In last Saturday's best bets column, our team of tipsters racked up over +5.3pts profit from across the action.
Football betting tips: Saturday best bets
2pts Pervis Estupinan 2+ shots in Brighton vs West Ham at 6/4 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
2.5pts Yoane Wissa 3+ shots in Brentford vs Crystal Palace at 8/5 (Hills)
2pts Both teams to score ‘No’ in Everton vs Wolves at evens (General)
1.5pts Both teams to score in Cardiff vs Sheff Wed at evens (General)
1pt Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to score anytime in Rotherham v Leicester at 4/1 (Sky Bet, William Hill)
1pt Elliot Lee to score anytime in Barrow v Wrexham at 17/5 (William Hill)
1pt Dominic Solanke to score anytime in Bournemouth vs Spurs at 10/3 (Hills)
0.5pt Solanke to score 2+ goals at 25/1 (Sky Bet)
Brighton vs West Ham
- Kick-off time: 17:30 BST, Saturday
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event
- Home 1/2 | Draw 18/5 | Away 19/4
James Cantrill (@JimmyThePunt)
PERVIS ESTUPINAN has started the season brilliantly.
In Brighton’s victory over Wolves last weekend, the left-back opened his account for the campaign and contributed to another goal with an assist for Kaoru Mitoma’s opener.
It is the Ecuadorian’s price to have 2+ SHOTS that appeals here at 6/4 - it is odds-on in places.
The full-back has met this line in each of his two appearances this campaign, picking up where he left off last season when he racked up 18 attempts in 13 starts.
The Seagulls top the Premier League shot charts (21.5 per game) and I fancy the attack-minded Estupinan to unleash a couple against the Hammers, a side who have allowed 30 shots in their two league games thus far.
BuildABet @ 18/1
- Brighton win
- Over 2.5 goals
- Pervis Estupinan anytime goalscorer
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
Goals and three points.
These are the two things that have underpinned De Zerbi’s south coast stint.
In the 32 league games he oversaw last season, his side won 49 points, scoring 61 goals and conceding 48 in the process.
Score prediction: Brighton 4-1 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 16/1)
Bournemouth vs Tottenham
- Kick-off time: 12:30 BST, Saturday
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Home 13/5 | Draw 29/10 | Away 10/11
Tom Carnduff (@TomCarnduff)
Bournemouth's attacking displays across their opening two games have been encouraging - they took 14 shots against West Ham and 13 against Liverpool.
From those 27 shots, 21 have been from open play, giving them an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.42 in this area. That is the 9th-highest across the first two weeks and above Saturday's opponents.
We can expect them to continue along that same path here - Spurs conceded 33 shots across their last two games with Brentford enjoying six efforts on target.
Therefore, it's a surprise to see a price as big as 10/3 available on DOMINIC SOLANKE TO SCORE ANYTIME.
The striker scored on opening day - pouncing on a rebound and going around the keeper - with three shots in each of his two appearances so far.
As outlined above, four of those six have been in the area, with the three on the right at close range. He's been enjoying some good quality chances so far - the xG tally already sits at 1.03.
And part of the neutral appeal of this Tottenham team is how exposed they can be defensively. A total of 2.91 open play expected goals against (xGA) has only led to one goal conceded. Bournemouth should see chances.
In case it's a game that becomes chaotic, I'll also have a small stakes play on SOLANKE TO SCORE 2+ GOALS at 25s.
BuildABet @ 7/1
- 11+ corners
- Bournemouth 14+ shots
- Solanke 1+ shots on target
- Kulusevski 1+ shots on target
I've already discussed the potential of this match being high scoring, which can lead to CORNERS if it's end-to-end.
Bournemouth have also hit a decent SHOTS line in both of their game, making 14+ an appealing selection in front of their own supporters.
SOLANKE has had opportunities so far, as has DEJAN KULUSEVSKI - they will get chances to strike.
Score prediction: Bournemouth 3-2 Tottenham (Sky Bet odds: 22/1)
Brentford v Crystal Palace
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST
- Home 21/20 | Draw 12/5 | Away 13/5
James Cantrill (@JimmyThePunt)
Ivan Toney’s suspension has opened the door for Bryan Mbeumo and YOANE WISSA and judging by the start the pair have made to the campaign, they have been chomping at the bit for some time.
In the three games Toney missed last season, Mbeumo and Wissa either scored or assisted each of The Bees' six goals.
The former’s shot price appeals, 8/5 with William Hill for 3+ SHOTS.
In Toney’s absence, Wissa has scored four in five and racked up 18 attempts. He only failed to find the net or register a single shot in Brentford’s 1-0 win over Manchester City over that period.
Wissa has covered the line of three in each of his appearances this season and had eight efforts in Brentford’s last game.
Score prediction: Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace (Sky Bet odds: 11/2)
Odds correct at 0820 BST (25/08/23)
Everton vs Wolves
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST
- Home 13/10 | Draw 9/4 | Away 11/5
Michael Beardmore (@MickeyBeardmore)
I’m amazed to see BTTS ‘Yes’ the favourite over BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE 'NO' in a battle between two sides who couldn’t hit the proverbial barn door based on the evidence of the two opening Premier League weekends.
It's like betting on a traffic light to be red rather than green or the next person to walk through the door to be blonde rather than dark-haired - plausible and possible, for sure, but definitely the unlikelier eventuality of the two.
Granted, Wolves did grab a second-half consolation against Brighton last Saturday but that is the only goal either of these teams has scored across more than six hours of football so far this season.
These problems aren’t new either – Everton and Wolves stayed up last season based on acceptable defensive records, registering the top flight’s lowest ‘Goals Scored’ tallies of 34 and 31 respectively.
Neither side has a first-choice striker to make you sit up and take notice and while it’s so early on in the season that it should be ridiculous to say this is a six-pointer – it doesn’t actually seem so ridiculous.
Both sit in the bottom two with zero points and each will want to avoid beginning the season with three straight defeats, meaning this has all the hallmarks of a cagey affair at Goodison.
Score prediction: Everton 0-0 Wolves (Sky Bet odds: 17/2)
Odds correct 1045 BST (24/08/23)
Cardiff vs Sheffield Wednesday
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST
- Home 23/10 | Draw 11/5 | Away 13/5
Michael Beardmore (@MickeyBeardmore)
As of time of writing, four Sky Bet Championship matches on Saturday were priced at even money for BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE – and this looks the one of that quartet to target for profit.
While it’s understandable to see matches involving Birmingham (successive wins to nil), Millwall and QPR (both having scored just twice in four games apiece) at such a price, this game is different.
At this stage of the season, we are still dealing with small samples of course but Cardiff have two 2-2 draws and 2-1 defeats on the board while three of Wednesday’s four games have been BTTS too.
Both defences – Wednesday 1.67 expected goals against (xGA) per game, Cardiff 1.61 xGA – are among the poorest performing thus far from an underlying numbers standpoint.
The Owls lost 4-2 at Hull in their only previous away trip this term and look a sure bet to concede, while Cardiff are also yet to keep a clean sheet this campaign.
Score prediction: Cardiff 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
Odds correct 1100 BST (24/08/23)
Rotherham v Leicester
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST
- Home 23/10 | Draw 11/5 | Away 13/5
Michael Beardmore (@MickeyBeardmore)
Leicester, with three wins from three – four in four if you count the Carabao Cup – visit a Rotherham side that’s shipped eight goals in their opening three league matches.
It’s difficult to see any other outcome than the obvious here and that’s reflected in the prices with the Foxes heavy favourites despite being in the away dressing room.
As often when a team is relegated, there will be players who bloom at the lower level and it’s no surprise to see that happening in the East Midlands.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL has begun the season like a rocket, scoring twice in Leicester’s opening-weekend win over Coventry and registering 14 shots across City’s first three games.
That adventurousness could well continue at the New York Stadium and, at 4/1, it’s worth a play on the midfielder TO SCORE ANYTIME.
Score prediction: Rotherham 0-3 Leicester (Sky Bet odds: 11/1)
Odds correct 1845 BST (25/08/23)
Barrow v Wrexham
- Kick-off time: 15:00 BST
- Home 21/10 | Draw 5/2 | Away 6/5
Michael Beardmore (@MickeyBeardmore)
Wrexham have taken their Hollywood tag to heart upon their return to the Football League, their first four games featuring a frankly ridiculous 26 goals.
They came from 4-1 down to amazingly draw 5-5 with Swindon last weekend, having previously registered a 4-2 win over Walsall and a 5-3 opening-day defeat by MK Dons.
In fairness, they were similarly goal-mad in claiming the National League title last term, hitting 116 goals in 46 games, and are clearly sticking to those attacking instincts.
Playmaker ELLIOT LEE is typifying their approach - he's scored four times already, provided one assist and is averaging a madcap 3.8 shots per game for the Dragons, reallly stepping up in the absence of injured chief goal-getter Paul Mullin.
He looks a large price at 17/5 to keep that streak going and SCORE ANYTIME at Barrow, especially when you consider he's on penalty duties too.
Score prediction: Barrow 2-3 Wrexham (Sky Bet odds: 20/1)
Odds correct 2115 BST (25/08/23)
Odds correct at 1200 BST (24/08/23)
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