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issue 54 posted at 11.00am on 18 January 2008...

With all the sporting headlines emanating from the North-East this week, the real coup (or stroke of luck) was not Newcastle bagging Keegan but Sky Sports' decision to show the Newcastle v Bolton game. Amazing to think that Sky originally put on this tie so that we could all see how Allardyce would fair against his old club. But now the game has five times the appeal than it had before. So click here for our industry whupping markets on the match, as we drift into another belting sporting weekend.

Yours in sport
 

Manchester United v Newcastle United, Old Trafford, Saturday 12th January. One team in disarray, without a manager and searching for a messiah, up against a team whose attacking force could give North Korea a run for their money. Therefore, we surely had to be on a hiding to nothing. Buyers of Goals, Shirts, TGMs, United Corner Supremacy, Ronaldo Goal Minutes, Tevez Goal Minutes came flying in via the mediums of phone, internet and mobile, putting us in a shorter position than a John Wayne Bobbitt Karma Sutra video. But at half time with the score nil-a-piece, both bookie and punter must have been sweating. That was until season long 'bane of the bookies' Christiano Ronaldo fired in a free-kick on 49 minutes to break the deadlock. From then on there was no looking back as United scored six, banged in 17 corners and racked up 437 goal minutes! It would be unfair to highlight just one punter who won big, so the credit goes to all of you who combined to take us for £250,000 and leave our Financial Director in tears! Best not to mention the 544 goal minutes and 10 goals in the Peterborough - Accrington Stanley game then!

 

The magic of the FA Cup will mean nothing to this punter who will be wishing he'd tuned into something else on Tuesday night. The client, after seeing Liverpool's talisman, Steven Gerrard, bag a second in the 64th minute of the third round reply against Luton Town, decided to sell his Goal Minutes in-play at 133 for £25. He must have thought that Benitez would take off his skipper with the game safe at 4-0, and that's exactly what he tried to do! Rafa told Gerrard that he was coming off but the punter didn't bank on Stevie G pleading with his manager on the touchline to give him five more minutes so that he could try and score his hat-trick. The Spaniard gave in and almost exactly five minutes later a swerving long-range drive that deceived the Luton goalie earned the Kop King a standing ovation and the match ball. A real nightmare for our man, whose £1,375 loss, meant for the most expensive five minutes of his life!
 

NFL San Diego may have been splattered by the Pats 38-14 when the sides clashed back in September but the Chargers' supporters remain positive. Match supremacy is down a point to 13-15 in New England's favour.

 Heineken Cup Saracens sent one of the pre-tournament fancies (Biarritz) crashing out when cruising to a 45-16 victory at Vicarage Road last weekend. The Pool 4 pace-setters are up five points to 22-25 on our Heineken Cup Outright Index.

African Cup of Nations A host of Premier League stars have flown to Africa in search of glory with their national teams. The three-week tournament kicks off this Sunday and Cameroon and Egypt have both been nibbled at. They are up a point to 19-22 and 14-17 respectively.

Premier League The combination of United's romp and Arsenal's stutter last Saturday has seen you lose faith in Wenger's men. The Gunners are down three points to 39-42 on our Premier League Outright Index.
 

Has the snooker grabbed you by the balls? If, as always, you find yourself being drawn in by the Masters snooker, then you'll be pleased to know that we trade over 50 in-play markets during each match from start to finish. Click here to see our latest markets as we reach the weekend climax of this year's event.

Can't see a bet you like? Then make your own! With our Multiples market you can pick the players or teams you want, pitch them together and get a price. It's so easy to do, click here to find out more.

 
 
 
 


...no. of 1st half pts scored in San Diego v Patriots in Sep
 
 


...avg pts diff. in last 2
Munster v Wasps games
 
 


...1st half tries in last Ulster and Gloucester game
 
 


...avg time of 1st N'castle goal in last 3 v Bolton
 
 


...avg bookings pts in last 3 Sheff. derbies at Hillsborough
 
 


...avg time of last match goal in last 6 Everton games
 
 


...mins since West Ham scored a league goal v City