United's Number Two?
The biggest football game of the weekend for spread bettors will undoubtedly be Sunday's Carling Cup Final between Man United and Spurs at Wembley. United have been in imperious form since the turn of the year and a win here would be the first step in their quest for an historic quadruple. Sporting Index have United as 0.7-0.9 supremacy favourites and buyers will point to their recent strong record against Spurs in the FA Cup - knocking them out in the last two seasons. However, Tottenham won this competition last year and their supporters have reason to be confident thanks to the club's phenomenal record in domestic finals. They have competed in 15 and have won 12 - surely a stat to send shivers down the spines of United spread buyers.
Stats and trends play an important part in any spread betting strategy, but it is also worth taking some with a pinch of salt. Sellers of United supremacy will obviously be hoping for a Spurs win, but they would have to be the first team to win this competition back-to-back since Forest in 1990. In fact, spread supporters of the favourites will be further encouraged that since the Premier League began there have been 29 neutral domestic cup games between a member of the Big Four and non-Big Four, with Spurs' win over Chelsea in the final last year being one of only three upsets. All is not lost for those siding with Spurs though and buyers of their win index with Sporting Index will be pleased to hear that United have only managed to pick up two wins from their last 10 trips to the capital, whilst they have also lost three of their last four finals.
Spread bettors who like to play the goals markets will be a little confused looking at recent contests between these sides as there has been a fair share of both high and low scoring encounters. United's defence has been rock solid in the league and those spread punters who expect it to be pierced more than once against Harry Redknapp's side won't be happy that the last time Spurs scored more than once against United was in 2001. Interestingly, in recent years the Carling Cup Finals have tended to be quite dramatic and all of the last nine have produced at least two goals, with two of the last four going to extra-time.
Finally, neither the spread betting public nor the Sporting Index traders will need reminding of the final two years ago - The Massacre in the Millennium - when three players were sent off in the closing stages between Arsenal and Chelsea. The bookings market is one of the most popular in spread betting on these high-tension occasions and with a spread of just 38-42, buyers of the spread will be hoping for a repeat of that final, as well as a number of recent games between these two. The three games last season averaged just over 60 points per game, but spread sellers will be happier with the 40 points handed out in the two games so far this campaign.
Related links:
