BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 2ND-3RD FEBRUARY

American Football – Super Bowl LIII – The Patriots vs The Rams

The Super Bowl has come around extremely quickly once again and it’s hard to believe that we have reached the end of the NFL season. Just the final two have been left standing with the Patriots taking on the Rams for the ultimate prize in football. I couldn’t leave this one out of my big betting events this weekend.

Both of these sides will fancy their chances of getting their hands on the Lombardi Trophy with the Patriots bringing bags of experience to the occasion. Their 37-31 victory over the Chiefs was a thriller and they deserve their place in the Super Bowl despite looking average for large chunks of the campaign.

Bill Belichick is searching for an unprecedented sixth title of his era and there’s every chance that they can grind out another professional performance on this big stage. Tom Brady’s influence may not be as powerful but he’s still got bags of experience and possesses the guile, nous and know-how to potentially get his side over the line here. He’s also enjoyed success in this game on five occasions and the three-time MVP winner will be confident of adding another to his impressive tally.

The Rams also required overtime in order to book their place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Sean McVay’s side sneaking past the Saints, securing a late 26-23 victory. McVay has turned the franchise around he’s had quite the impact since taking over three years ago. They represent a new-wave of sides who are aiming to dethrone the established sides and they could upset the Patriots here with their energy.

The Rams arrive as slight underdogs and that makes them a very interesting prospect in this game. Theyn aren’t being underestimated with the bookmakers keeping them on-side and that is likely to result in an evenly-contested game.

For the first time in many years, I don’t have a confident selection on the Super Bowl and that makes it a very intriguing game from a betting perspective. It’s going to be a cracking watch and I can’t wait for the action to begin.

NFL fans in the UK can enjoy all of the action on BBC1 this weekend.

Soccer – EFL Championship – Leeds vs Norwich

It’s a fantastic weekend of sport and it was rich pickings when it came to my big betting events but I couldn’t ignore this top-of-the-table clash in the Championship. These are two teams who have featured on TV several times already this season so I’ve seen plenty of them and I’ve been suitably impressed by both Leeds and Norwich.

Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival in England has provided a tremendous narrative and he’s currently defying his critics who suggested that his sides always fall away post-Christmas. His Leeds sides have been a joy to watch despite a number of injuries and they’ll be keen to build upon their success last weekend.

Daniel Farke’s side have been playing some tremendous football this season and Norwich are one of the most aesthetically-pleasing sides in the second tier. They have some wonderful young players in the squad and Teemu Pukki has been nothing short of a revelation.

This match has caught my eye due to the potential implications on the title race this season. It’s also a fascinating betting event with the Canaries having only lost once away all season despite also having just six victories to their name on the road.

A draw will keep equilibrium at the top of the table but I can’t imagine either manager settling for such an outcome and that makes it a fascinating match-up and a brilliant meeting of minds.

There is also the potential for in-play betting opportunities in this game and I would also look towards the goalscorer markets with a number of hugely talented players on show for both sides.

There is plenty of sport to enjoy this weekend but this fascinating tussle between two high-flyers is certainly one to keep an eye on.

UK viewers can enjoy all of the action from Elland Road on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday night.

Rugby Union – Six Nations – Ireland vs England

I can’t believe it’s Six Nations time again! It’s has come around remarkably quickly and with the Rugby World Cup on the horizon, I’ll be closer attention to the tournament than ever before. The most intriguing clash from the opening set of fixtures has to be defending champions Ireland taking on England at the Aviva Stadium and it’s the first of my big betting events this weekend.

Joe Schmidt’s side were foot-perfect throughout 2018 and their victory over the All-Blacks during the Autumn Internationals has seen them become odds-on favourites for the 2019 Six Nations.

Sides rarely win back-to-back tournaments and although I can’t put anyone off backing Ireland once again, they are faced with a difficult start against a fired-up England side.

Eddie Jones’ men were a mixed bag last season and were hugely disappointing for the the majority of the campaign but they are extremely capable and the sense of occasion may just inspire them for this one. Yes, they have a few absentees but they possess a strong squad and they will be up for the fight.

Ireland’s accurate kicking game is likely to be a thorn in England’s side throughout the match-up and Schmidt’s side are likely to try and take the sting out of the occasion.

It is a fascinating betting event because Ireland have been priced up as heavy favourites but I believe that England will make a game of it and I think they can keep things tight. Ireland are well-coached and resilient and they will tough to break down and although this might not be the most free-flowing game of the weekend, it’s set to be a fascinating tactical battle.

I can’t wait for the Six Nations to get underway and there are likely to be plenty of twists and turns along the way. It’s going to be a fascinating one to bet on.

The BBC will have fill coverage of the Six Nations throughout the weekend and this game will be screened live on BBC1.

Soccer – Bundesliga – Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich

The Bundesliga has been fascinating so far this season and holder Bayern have got work to do as they bid to reclaim their crown this campaign. Their trip to a much-improve Leverkusen side is the fourth of my big betting events this weekend.

Since the beginning of December, Bayern have been faultless and have won seven games in a row. Any doubts over the suitability of Niko Kovac have long since dissipated and the fans appear happy with their progress. Unfortunately, due to their slow start, they are still trailing Borussia Dortmund by six points and they must find a way of bridging the gap.

They’ve had some relatively straightforward games in recent weeks but this weekend’s trip to Leverkusen is likely to be a tricky assignment. Peter Bosz has had quite the impact since arriving at the club and he is gradually steering them in the right direction. They’ve won four of the last six games and have started scoring goals again. Their 3-0 hammering of Wolfsburg at the weekend was further evidence of their capabilities in the final third.

Bayern have won seven of the last eight meetings with Leverkusen although they dropped points here back in April 2017 and they cannot afford any complacency here.

Leverkusen have some extremely dangerous players including Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz who could find plenty of joy against Bayern’s backline.

The betting markets suggest that Bayern should make it eight on the bounce but i think there could potentially be value in backing Leverkusen to keep things tight and I can’t wait to see how this 2:30pm kick-off plays out. If Bayern can bridge that gap at the top, it will make the final few months extremely intriguing indeed.

This game can be streamed via the websites of numerous online bookmakers. Radio commentary is also available through Amazon.