above the age of 18 and have the bankroll to finance each of your wagers safely.
How to bet on team sports
For team sports like rugby and netball there are two ways to bet on the games. The first is to bet on the “outright winner.” This is for that tough bettor that doesn’t have the time or the inclination to bet on each individual game; rather wanting to select the final winner “outright.”

• Most betting on the Commonwealth Games is done by choosing odds or the money line on a single event or outright winner
• Live betting is also great as events are happening non-stop
• Depending on where you live, some online sportsbooks may restrict your access to their site
This is done by selecting a winner by odds. For example, let’s say that I want to pick the heavily favored New Zealand black shirts to win in rugby sevens. Paddy Power gave the Kiwis 8/11 odds of winning, followed by South Africa at 9/4. That means that I need to wager $11 on the Kiwis to get $19 back (an $8 payout plus my $11 wager). If I wagered on South Africa, I could get $13 back by putting down $4.

On the other hand, let’s say that for me betting on the games means choosing winners in head-to-head matchups. Instead of choosing an outright winner, I want to pick the “money line” on a match between England and Australia. The line is as follows:

Australia +120

England -130

This means that England is slightly favored over Australia. If I want to bet on England, I need to wager $130 to receive $230 back (your initial wager plus the $100 payout). If I want to put money on Australia, I need to wager $100 to get $220 back. So the payout/wager ratio is higher for Australia because they are seen as having a lower chance of winning.
How to bet on individual events
Some of the popular individual events include the 100 meter sprint, lawn bowls, shooting, badminton, triathlon and 4X200 meter freestyle swimming. Some of these events are head-to-head, some of them involve an entire slew of athletes competing for the top prize.

You can always bet on the outright winner in any individual event in the Commonwealth Games, and it works the same as in any team sport. Log on to your favorite sportsbook like Bet365, BetVictor or Paddy Power and the outright odds will be listed.

If you want to choose the winner for a single match or event, not the outright winner, the manner in which you do this depends on the event itself. Let’s say we’re talking about triathlon. In that sport several athletes compete for the top prize in a single contest, so there is no head-to-head action. You choose the winner by odds, just as you would when placing outright bets.

On the other hand, you may want to place a bet on the outcome of a squash match between two contestants. That’s where the money line comes in.
Other ways of betting
These days prop betting and live betting are also popular. Prop betting allows one to place wagers on in-game occurrences not directly related to the outcome of the game or match. This is most popular in events like football and basketball but has its place in swimming, rugby and netball as well.

Live, or in-game betting, is much better, however. It allows you to choose a winner after an event has begun. It’s best for those who enjoy mobile betting as you can check information and place bets on the go. Even if you can’t stay glued to the TV to watch the New Zealand vs South Africa rugby match, you can still bet on it!

The Commonwealth Games provide the opportunity to bet on some very unusual

Every four years the Commonwealth Games (known as the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1966) bring together the top athletes from 71 nations of the former British Empire to play sports at diverse as rugby, hockey, lawn bowls and netball.

The best thing about the games is that they give us the opportunity to place wagers on events we otherwise wouldn’t. How often would you throw down your hard-earned cash on a Scotsman and a Kiwi rolling balls down a patch of grass?

• The Commonwealth Games are perfect for sportsbetting because they feature a wide range of little-known games
• When choosing a sportsbook it’s important to look for the best available bonuses
• The best bonuses for betting on the Commonwealth games are from Bet365, BetVictor, Ladbrokes, Dafabet and Betfair Or bet on a team of Aussies and a team of South African ladies compete in a sport which looks striking familiar, while we can’t quite put our finger on what it is? That would be netball, a variation of basketball popular in some Commonwealth countries.

With all those betting options available, it’s important to choose a great online sportsbook in the UK, Australia or elsewhere to place wagers with. Any site you choose should have a good selection, great odds and top-notch bonuses. We’ll give you the rundown on where you can find the best bonuses when betting on the Commonwealth Games.
Free bet bonus from BetVictor
Victor Chandler’s Gibraltar-based bookmaker is one of the best in the business for a lot of reasons, bonuses not the least of them. BetVictor will set you up with a GDP 25 free bet just for making an account.

This is perfect for Commonwealth Games betting. You may find yourself interested in placing a wager on an unorthodox sport like squash, netball or badminton. You’re interested, but don’t know much about that game and don’t feel confident wagering your money on it.

That’s perfect, because BetVictor will take the risk for you. The site also has one of the top selectionsof betting offers.
Deposit bonus from Bet365
This hefty bonus is perfect for that sports fan who goes nuts over the Commonwealth Games, betting on their favorite athletes and teams left and right. Maybe you only bet on the games, so don’t currently have a profile with any online bookmaker.

If that describes you, Bet365 is perfect. Denise Coates and company promise to match 100 percent of your initial deposit up to GBP 200, giving you a hefty bankroll with which to wager on your favorite sporting events.

The site accepts wagers on most Commonwealth Games events, including rugby sevens, triathlon, badminton, netball, squash and swimming. In fact, we think it’s most likely the best place to wager on the games.
Cashback bonus at Betfair
The betting exchange Betfair is another bookmaker seeming designed for the Commonwealth Games. Log on if you are considering betting on the games for the first time. They offer a BGP 20 cashback bonus on your first exchange bet, a great Commonwealth Games sportsbook bonus.

That means that should you wager on England to beat New Zealand in rugby sevens (we wouldn’t advise you to do this) and lose, they will refund you money up to 20 quid! You don’t need to worry about taking on any risk, because they’ve done it for you.

On top of that, Betfair has probably the best selection of offers on the Commonwealth Games as you’ll find anywhere online, including events like judo, lawn bowls and netball that you won’t find on most betting sites.
Mobile betting bonus at Ladbrokes
When it comes to betting on the Commonwealth games, the mobile format beats fixed-onlineanyday. Why? The games include thousands of athletes competing in hundreds of events in dozens of sports. There are always events going on, so it’s important to be able to check betting lines and results and place bets while you’re on the go.

Ladbrokes had exactly that in mind when they devised the GBP 50 new mobile user bonus. New mobile customers are eligible for a GBP 50 free bet, so you can place wagers with someone else’s money while keeping up with your favorite rugby or swimming athletes on the go.
Signup bonus at Dafabet
Dafabet is Asia’s most popular sportsbook. Given that many of the 71 nations competing in the Commonwealth games are in or near Asia, including India, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore and Pakistan, this bookmaker puts more emphasis on the Commonwealth Games than most.

And the site offers a great integrated sportsbook and casino bonus, so you can wager on your favorite Commonwealth events like rugby and athletics while also having some left over for the casino after the games are over. New signups are eligible for a INR 500 sportsbook bonus as well as INR bonus for the casino. That gives you plenty of cash for both!

Odds and opinions galore on the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. We’ve compiled some of the best insights on several top events.

The quadrennial Commonwealth Games are the world’s second-biggest sporting event (in terms of countries, athletes and events) following the Summer Olympics. The 2010 games in New Delhi, India feature 6,700 athletes from 71 nations competing in sports as diverse as squash, triathlon, boxing and netball.

While the games are the pinnacle of diversity, for the past 24 years they’ve been dominated by one country: Australia. The athletic Aussies have been dominant in several events in the Commonwealth Games, especially swimming and athletics.

But while they’re bringing a host of prime competitors to Glasgow for the 2014 games, oddsmakers and punters alike are favoring athletes from lots of different countries. If you’re debating who to bet on in the 2014 games, take a look at our analysis of some of the top sports.
Rugby Sevens
Rugby is probably the Commonwealth event that is most popular with sports bettors. This time the fearsome Kiwis are predicted by everyone and their mother to take away the gold. BetVictor has them at 4/5 odds followed by South Africa at 2/1, England at 11/2 and Australia at 14/1.

The Kiwi national team has been so dominant throughout history that they have a winning record against every country they’ve played against. That includes England and South Africa. However, the South Africans have come closer than anyone to competing with the Kiwis.

The conservative bet would be to take New Zealand to win the rugby gold medal outright. However, if you’re feeling adventurous don’t be afraid to choose South Africa. They offer a higher payout and have a better chance of winning than most people realize.
Athletics
Athletics are always one of the most exciting events in the Commonwealth Games, and several countries bring top teams year in and year out: England, Australia, Kenya, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and several more.

This year, most punters are predicting England to slightly edge Australia as the overall medals winner, with Kenya rounding things out. In the individual events things get a lot more interesting.

• Australia is expected to dominate in men’s and women’s swimming, so much that it makes more sense to bet on an underdog and hope for a big payday
• New Zealand looks to continue its rugby dominance, while South Africa is a dark horse worth paying attention to
• In athletics, expect England to win the most medals but the Jamaicans to dominate the men’s 100 meter Jamaica isn’t bringing enough athletes to compete for the medals lead in athletics, but they are bringing the best athletes. Fastest man on earth Usain Bolt will lead them in the 4X100 meter relays, with bookmakers like Bet365, BetVictor and Betfair pegging them to win.

Jamaican sprinter Nickel Ashmeade and Jason Livermore are two of the top contestants for the 100 meter sprint. Online sportsbook in the UK Bet365 is favoring Ashmeade with 8/13 odds. Richard Thompson of Trinidad is at 5/1 and Livermore at 7/1.

While Ashmeade’s odds look close to overwhelming, remember that the sprint lasts only about 9 seconds. Anything can happen during that time, so choosing Thompson or Livermore certainly wouldn’t be a bad bet.
Swimming
Swimming is always a fan favorite in both Olympic game and Commonwealth Games betting. Something about watching men and women perform at such a high pace and intensity is exhilarating, to say the least.

The sport has traditionally been dominated by those Aussies and this time around oddsmakers are going wild over them again. In the 4X200 meter relays the men are being given ridiculous 1/66 odds by BetVictor, with Scotland at an extremely distant second at 14/1.

Considering you need to bet $6,600 to win $100, it’s not even worth betting on Australia. Take a chance and go with Scotland or England on that event.

As for the women, the Aussies also look fearsome. BetVictor is giving Taylor McKeown 2/5 odds of winning the 200 meter breaststroke, followed by Alia Atkinson of Jamaica at 9/2. In the 4X200 relay the Aussie women are given the same odds at the men, so consider betting on England at 14/1. They’ll be looking to cut their former colony down to size.
Men’s Triathlon: the Battle of the Brownlees
Men’s triathlon is set to be one of the most interesting betting events for two reasons. The first is that it’s all-around a great sporting event featuring arguably the best-trained athletes you’ll find in any competition, and the second is that the top two contestants are brothers.

Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee of England are far and away the favorites to take home the gold and silver medals, respectively. Alistair won the gold and Jonathan the bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

This time, Ladbrokes is picking Alistair to beat his brother with 1/3 odds compared to 3/1. However, Jonathan will be extra motivated after having lost in London. Going with the favorite may be the safe bet, but we think you can’t go wrong either way.

The unstoppable Aussies will look to make it seven in a row at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, while England is bent on stopping them in their tracks.

The Commonwealth Games (known as the British Empire Games until 1966) have brought athletes from the farthest corners of the British Commonwealth since their inauguration in 1930, holding the event in places as distant as Hamilton, Canada and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2010 6,700 athletes from 71 countries met in New Delhi, India to compete in sports as diverse as boxing, lawn bowls, sprinting and triathlon.

But while the games are the world’s most diverse sporting event outside of the Summer Olympics, they’ve been dominated by a few countries. In fact, England, Australia or Canada has finished as the top medal’s winner at every meeting in history.

The Aussies have shown a special talent for sports, having finished on top twelve times and at every meeting since 1990. In fact, the last time that Australia didn’t win the Commonwealth Games Margaret Thatcher was still British Prime Minister, the internet hadn’t been invented and the Soviet Union was still fighting in Afghanistan.
Meet the Aussies circa 2014
The Aussies will try to make it seven in a row at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. They stand a strong chance, bringing a host of impressive athletes and teams. As for team sports, their best chances of winning are in games such as rugby seven, team cycling sprint and hockey.

Online sportsbooks in the UK and elsewhere such as Paddy Power, Bet365 and BetVictor are taking wagers on most of the events, and Australia is close to the top in each. Paddy Power is favoring Australia to win in hockey by overwhelming 3/10 odds. New Zealand is favorite to win at rugby sevens with the Aussies being a 10/1 relative long-shot, but we wouldn’t count them out. And any event between Australia and New Zealand is worth betting on.

• Australia has placed as the top medal’s winner in 11 out of 20 Commonwealth Games
• This year in Glasgow the Aussies will attempt to make it their seventh consecutive victory
• England stands to mount the most serious challenge, with bookmakers and analysts favoring them in athletics In athletics, a sport in which the Australians have more gold medals than in any other, they are sending some great male and female competitors. Hurdler Sally Pearson is arguably the best in her event, thrower Dani Samuels looks likely to win the gold medal, and jumper Alana Boyd has outperformed all other challengers in trials.

Also expect the Aussies to take home a basket of gold medals in swimming, where 20-year old Cameron McEvoy and teammate James Magnusson are arguably the two best freestyle swimmers in the entire games. McEvoy competed in the London Olympics as an 18-year old and is fast building a reputation as one of the best in the world.
The Challengers
The rival between Australia and mother country England has long been central to the games. Many sport fans in either country see it not as a competition of the world’s top athletes or as a throwback to the British Empire’s former glory, but as a zero-sum struggle between these two nations.

England has won six times, including back in 1986 before the Australian reign of domination began. It will attempt to mount a serious challenge this time around. Australian chief Steve Moneghetti had this to say:

"We know England in particular is looking to go one step better than their runner-up position on the medal tally in three of the last four Games and a host of other nations such as India, Canada and the Scots themselves will also be looking to make their mark."

England will present the two highest-regarded men’s triathletes in the game, brothers Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee. In addition, after coming in second behind Kenya in 2010 and Australia in 2006, England looks poised to take away the top billing in athletics.

They are bringing Mo Farah, one of the world’s best distance runners and an Olympic gold medalist, will represent the Englishmen. They will also have an advantage playing close to their home soil in Scotland. Australian athletics coach Eric Hollingsworth even remarked that England deserves to go into the games as the favorite, with Australia coming in at a close second.

As for individual events, Commonwealth Games betting odds overwhelmingly favor the Jamaicans. On the men’s side, fastest man in the world Usain Bolt will lead them in the 4X100 meter relay. In the 100 meter sprint Bet365 has two Jamaicans in the top three, with Nickel Ashmeade as the likely outright winner at 8/13 and Jason Livermore at 7/1.

As successful as the Aussies have been, they haven’t won the netball gold since 2002. This year the team led by Kathryn Harby-Williams and Tegan Caldwell will attempt to change that. Who has won the past two times? Those pesky neighbors the New Zealanders, who have never finished at the top in any Commonwealth Games but have had success in a lot of events.

The biggest sporting events in the history of Commonwealth Games that will always be remember for their memorable moments.

Looking back through the history of the prestigious Commonwealth Games, there were numerous outstanding performances through the years. Sportsmen always bring their best to the Games as they hope to be remembered for their great efforts for years to come.

• Dawn Fraser – first woman to swim 100m under one minute
• Precious McKenzie – represented two nations winning four gold medals
• Ato Boldon – set sprinting record in 1998 of 9.88s for 100m Every edition of the competition is cherished by the lucky nations that can have their professional representatives present at the event. Nations that are lucky enough to have professional representatives compete at the tournament, stand a chance to make a memorable appearance that will be remembered indefinitely in history.
1970 Edinburg – Kip Keino
The first time the Games were held in Scotland in 1970, a runner known by the name of Kipchoge “Kip” Keino made a fabulous performance during the 5,000m event. The Kenyan was crowned with a gold medal for his efforts in the 1,500m event, however when came to the 5,000m run he didn’t manage to secure first place but made a stamp.

Kip was beaten by the powerful Scottish duo of Ian Stewart and Ian McCafferty, but his performance in the last will always be remembered, which eventually saw him rewarded with a bronze medal. It is still regarded as one of the biggest events in Commonwealth Games.
1982 Brisbane – Allan Wells and Mike McFarlane
In the summer of 1982, Australia played the host for the Commonwealth Games. Brisbane was as the chosen city to stage the sporting events. The race that took place in the Men’s 200m final is perhaps one of the greatest and memorable moments in sprinting events.

A man hailing from England Mike McFarlane and his main Scottish rival Allan Wells, battled neck and neck for the first spot finish. After they both crossed the finish line in spectacular fashion, the results had to be waited for several minutes, causing extreme anticipation. In the end, the race was declared “dead heat” which saw both runners awarded gold.
1962 Perth – Dawn Fraser
Many sporting experts would agree Dawn Fraser perhaps the greatest swimmer in history. She managed to achieve high status in the sports community for her incredible accomplishments. She was the first woman to swim 100m freestyle in less than one minute.

According to gambling news, overall she secured four gold medals during the Commonwealth Games at Perth, in the 110yds freestyle, 440yds freestyle, 4x110yds freestyle in relays and 4x100yds medley relay.
1978 Edmonton – Precious McKenzie
McKenzie passed great lengths to become a legend in the sport of weightlifting. While competing at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, he won gold for the category of Bantamweight.

Although representing England in his earlier days, the South-African born athlete switched his allegiances to New Zealand later on. In total he won four gold medals for two countries at the Games. Three for England and one for New Zealand.
1954 Vancouver – Miracle Mile
When the competition was still known as the British Empire Games, the 1954 edition proved to be quite fruitful. Held in Canada for the second time since 1930, the tournament became synonymous with a race that is today known as the “Miracle Mile.” Two runners are responsible for leaving a memorable performance during their race.

Roger Bannister and John Landy both broke the time record for running one mile. Before the Commonwealth games commenced, the two runners managed to run a mile in under 4 minutes, a record for that time.

At the event in both men showed great ambition to win, however the battle was resolved with Bannister winning gold narrowly, as Landy was right behind him.
1998 Kuala Lumpur – All Blacks
The New Zealand National Rugby Union team “All Blacks,” overcame their greatest obstacles to make a memorable display at the event in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Players such as David Campese and Jonah Lomu brought glory to their national side after defeating Fiji 21-12 in a spectacular final.

After the win, Lomu stated, “I’ve played all over the world and in some of the sport’s biggest games, but the Commonwealth Games will always be among my greatest memories.”
1998 Kuala Lumpur – Ato Boldon
In the 16th edition of the Commonwealth Games, a sprinter by the name of Ato Boldon achieved history that has not been surpassed since. Boldon recorded a time of 9.88 seconds for running 100m, which broke previous Commonwealth records of Frankie Fredericks (9.96s) and Obadele Thompson (10.00s).

The result set by the The Trinidad and Tobago native remains unbeaten to this day. The only man that seems capable of usurping Boldon’s glory is Usain Bolt. However, considering that he will likely only be running the 4x100m relay.

The coming of the new NFL season marks the dawn of a new day, but bookmakers are predicting the same old story.

The 2014 NFL season ended in very unpredictable fashion. While the fact that the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks met in the Super Bowl was a surprise to no one, most expected Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning to win his second-career Super Bowl ring in what was certain to have been on his last seasons.

The outcome was far from expected, with the Seahawks humiliating the Broncos 43-8. Manning’s performance was so futile that even his past achievements were called into question by some pundits.

After the game the league settled into its normal offseason routine; free agency and the draft sprinkled with a few trades and coaching changes. With training camp set to start in just two weeks and the regular season barely more than a month away, it’s important to take a look at how the pecking order has changed. Luckily for us, online sportsbooks in Canada and the UK have already done that.
Bookies expect a rematch
• Bet365 and BetVictor are both favoring the Seattle Seahawks to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2015

• We predict that the Denver Broncos will win in a rematch of last year’s final game

• The Houston Texans - last year’s worst team will be much improved Almost all bookmakers have Denver and Seattle at the top of their boards once again. Neither team made any huge moves in the offseason, but neither team needed to. They were both so dominant that all they do is repeat their 2013-14 performance and they should be right back up their next year.

Bet365 has the Seahawks favored at 11/2 and the Broncos and New England Patriots tied a 13/2. BetVictor also has the Seahawks at 11/2 followed by the Broncos at 6/1 and San Francisco 49es at 7/1.

Our Pick: The Seahawks and Broncos look like the league’s top two teams once again, but when was the last time a rematch occurred? 1994, when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills for the second consecutive year. Don’t expect that to happen this time around.
The Hawks are expected to fly again
As seen in the odds above, both major bookmakers expect the Seattle Seahawks to win their second straight Super Bowl. How likely does that look? On paper, their team is just as good as it was last year, if not better.

Star running back Marshawn Lynch has refused to play until the team grants him a larger contract and defensive stud Bruce Irvin is injured and will miss the start of the season, but overall the team is loaded and quarterback Russell Wilson should continue to improve in only his third NFL season.

Our Pick: The Seahawks look like the league’s best team again, but winning the Super Bowl twice in a row isn’t easy. The last team to do it was New England ten years ago. We’re putting our money on the Broncos earning redemption.
Indianapolis rises with Andrew Luck
Three years ago Peyton Manning was still with the Indianapolis Colts, an ageing team without much talent outside of him. He tore up his shoulder, missing almost the entire season and causing the Colts to tumble from a playoff team to having the leagues’ worst record.

Manning was traded to Denver and Indy used the first overall pick to take Andrew Luck, their next franchise-saving quarterback. In 2012 and 2013 he almost single-handedly took them to the playoffs. Now that they’ve surrounded him with some talent, what are the chances that he takes them to the Super Bowl?

The odds are as follows: Bet365 has Indy at 22/1 with BetVictor giving them slightly better odds at 20/1. That puts them in the second-tier but not too far off from the top. The NFL is a deep league; any team in the top half has a chance of winning the Super Bowl.

Our Pick: The Colts are rightfully not a favorite to win the Super Bowl in 2015, but they should be considered a dark horse candidate. We would advise you to place a modest bet with them. Your chances of winning may be small, but the potential payout is huge.
The Houston Texans are getting some respect
Last year the Texans finished with the NFL worst record at 2-14 just one year after making the playoffs. Their coach and quarterback were fired. Going into 2014 they have a new quarterback (Ryan Fitzpatrick), coach (Bill O’ Brien) and defensive cornerstone (first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney).

While the Texans don’t look like Super Bowl contenders, they were a much more talented team than they appeared to be last year and have made a lot of improvements in the offseason.

Oddsmakers are picking up on this, bringing the Texans up from the bottom and putting them in them in the middle of the pack. Both Bet365 and BetVictor are giving them 40/1 odds of winning the Super Bowl in 2015.

Our Pick: Putting your money on Houston to win the Super Bowl would be a huge mistake. Online and mobile betting sites offer other wagers, however. Taking a more modest line, for example picking them to win the AFC South division, may not be a bad idea.