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Right Said Fred: Talking betting With BetFred Boss Fred Done

City, who are odds-on at Betfred to regain the Premier League title, are 4/11 to score the most league goals this season. 

City, who are odds-on at Betfred to regain the Premier League title, are 4/11 to score the most league goals this season. 

Liverpool after hitting four in their highly entertaining opener against new boys Leeds at Anfield are 9/4 shots.

My team United who play Crystal Palace in their opening fixture of the new campaign on Saturday are a tempting 25/1.

Chelsea have shortened to  16/1, ahead of London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham who are virtually out of the reckoning at 66/1 and 80/1 respectively. 

But that will of course change significantly if United eventually splash out over £100m to prize Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. 

This fella, who of course spent much of his formative years at City’s much-revamped academy having joined the Blues from Watford, is made for the Reds. 

The 20-year-old England winger is the perfect fit, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer going public that he wants young English players as the bedrock of our fast-improving squad. 

We’re inching towards a deal being done – and I tell you what, if Sancho does join United you can rip up those odds on who will be the highest scoring team in the Premier League come 2021. 

Not only have the Reds got Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, but Mason Greenwood is out to make headlines on the back page rather than the front… and that’s not even mentioning Daniel James. 

If we do land Sancho, which I’m becoming increasingly confident of, it will be a throwback to arguably our greatest year in 1999, when we won the treble and had four superb strikers looking for two starting births. 

It was a great problem for Sir Alex Ferguson having to select from Solskjaer, Yorke, Cole and Sheringham, but he managed it and the record speaks for itself. 

I’d back Martial, Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho to outscore anyone City or Liverpool can put out… and as for Chelsea, after all they have spent they will need to gel as a team before they can start thinking about trying to wrestle the title away from the North West. 

City get their season underway with a tricky encounter at one of last season’s dark horses Wolves on Monday. 

The Blues are 1/2 at Betfred to kick off the season with three points – and 8/11 to be crowned champions come May. 

Meanwhile, I can’t wait for United to get their Premier League campaign underway  – and, like City, we’re odds-on to triumph against Roy Hodgson’s team who are amongst the favourites at Betfred for relegation to the Championship. 

The Reds are 1/4 at Betfred to beat Palace – and 16/1 outright for the title.

Liverpool’s Salah – hattrick hero as the champions beat Leeds 4-3 – is 3/1 to be top league scorer ahead of Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at 9/2.

Spurs and England hero Harry Kane is right up there at  13/2  while Chelsea new boy Timo Werner is at 8/1 and Leicester talisman Jamie Vardy available at 12/1. City’s Sergio Aguero is most likely to pick up the top individual honour at City and is quoted at 10/1 at Betfred with United strike pair Rashford and Martial both 20/1 shots.

It is of course Challenge Cup quarter finals on Saturday – and what a cracker of a tie to look forward to. The top two Betfred Super League teams Warrington and Saints going head to head at a neutral venue this time Salford’s  Bell.

Saints are odds on favourites with us  but with seven straight Super League wins on the bounce  the Wire have the momentum – and are 7/4 to go through.

Before then on Friday, Salford are 2/1 at Betfred to pile more misery on Catalans in the opening Challenge Cup quarter final tie.

It was brilliant to see a rugby league match before a crowd at the weekend when Catalans went down at home 28-12 to Wigan.

The Covid control rules are of course different in France -  and that’s why five thousand fans were allowed to watch what could turn out to be a pivotal Betfred Super League clash.

That was certainly a step in the right direction for the game that has again pleaded with the Government to allow limited numbers into specified “pilot” games here next month.

Catalans’ were in fact top of the Betfred  Super League table for 24 hours last week after the rules were changed to sort the standings based on a win percentage rather than points.

Warrington beat Castleford to take over at the summit followed by a golden point  victory by Saints against Hull KR -  and then the Warriors who totally deflated the French to pick up both points.

With the spotlight now switching to the last eight in the Challenge Cup, the top of the  Betfred  Super League has a familiar look with St Helens, Wire and Wigan occupying the first three places with the same win percentage followed by Leeds and Catalans now in fifth.

Betfred odds to win the Grand Final that’s likely to be at Old Trafford in November depending on crowd restrictions at the time have holders St Helens favourites at 6/4.

Next are  Warrington at 3/1 with  the Warriors at 7/2, Catalans 13/2 while from the other side of the Pennines we have Leeds at 14/1 and Castleford at 18/1.

My home town club Salford are right out there with the also rans at 300/1 … but all I will say about that is remember last season!

So to Friday in the opening Challenge Cup tie played at the Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens - and all eyes will be on the debut of  Kallum Watkins who is 16/1 at Betfred to score first and 2/1 anytime.

What a superb signing for the original Red Devils. This 29 year old is a class act, a six time Super League champ an a World Cup finalist. Salford’s astute coach Ian Watson says he’s in great condition and he’s confident this Mancunian superstar will be soon back to his very best and playing international rugby again …and his judgement will certainly do for me!

   Finally my congratulations to Donna  Brookhouse who beat odds of an amazing 14 million to one to win  £50,000 at Betfred – and stunned our  staff and customers by dancing on the table at one of our shops in Warrington.

“It’s something I have wanted to do all my life and couldn’t help myself, “ said the care home worker who hit the Betfred Bingo jackpot with a FIFTY PENCE bet.

“I used to dance around my hand bag in my teens. It is not every day you win so much and that’s why I  got on the wobbly table to dance with joy. I was just so happy…and I still am,” added Donna, aged 52 who lives in the town with partner Russ Cox and twenty year old daughter Bobbie-Jo who are all lifelong Warrington Wolves fans.

I was delighted to arrange for the family to be presented with Wire shirts and ball, all signed by Warrington players along with a bottle of champagne.

To win a life changing amount from less than the price of a Mars bar is fantastic. Good luck to Donna who has told me when I rang her on Sunday how she’s going to have some posh holidays after splashing out on her garden.  

Donna won big on Betfred Bingo selecting her favourite block of numbers 24,25,26, 31, 32 and 33 which were drawn first prompting her impromptu dance.

She has split the windfall with Russ, aged 43 - and they plan to buy an executive box at the Halliwell Jones Stadium so they can watch their beloved Wolves in luxury.

Daughter Bobbie-Jo who started her child care studies at Manchester Metropolitan University on Monday has got the £1,500 computer she had wanted  and their garden at home is to be made “dog friendly” with more flagging following the antics of pet labrador pup Toby.

The overjoyed family will also be splashing out on a holiday later this year in Greece or Las Vegas  – and next year when Bobbie-Jo celebrating her 21st birthday a dream trip to Mexico.

Donna, who has been working all the overtime available at the Lady of the Vale nursing home at Bowdon, Altrincham where she is head chef,  said: “ I was putting all the hours extra I could to pay for Bobbie-Jo’s computer which I have now bought.

“Our puppy has wrecked the garden so that can now be sorted out as will some new flooring in the kitchen. I can’t wait for the holidays which we can now afford. It was great fun when I got on the table to dance. I just couldn’t help myself. The Betfred staff were  brilliant, laughing along. It couldn’t have come at a better time with my doing eighty odd hours a week at work which is why we haven’t had time to celebrate properly yet. When we get the executive box we might get a visit from Blake Austin or Daryl Clark who are my favourite players.”

Meanwhile Bobbie-Jo is hoping that now the family is in the money it might lead to her mum and young offender worker Russ – they have been together  15 years - getting married.

“I would love to be a bridesmaid,” said Bobbie-Jo who cheekily added: “They have been with each other long enough now and they have no excuses any more about  whether they can  afford a wedding.”

 

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