citizenIt has been quite a while since I attended a live rugby match, so when World Sports Betting invited me to the Lions v Jaguares game this past weekend I jumped at the opportunity. 

citizenLike many sport betters I limped out of this weekend’s Super Rugby.  It was a weekend of shocks with the Sunwolves beating the Chiefs away in the upset of the season so far. The Stormers and the Bulls both won away as underdogs and there is little doubt that Super Rugby Week 3 belonged to the bookmakers.

citizenWe may already be 14 matches into Super Rugby 2019 but I have only placed a couple of bets.  The reason for this is I have been involved with kids’ sports and parties and frankly I just haven’t been able to watch much rugby. 

citizenI cannot recall watching less Super Rugby in an opening weekend than the one that has just past. The reason is that my son was involved in a Water Polo Tournament and rather than spending my day on the sofa shouting at the TV, I was at the side of the pool shouting at the referee. 

citizenSuper Rugby is a marathon and when things are a little bit tight financially you have to be selective with long term bets.  There are plenty of markets that I fancy but I also want to bet on the individual matches and need to ensure I keep some of my bankroll back to do that. 

citizenThe Super Hero themed pre-season rugby matches that took place in Cape Town this past weekend showed that there are a number of ways to build public interest but for me though the tried and tested method involves having a bet.

citizenI had a rare Saturday off from school sport this past weekend and my plans were simple, I was going to spend the day on the couch betting on the horses as well as some of the Pro 14 rugby that was on the go. 

citizenHi everyone, I hope like me you are refreshed and ready for a great year of sports betting. 

citizenI would estimate that 90% of my sports betting is focused on rugby but at this time of the year I find myself getting more adventurous and there were some excellent alternatives this past weekend.

oosthuizenboxingEmperors Palace is the venue for the highly anticipated “Repeat or Revenge” card on Saturday night and we take a look at all 6 bouts from a betting angle.

citizenI have been betting on sport for many years and one of the things I always enjoyed was treating myself and the family to a nice meal or even a trip to the coast after a good win.

citizenLike many sports betters I was keeping a close eye on the bookmakers last Friday as many of them were putting up some excellent Black Friday specials.  The bookies didn’t disappoint and by the time Friday ended I had emptied my credit card as I looked to take advantage of the opportunities on offer.

citizenReaders of this article will have noticed a pattern developing over the past few weeks and that is that this punter is on one of those runs where any decision he makes turns out to be a wrong one.

citizenThe TMO has been a fixture of rugby for some time but I for one would rather see the role of the 4th official reduced rather than increased. 

citizenI have been betting for many years and during this time I have had plenty of reason to pause and think about great wins but also some hard knocks.  One thing that amazes me is how quickly great form can turn sour.

citizenMy daughter was playing in a Water Polo Tournament this past weekend so I didn’t expect to see much of the Currie Cup semi-finals. Mother Nature was to play a role though and the Saturday afternoon games were pushed out due to lightening, meaning I was on the couch for the Sharks v the Lions. 

citizenRegular readers of this article will know that around 90% of my betting takes place on rugby and it is a sport I have been investing in for over 20 years. 

citizenThe majority of punters appeared to be siding with New Zealand this past weekend although the handicap never shifted much from the opening call of -12.5 points All Blacks. 

citizenThe Ryder Cup is one of my favourite events of the year and win or lose on the betting front I always end up enjoying the drama and tension which accompanies this great tournament. 

citizenI managed to get away with extended family this past weekend and enjoyed three of my favourite B’s in Beer, Bush and Betting.  Fortunately I was successful on the betting side of things and it leaves me nicely placed heading into one of the most exciting weekends of the year.

rydercup150x150Le Golf National Course in France is the host to the 2018 Ryder Cup where the USA looks set to start favourites but the Europeans are shortening in the betting.

citizenI have written many times here about the fact that I bet with my head and not my heart and because of that I don’t support any particular team.  This past weekend was no different and when a down and out Springbok side was faced with a massive task of taking on New Zealand I was looking to oppose them. 

citizenIf you hang around with people who bet on sport you will often hear them talk about betting value.  People often disagree about what value is but for me it is simply when you get a price or a handicap line which is better than what you were expecting and a subsequent shift in the market proves that you were correct. 

citizenMy betting bank roll was in pretty good shape heading into this past weekend. The Crusaders had kicked off a decent run of form and I was full of confidence.  At the same time though I have been involved in this game for many years and I know that form is fleeting and it doesn’t take much to lose the initiative to the bookmakers.

 

citizenI had a quiet Saturday betting wise but the Boks were in action against Argentina that evening and I arranged a live pre-game betting preview on YouTube where two long standing Goodforthegame punters, Couch Critic and Hanrick Swart joined me for a rugby build-up with a difference.

citizenI am still trying to recover from a run of seriously late nights watching the PGA Championship. The fact that I stayed up late is generally good news as it means I had bets down that were in contention and I am pleased to report that thanks to Brooks Koepka I enjoyed an excellent weekend.

CouchBlogSince there was only one game I considered giving the post weekend review from the couch a skip, but alas I know my millions and millions of followers will just not be satisfied by that. So, here we go on my thoughts of the weekend and the Super Rugby 2018 season as a whole…

citizenThe Lions came from behind for the second weekend in a row when they saw off the Waratahs in Johannesburg this past weekend.  They conceded two early tries before eventually taking control of the game up front and ultimately drawing clear to win by a double figure margin which was enough to see Lions handicap punters collect. 

CouchBlogSo after months of scrapping it out we have only two left standing. The flamboyant South Africans and the ultra-professional, disciplined defending champions who seem to perennially be at the sharp end of the competition.

citizenI love playoff rugby and was looking forward to this past weekend’s Super Rugby Quarter-Finals.  I fancied the Chiefs, Waratahs, Crusaders and Lions on their respective handicaps and was planning to structure my bets accordingly. 

CouchBlogIt’s all done and dusted. There were a few OMF moments and perhaps even more WTF moments but ultimately we now have our final four who will duel it out for a spot in the final – a ticket to big dance.

citizenIf you follow me on Twitter you will know that I get pretty grumpy during rugby games when things are not going well. I can moan about anything from the person who stops the clock, the commentators and of course my pet hate the TMO.

CouchBlogThis past week the lure of the World Cup diminished but I woke up to Proteas all at sea against spin in Sri Lankans, Tour de France cycling after work and Wimbledon tennis in between and after that.

citizenThis past Saturday saw the running of the Vodacom Durban July and as has become tradition friends and family gathered at my house to take part in festivities. 

CouchBlogIt was the mother of sporting weekends. Vodacom Durban July, Silverstone F1 Grand Prix, second last weekend of pool games in Super Rugby, the start of the Tour de France and of course quarterfinal time at the Soccer World Cup.

citizenJohannesburg has been hit by some icy weather and indications are that we are in for a freezing weekend.  If ever there is a weekend where I don’t mind being confined to my lounge it is this one though as there is an incredible selection of sport to both watch and bet on.

NewcastleSJPEnglish Premier League action resumes on Saturday and @Olimp_SA have a preview including betting tips for Newcastle vs West Ham and Brentford vs Manchester United

facupThe FA Cup quarter finals take place this weekend and @Olimp_SA have a preview including betting tips for Manchester City vs Newcastle and Manchester United vs Liverpool

Scotland 23France vs England and Ireland vs Scotland are the headline fixtures in Six Nations Round 5 and @Olimp_SA have a preview including betting tips

champs.leagueThe Uefa Champions League Round of 16 resumes in midweek and @Olimp_SA have a preview and betting tips for the second leg matches between Barcelona and Napoli and Atletico Madrid and Inter