No value in 12-1 England for Euros

Sport Betting: 

WITH a record of played 10 and won 10 in group matches, you might have expected England to be among the favourites to win Euro 2016.

Then again knowing our boys, perhaps not. Roy Hodgson’s team can’t be faulted for the way they have qualified for next summer’s finals, but the question is: what will be different this time?

No matter how optimistic I try to be, I keep coming back to the same answer: nothing.

So you won’t see me racing to the bookies to snap up the 12-1 on offer for success in France in June and July. We will huff and puff, but a lack of nous at international level, plus the fall-out from a breathless premier league campaign will do for us once again.

That said, we have a far better chance of making some headway than Wales (66-1) and Northern Ireland (300-1). If the Republic of Ireland (250-1) make it through the play-offs, early elimination beckons for them, too.

At the opposite end of the market, Germany are rightly favourites at 100-30 despite their recent blips - they are the ultimate tournament players - while hosts France are 4-1 and Spain 13-2.

Then it’s Belgium at 10s, followed by England. Should we really be fifth favourites?



I HAVE to admit my interest in Strictly Come Dancing has dwindled in the last couple of years.

But I have a hankering to watch this weekend given all the chatter both verbal and on social media following last weekend’s exploits of Jay McGuinness from a boy band I have never heard of, The Wanted.

Apparently, his jive with Aliona Vilani was sensational and would have been greeted with perfect 10s across the board had it not been so early in the series.

Judge Bruno Tonioli gave the performance maximum marks though, so it is no surprise to see a complete shake-up in the series betting.

McGuinness is a meagre 11-10 to lift the glitter ball at Christmas, with Peter Andre 4-1, Katie Derham 6-1 and Helen George 10s. Then it’s 14-1 and bigger the rest.



MY indifference towards the X Factor is no secret, but for those of you who like the Saturday night karaoake show here are the latest odds: 5-2 Louisa Johnson; 6-1 Seann Mikey Moore; 7-1 Che Chesterman and Kiera Weathers.