Dale Tempest's football betting insight: Top tips, trends and punting notes from leading name in football betting
Dale Tempest has some sage New Year advice and four top tips for a packed day of football to kick off 2020 on a high.
It's the start of a new decade but as always at the start of a new year it's a good time to take stock of where you are with your football betting.
I played professional football for 16 years for Fulham, Huddersfield and Colchester in the UK and also 10 years abroad in Hong Kong and Belgium.
I then worked in football administration for the next five years and now the betting industry since 2002 so it’s safe to say I’ve been involved in the football and betting world for a very long time.
I'm often asked after 40 years of interest and involvement what advice I’d give to punters and it’s this - always be honest with yourself. It might sound simple but it’s crucial if you want to be profitable and improve your betting.
We all have our own preferences or style of punting - big accas, shots on target, cards and corners and so on - but my job in writing this column is to try and help you become more successful.
For the New Year’s Day football fixtures I’ve reduced my staking by 50%. It’s simple, I like to watch the highlights of every Premier League and EFL Championship game, study the match data and read reports and I can’t do that over the Christmas period.
With four quick games over 10-14 days I’m guessing on everything. Injuries, form, team news, bad decisions and bad luck all have an impact on results and I really don’t know what’s going on, so I reduce my involvement.
I do, however have four one-point bets for New Year’s Day.
Dale's New Year's Day Bets
- 1pt Man Utd (Draw No Bet) v Arsenal at 4/5
- 1pt Watford (Draw No Bet) v Wolves at 5/4
- 1pt Watford v Wolves 40+ bookings points at 8/11
- 1pt Everton +2 handicap v Man City at 10/11
Click on the link to add to betslip
Firstly I'm siding with Manchester United in the 'Draw No Bet' market at Arsenal (level ball Asian line). With United's pace they are better suited to playing away and are in relatively good form, while Arsenal are still struggling under Mikel Arteta and are yet to convince me they’re on the way back .
I'm sticking with Watford, who really do seem to have turned things around under the Nigel Pearson/Troy Deeney partnership. I am hedging my bets and backing Watford in the same market as United, as Wolves are excellent and will be very tough opponents, but the Hornets at home are going to be very hard to beat from now on.
I’m also playing the over cards in this game - four-plus cards (40+ bookings points) looks the place to be. Watford had four yellows and a red themselves in the second half against Aston Villa and Wolves don’t mind a scrap, especially when teams take them on as Watford surely will.
My final bet is Everton +2 on the handicap at Man City. Carlo Ancelotti will get that new manager bounce but it’s his sheer presence that will inspire the Everton dressing room.
We all know what City are capable of but they looked tired against Sheffield United and I really don’t think Everton will lose by more than one goal.
Pep Guardiola was really tetchy in his press conference before the game and you can tell he hates the crowded fixture list (five games in 12 days for City) and the pressure it puts on his players.
We love all this football though. Good luck to you all in 2020!
Follow Sporting Life on social media - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC
Related football links
MOST READ FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL TIPS
