The weekend before Christmas has arrived, but just before we dive into those festivities, we have another outstanding list of sporting action to sit back and watch. As you all know by now here at betcha, when we have that kind of slate available to us, we delve into it, get amongst the weeds, and come away with our five best bets of the weekend.
Now, with all of our analysis completed, there is nothing else to do but crack into the latest edition of the weekend’s best bet series.
What an absolute ripper to have on our screens come Friday afternoon, with two of the best teams in the NFL set to duke it out in prime time football for divisional supremacy. When looking at the two sides, I am a firm believer in who the Los Angeles Rams are, and have been since the preseason. I think Sean McVay is the best coach in the league, and he has the perfect quarterback to operate his offence in Matthew Stafford. As for the Seahawks, yes, they have an explosive offence, but what is most daunting when taking them on is their defensive unit, led by head coach Mike Macdonald.
The game itself has major playoff ramifications, as with a win either team can control their own destiny by winning out and taking the division crown, while also being the favourite to earn a first-round bye.
So who is going to step up in what is basically a playoff game come Thursday Night Football? That is where I back the best coach and the MVP favourite to take over the game for the Los Angeles Rams and ensure their team gets over the line on the road in front of the formidable 12th Man of the Seahawks.
The discussion for many surrounding this fight has been not if Anthony Joshua is to knock out Jake Paul, but rather when it will happen. That said, sport, and boxing in particular, is a funny game where strange things can happen, so it is by no means a guarantee. However, if you are of the thinking that Joshua will win this one by stoppage, this bet might be for you.
Looking at his career, Joshua has had five knockout wins in the first round, showing just how venomous his punches are right from the start. To add to that, those wins came against genuine professional boxers who had been training all their lives for the sport. This time around, as we have alluded to, he is fighting a celebrity turned boxer, and he has every chance to wrap this one up within the first round if Joshua comes out firing from the jump.
However, if you think Paul could last a little bit longer than that initial minute, our super boost might be the go, with Joshua to win in round one or two being pushed out from $2.10 to $3, which is some serious value as well.
The Battle of Sydney in the Big Bash is set to take place this weekend, as the Sydney Thunder are matched up against the Sixers, with both teams looking to get off the mark for the first time this season. When looking at the two sides, I would argue the visiting Sixers have the more talented side on paper compared to their crosstown rivals, but that has not stopped the Thunder from being a thorn in their side over the past few seasons.
While the early season has had its woes for the Sixers, going 0–2 in the first week of the competition, there is reason for optimism based on the early form of their most dynamic batsman. That, of course, is wicketkeeper batsman Josh Philippe, who has started reasonably hot at the crease with scores of 28 and 44 in his first two outings.
I think he will be chomping at the bit to take it to his crosstown rivals and could be in line for another decent knock come Saturday evening.
One of the best matchups in the college football playoffs this weekend is between the University of Miami and Texas A&M on Sunday morning. The game is going to be played in the home of the 12th Man, better known as College Station, in front of a daunting A&M home crowd that provides some of the biggest challenges for opposing teams.
Throw in that this is the first time these teams have been in the playoffs in this new era of college football, and there will no doubt be some nerves on both sides. However, there is one player who has been in these situations before, and that is Miami transfer quarterback Carson Beck, who outside of two poor performances, has been somewhat of a revelation for the Hurricanes.
Speaking of revelations, Miami have the best freshman in college football this season in wide receiver Malachi Toney. He may not be the biggest player in the world, but he is a certified baller and has shredded every defence he has come up against.
Based on that connection, and the way the Miami defence has performed down the stretch, I am not saying they will win this one, but I certainly like them to cover the spread.
One thing that has been a bit of a constant when Man United take the field recently has been goals, and that is echoed by their basketball style affair with Bournemouth that saw the game come to a close at a four all draw. While it is a great thing that they are finding the back of the net under Ruben Amorim, there will certainly be some concerns about the defensive woes that have been occurring, as they continue to leak goals through the first half of the season.
Aston Villa are in a similar boat to United, with goals being a constant theme in their recent fixtures. In all four of those games, they failed to keep a clean sheet and have also gone over the 2.5 goal threshold.
When looking at these numbers, while this is a high-stakes matchup with both teams likely to be on edge, I still think there are going to be plenty of goals hitting the back of the net, potentially taking it over the 2.5 total.
