Can’t lie, bit of a modest weekend last time out, going three for five. Not horrific, but definitely room to improve heading into this one. If you’ve been following along with the series, you know how this goes. But if it’s your first time coming across it, listen in. We’ll be going through my five favourite bets across all the codes available to us here at betcha.
So, with all that admin out of the way, let’s crack on with the newest edition of our best bets.
James Cook has quickly become one of the best players in the league with the ball in his hands and is no doubt the focal point skill-position player in the high powered Bills offence. Now of course he’ll get his touches rushing the rock, but I also expect them to get him involved in the passing game, especially given their opponent.
They’re taking on a Dolphins side that hasn’t been the most efficient to start the season. One of their biggest issues has been giving up cheap yards to running backs catching passes out of the backfield. This was especially clear during their Week 2 showdown with division rivals the New England Patriots, where their two starting backs, Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, combined for 118 yards on just 7 total catches.
With Cook clearly the better back and this being a short week, where teams often struggle to clean up the finer details, I think he’s got a real shot at going over his receiving yards.
The Black Ferns once again find themselves in a World Cup semi-final where they will take on highly regarded rivals Canada on Saturday morning. Looking at the recent history between the two sides, it is about as evenly split as it gets, with both teams taking one win and one draw from their last three matchups. History suggests this one is going to be close, and it is definitely a box office game worth getting up early for with a strong coffee and some breakfast.
Now to the game itself. There will be plenty of stars on the field, with Canada featuring stalwarts in the starting fifteen like Daleaka Menin, Emily Tuttosi, and Alex Tessier, who will no doubt bring a winning edge to their team. On the other side, the Black Ferns have some long-time stars and one young player who has already shown she can take a game by the scruff of the neck. The obvious names are Ruahei Demant, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Stacey Waaka, but the one who could turn this match on its head is Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who is arguably the best young player in the world right now. She has taken the World Cup by storm and currently leads the competition in both tries scored and metres carried.
With all those names in the mix, I believe the Black Ferns have the edge. New Zealand teams tend to show up in World Cup knockout matches. That was proven at the last tournament, when they came in as massive underdogs and beat England in the final. With history and experience on their side, I like the Black Ferns to cover the spread in this one.
The Wellington Lions’ season hangs by a thread, and this Saturday afternoon they will host a Southland side who, after their historic Ranfurly Shield win, have been on a massive skid. The Lions themselves, who have done as poor a job as possible defending their championship from last year, now face a must-win situation.
Luckily for Wellington, they’re up against a team whose defence has been nearly as leaky as their own in recent weeks. The Stags have conceded 118 points over their last two outings.
Another huge positive for the defending champions is the one-week All Blacks break, which means they’ll receive a major boost in talent for the weekend’s clash. Key names returning in Wellington colours for a brief stint after national duty include Ruben Love, Kyle Preston, and Peter Lakai. All three are set to play important roles for the Lions and, with more All Blacks opportunities on the line, each will have a point to prove. So, with the Lions fielding an exciting team while also playing for their season I expect them to come out firing.
The Big Six showdown this weekend will see Chelsea travel north to take on Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, where United will be chomping at the bit to bounce back after their 3-0 loss in the Manchester Derby. At first glance, you’d expect Chelsea to handle business here based on form and overall squad quality. However, history suggests otherwise. These haven’t been happy hunting grounds for the Blues, who haven’t beaten the Red Devils at Old Trafford since 2013.
That challenge is made even tougher by a short turnaround, with only about two days of rest following their trip to Germany to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League Round 1.
Another major storyline heading into this one is Alejandro Garnacho returning to the club where he first broke through. After a bitter split in the summer, he made the move and now has a real shot to start against the side he likely feels gave up on him, and if I know anything about him he will take this personally.
After processing all of this, I don’t think Chelsea leave Old Trafford empty handed, but I could definitely see this one ending in a draw.
We’re going back to the well with an under on total points in a big college football game this weekend. It’s treated us well so far, and based on storylines and talent, I like the look of it again as Auburn travels to Oklahoma to take on the Sooners.
Both teams have gone through major changes this offseason, especially at the quarterback position. Heisman hopeful John Mateer has started off red hot in Norman, while former 5-star Oklahoma recruit Jackson Arnold transferred to Auburn after a failed stint as a Sooner. With those two aside, I expect this to be a high-pressure game where both teams spend some time throwing early jabs, given how much it could mean for their seasons.
As for the outcome, I do lean Oklahoma. However, with how chaotic this college season has been, I’m steering clear of the moneyline. Instead, I think both teams have solid defences that should be able to keep a lid on the opposing offenses. So rather than backing the home side to win, I could see this one going under the points total, just like some of the other big SEC matchups we’ve seen.
