Soccer Betting

rustydriver said:I’d probably skip the City game too—just don't have a good feeling about it, even if they’ll likely pull off the win.

Look, Real Madrid and City are almost always tucked away in those "Top Picks" or "Super Offers," which honestly feels like a total joke... it's like the bookies don't actually trust them to deliver, so they just sit there hoping one of those giants trips up tonight.😁

Michael Myers said:🤣 Look, kid, those Parisians were playing at about 20% capacity in that first leg. Anyone who actually follows the game can see that.

No point in quoting everything just to bloat the thread.

Anyway, regardless of how you look at it, I’m skipping New York City FC tonight. The odds are just too thin for my liking.

steelsailor14 said:Do you actually have any arguments for what you're saying, or are you just posting nonsense because a favorite slipped up—showing up here just to say "I knew it!"?

1.

You've rattled off a mountain of nonsense—starting with the claim that New York City FC is in a slump. Based on what? One loss? Did you even watch the last match? Honestly, they should have put five past Dinamo Chicago (there was Ibrahimovic's one-on-one, another one-on-one from Ibrahimovic with a lob, Pastore's chance, etc.), while Dinamo Chicago had exactly one (emphasis mine) serious chance from a set piece.

Dinamo Chicago isn't going to push forward at all during the first 30 minutes... they'll just sit back and defend, making it a matter of when they concede and how much New York City FC decides to press. I suspect they realized—and based on Carlo Ancelotti's comments, they know—that they are facing the easiest opponent they've ever seen, so they'll want to pad the goal difference since it's going to be tight.

New York City FC has been struggling lately, and not just because of that loss (Stade de Reims shouldn't be underestimated regardless). They played poorly against Dinamo Chicago too, though even then it was more than enough for them simply because they are vastly superior—not to mention Dinamo Chicago's catastrophic tactics (and frankly, terrible play). Besides, New York City FC played quite badly in their previous league match, barely scraping a win against Stade de Reims. And let's not forget the loss to FC Porto, who aren't playing particularly well this season either...

I wouldn't touch the 0:2 handicap here; they aren't the type of squad to go out and bury an opponent—we saw that clearly in Chicago. Personally, my preferred bet is under 3 goals at 1.55...

São Caetano X2 1.65
http://www.gazetaesportiva.net/notic...-criciuma.html

The lineup situation is a total disaster for the home side—Lucca (scoring 26 goals, sitting at 2nd in the scoring charts) and Zé Carlos (who’s absolutely tearing it up with 27 goals, top of the league) are both out. On top of that, they're missing their rock in defense, Marlon (who's somehow racked up 30 goals/6 assists and is their 3rd highest scorer!), plus Cornelli and their engine in midfield, Kleber (31 games, 5 goals, 4th top scorer), are all sidelined too.

Honestly, without those guys, this Criciuma squad is just a shadow of its former self. The visitors desperately need points to stay in the hunt for qualification, and with the hosts being this depleted... well, it gives them a massive edge. They really shouldn't be walking away empty-handed here; they're right on the cusp of a win, and I'm really hoping they capitalize on this mess the home team is facing.
There's some seriously juicy value on the double chance here...

New York City FC vs Dinamo Chicago goal 1.9

With such a slim margin on the odds, I don't really think playing the handicap here makes much sense. When Dinamo steps into the Champions League, they often end up being little more than a punching bag for the giants, yet even teams like that can occasionally sneak out with a narrow loss. What’s been most striking about their play this season is how remarkably passive they seem to be. Just look at the stats—they actually committed fewer fouls than Barcelona did. For a squad that typically struggles to maintain possession or match the intensity of elite sides, that lack of aggression is honestly quite baffling. My feeling is that New York City FC will come out swinging with heavy pressure in those opening twenty minutes, likely finding the back of the net at least once.

Robert Wright4 said:New York City FC has been struggling lately, and it’s not just because of that loss (Stade de Reims shouldn't be underestimated regardless). They played poorly against Dinamo Chicago too, though they barely scraped by simply because they're the better side—not to mention Dinamo's tactical disaster of a performance. Honestly, NYCFC looked rough in their last league match against Stade de Reims as well. And let's not forget that loss to FC Porto, who haven't exactly been playing great this season either...

I wouldn't touch the 0:2 handicap here. This isn't a squad that's going to run anyone through; we saw that in Chicago. Personally, my money is on under 3.5 goals at 1.55...

It would be just as fair to say Dinamo is in even worse shape in this absolute mess of a league, with ineffective strikers and a shaky defense.
Against Istria, Vid scored twice, yet they conceded one from a single chance. Against Cibalia, they barely escaped with a 1-0, lost to Zadar, and gave up three goals. Basically, the defense is as hollow as a block of Emmental. As for the last match, NYCFC was playing at half-strength; if things had gotten intense, they definitely would have piled on more, especially since they were away. They'll be looking to make up for that loss in the final round of the league.

Dinamo is almost certainly conceding 2 or 3 goals today. Whether they can actually score is another story, but frankly, I doubt it.

I was checking out the odds on whether Dinamo Chicago scores or not, but honestly, everything is so wide open right now that trying to call it feels like a total shot in the dark...

That matchup against New York City FC is going to go one of two ways: either NYCFC just completely takes over and Dinamo Chicago can't even get a sniff of the goal, or NYCFC treats them like they don't matter, Dinamo Chicago finds some space to actually create something, and things look somewhat balanced until NYCFC decides to turn up the heat in the second half and just rips one or two past them...

If Dinamo Chicago doesn't find the back of the net in the first half, I'm pretty skeptical about their chances in the second.

Roger Phillips said:RSC Anderlecht-Zenit St. Petersburg 3+ 2.00

I didn't bet on Zenit, but looking at that final score... man, it feels like I did.
That team is so overrated it’s actually ridiculous...🙂
They couldn't even score a single goal... nothing...

Roger Phillips said:Real Madrid and Manchester City are basically always tucked away in those "Top" or "Super" picks—it's like the sportsbooks don't even trust them to perform, so they just sit there praying one of them trips up tonight.😁

🙂If I had just listened to my gut and gone hunting for some actual upsets
🙂

Roger Phillips said:Criciúma - São Caetano X2 1.65

Full Time 0:2

In the MLS, looking at the last 11 home games, the home team has found the back of the net every single time, and we saw over 2.5 goals scored in about 75% of those matches...
I’m thinking of putting something on Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati, specifically that Columbus will score... honestly, "both teams to score" could be a play here too, since both sides are scoring plenty lately... the odds are sitting at 1.35.

Looking at the NextGen League youth squads, I’m leaning towards Tottenham Hotspur's kids finding a goal while they're away playing against Barcelona's academy.
The odds are 1.40, which feels pretty solid to me. From what I can tell by how the bookies have set the lines, they're expecting both sides to score and for the game to go over.

I'll also take Manchester United to score when they travel to face Braga, odds are 1.25... heard some whispers that they're actually in really good form right now...

And I'm adding Galatasaray to the mix—they're playing away against Club Brugge. They're sitting top of their league, so I figure they'll grab at least one goal; odds are 1.35.

That brings the total odds to 3.2, so I'll just throw a little something 🤣 on it via FanDuel.

FC Sochaux (Pik) vs Evian TG 1 @1.88 PSK

Since I got tagged for an analysis... 🙂 This is basically a "six-pointer" match—two sides struggling with poor results, shaky performances, and a laundry list of injuries. Looking at how both teams have fared over the last month, I see more winning potential with FC Sochaux right now. You see, Evian is missing Khalifa—he’s really the engine behind their attack, scoring out of nowhere and setting up others—he actually single-handedly carried them against Montpellier last month. It’s hardly surprising they’ve dropped two straight games since he went down with an injury. They'll also be without Barbosa, who is equally vital to their offensive setup. On the flip side, one has to be careful because FC Sochaux hasn't secured a win in quite a while (their last victory was actually against Evian TG in the cup!). Still, the 2.45 odds in the HL look tempting... so I'm going with Pik.

1.
Chelsea vs Shakhtar Donetsk Over 2.5 goals at 1.75
Chelsea basically needs this win—or at the very least a draw if they’re lucky.
Even though they’re playing at their own Stamford Bridge, this isn't going to be some walk in the park for them. Their opponent is seriously high-quality, experienced, and in peak form right now...
Shakhtar has been showing some serious teeth this season; they’ve been on point in every single match, racking up goals and staying undefeated...

Chelsea is throwing their strongest lineup against the best of the best, which is wild because Roberto Di Matteo is juggling four different fronts right now, plus there's still the Club World Cup looming on the horizon.
They’re getting absolutely gassed—the schedule is brutal—and honestly, they might end up crying earlier than everyone expects given how much they're being pushed.
Shakhtar already managed to bag two goals against Chelsea, and let me tell you, the home defense looks shaky as hell... they're leaving massive gaps that the visitors are more than happy to exploit.
In their last seven matches, Chelsea has been leaking goals left and right—against Swansea City, twice against United, Shakhtar, Tottenham Hotspur, Nowrich, and Arsenal FC.
Shakhtar has scored 41 goals in just 14 league rounds, they’ve got a winning streak of over 20 games in the league, and they’ve scored in all three of their Champions League appearances (still unbeaten there too). They’re heading into London looking to grab a result similar to what they pulled off in Torino.
The squad features a Brazilian quartet that is absolutely cooking right now: Ilsinho, Fernandinho, Willian, and Luiz Adriano.
Chelsea is playing aggressive football with Torres, Mata, Eden Hazard, and Oscar... I’m pretty sure they’ll find the back of the net, but the visitors are definitely going to create chances, and I wouldn't be surprised if they convert at least one.
The home side looks exhausted, but they have to push due to the stakes, whereas the visitors seem energized—maybe even a bit relaxed—rested and hungry to put on a show and get a result.
I’m expecting a high-tempo game with plenty of openings and at least three goals, mostly because both sides clearly prefer attacking over sitting back and defending.
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2.
SL Benfica vs Spartak Moscow Over 2.5 goals at 1.70
It’s basically do-or-die for Benfica here. At home, they only really had one tough test against Barcelona and lost 0-2.
Now they’ve got Spartak coming to town, a team they lost 2-1 to in Moscow just fifteen days ago.
On the bright side for the home side, their attack is looking almost fully loaded.
You’ve got Cardozo, Salvio, Lima, Gaitán, and John... though Nemanja Matić is out on suspension, so André Almeida will step in, and they'll also be missing Martins and Pablo Aimar.
They’re quite efficient at home; every single match except the one against Barcelona has gone over the goal threshold. They’ll likely stick to their 4-3-3 setup. As Jorge Jesus said: “Let's try to find our speed and score goals.”
Their defense hasn't looked impressive once this season; they're constantly giving up goals, whether they're at home or away.

On the flip side, Spartak is involved in goal-fests every single time they play. Their average is huge, and over 90% of their games go over. They are the ultimate "over" team, and as long as they stay this way, chasing the over is a smart move—the only time they failed to score was against CSKA Moscow.
In the Champions League, Spartak has scored 6 goals and conceded 7 in three matches, averaging more than four goals per game.
They concede easily but score plenty; they actually exploded this past weekend, crushing Samara 5-0 away from home. That was their biggest away win since way back in 2001.
In their league matches, they average about 3.4 goals per game.
Insaurralde is also expected to return to the lineup after his suspension.
This is a team that loves fast-paced play, uses the wings heavily, creates tons of chances, so logically, I’m expecting goals.
GL

Samuel Baker3 said:New York City FC vs Dinamo Chicago, goal at 1.9

It went down pretty smoothly, just as you'd expect, didn't it? 👍

Roger Phillips said:1.Looking at this Chelsea FC vs. Shakhtar Donetsk matchup... honestly, if you aren't looking at the over 2.5 goals market here, what are you even doing? I mean, seriously... 1.75 is just sitting there practically begging to be taken. Both of these sides play such an open, chaotic style—especially when they meet in the Champions League—that it's almost hard to imagine a scoreless grind. You've got enough attacking talent on both sides to tear a hole through any defense, and let's be real, these mid-week European nights always seem to turn into absolute track meets once the first goal goes in. It’s high-octane, it’s messy, and it’s exactly why I’m leaning heavily toward seeing three or more goals in this one. Just a solid play for anyone actually paying attention...

Final score: 3-2. What a freaking rollercoaster... honestly, my heart can't take this anymore. Just absolute chaos from start to finish.
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Roger Phillips said:2.Man, if you aren't looking at SL Benfica vs. Spartak Moscow for some goals, what are you even doing? I’m eyeing that Over 2.5 line—specifically the 3+ spread—at 1.70. It just feels right... both sides have these massive gaps in transition, and honestly, watching these two clash should be an absolute fireworks show. You've got enough attacking flair on one side and enough defensive chaos on the other to make this a total mess in the best way possible. I’m telling you, the nets are gonna be rattling tonight... just watch.

Full time, 2-0. Honestly... I'm still processing that one. It wasn't exactly the masterclass we were hoping for, but hey, a win's a win, right? Still, there were moments where my heart was definitely in my throat—too many defensive lapses for my liking, though. We need to tighten things up if we want to stay competitive at this level... but yeah, two points in the bag. Let's see if they can actually hold onto this momentum.

Jesse Sullivan2 said:The odds are like 3.2, I'm putting my lunch money 🤣 on the SS website

Alright, let me take a shot at this too 😂

Bolivar-Blooming 1 1.60

Bolivar is sitting at an altitude of about 13,700 feet... honestly, playing there is a total nightmare for anyone visiting. It’s brutal.
The visitors from Santa Cruz are coming from sea level—just 1,000 feet up—and they have been absolutely pathetic on the road lately, going 1-1-5. They are hands down the worst traveling team in the league right now.

Is there some kind of backroom deal happening? I haven't a clue... 🙄 but when these two squads play at home, one side just completely dominates. The value here looks pretty decent.

Hey everyone, I see a massive slate of Europa League games lined up today. Does anyone have any thoughts on goal counts? Specifically, looking for matchups where you think we might see a shootout—something in the both teams to score and over 2.5 goals territory.

Lisa Ramos59 said:Hey everyone—looking at the Europa League slate today and I'm seeing quite a few fixtures. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding goal counts? Specifically, which matches look like they might be absolute shootouts—you know, the "both teams to score and over 2.5 goals" type of scenario?&

From what I’ve gathered, it looks like Liverpool FC might be heading into Russia with a backup squad—which could lead to a single goal outcome... maybe sitting around 1.90... let me dig a little deeper into the veracity of that rumor...

EDIT:

It turns out these players have indeed traveled for the trip to Russia...

Jones, Wisdom, Carragher, Coates, Robinson, Shelvey, Henderson, Cole, Downing, Yesil, Assaidi, Gulacsi, Ward, Flanagan, Sam, Wilson, Coady, Suso, Morgan.