Latics’ insulting 100-1 promotion odds

Sports Betting: 

AS readers of Chron sport know, Matthew Chambers is our man for Athletic news and opinions.

But after some of the comments on the Latics forum after their 0-0 draw at Rochdale, I have to wade in too. Come on, Latics sceptics, get real.

Manager David Dunn is still learning the ropes, but there are green shoots of recovery and four points from a possible six in two away games last week looks a pretty good return to me.

Certainly, odds of 9-4 for Athletic’s relegation are some way off the mark, and while I’m not saying Dunn’s team will shoot up the table and occupy the play-off spots any time soon, Skybet’s 100-1 for promotion is nothing short of an insult.

Athletic tackle high-flying Burton on Saturday and this home match will certainly test the team’s new-found belief. I think Latics are reasonable value at 2-1 and certainly would rather back them than Burton at 6-4 or the draw at 9-4.

If Dunn and his team continue to progress, striker Ricardo Fuller gets up to speed and Jake Cassidy recovers from injury, we might get some juicy odds for matches involving Latics in the weeks to come.



ENGLAND’S cricketers may have been architects of their own downfall in the second Test, but it wasn’t just their first innings collapse that was to blame. The writing was on the wall the moment they lost the toss and had to field first.

Two lost tosses in a row could well become three in Sharjah on Sunday, but if Alastair Cook guesses right this time then the 11-4 about an England victory would look most attractive.

England almost won the first Test despite the toss and lost the second because of one bad session.

There is little between these teams even on pitches more suited to Pakistan, so trust the tourists to go flat out for a victory to level the series.



RUGBY’S World Cup has fizzled out as the home nations have beat a hasty retreat, but Saturday’s final between New Zealand and Australia should at least be a close, tense affair.

The All Blacks are 2-5 to prevail, while the Wallabies are 5-2. Australia are closer to New Zealand than those odds imply and are clearly the value bet.



RECOMMENDATIONS: England to win third Test, 11-4 (Ladbrokes); Australia to beat New Zealand in World Cup final, 5-2 (general).