BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 6TH-7TH APRIL

Soccer – Bundesliga – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

The first of this weekend’s big betting events comes from the Bundesliga, and what a mouthwatering tie this could be! Bayern dropped points last weekend at Freiburg, and that allowed Dortmund to regain top spot. Niko Kovac’s side will be desperate to get back to winning ways when they host their title rivals at the Allianz on Saturday.

It’s been great to see two sides fight it out for the title, and the neutrals will be keen to see Dortmund end the recent Bayern dominance. BVB have been a joy to watch this season, and their free-flowing attacking football is incredible easy-on-eye. Marco Reus has enjoyed a decent second half to the season, and the arrival of Paco Alcacer has given them a new dimension. The former Barcelona man was last weekend’s hero with two late goals, and although he’s been largely utilised from the bench this campaign, he’s scored a plethora of important goals.

Bayern started the season slowly, but amid rumours of dressing room disharmony and potential managerial changes, they pulled through, and are now just two points behind their opponents. Kovac criticised his team’s performance and attitude this weekend, and the pressure is back on. Whether lambasting the players in public has the desired effect remains to be seen.

This game is very interesting, not just because it will be hugely entertaining, but also because the odds are so heavily in favour of the hosts. Bayern are odds-on for this fixture, but their performance at the weekend doesn’t suggest that this will be a walk in the park. Dortmund’s intensity levels have dropped and they will be without Achraf Hakimi and Abdou Diallo have both picked up fresh injuries, and won’t be able to feature here.

Dortmund have only won two of their last five away games, and they aren’t exactly reliable on the road. However, I can’t help feel as though they are overpriced in this game, and it could be closer than we think. It ended 3-2 to BVB when they met earlier in the campaign, and we could be in for another end-to-end 90 minutes. There is so much at stake, but this is unlikely to be cagey, and I can’t wait to tune in on Saturday night.

This Bundesliga game will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK on Saturday night.

Soccer – FA Cup – Manchester City vs Brighton

Unfortunately, this game kicks off at the same time as the top-of-the-table Bundesliga game, however it should be a cracking watch. It is the second of my big betting events this weekend.

It’s a busy period for Pep’s side, and they are still in contention for the quadruple this season. However, it’ll be interesting to see how the former Bayern boss manages his squad over the next ten days or so. They face a tricky trip to North London for the first leg of their Champions League double with Spurs on Tuesday, and he may opt to keep some of his players fresh on Saturday.

The betting suggests that it should be easy pickings for the champions, and it’ll be interesting to see how the markets react to team news being announced. I’ll certainly be paying careful attention to the odds when the XI is named on Saturday.

The markets are also suggesting that City will bag plenty of goals in this match, and whilst that could be the case, I’d be a little more cautious. They only netted twice against Fulham despite making a fast start, and with important fixtures on the horizon, Pep’s men may not wish to expend too much energy if they are comfortable.

Brighton were defeated at the weekend, but played reasonably well against Southampton. The side from the AMEX have had a mixed season, and I’ve found them difficult to get a grip on. Chris Hughton’s side have been competitive at home, but ropey away from home. They are unlikely to be overrawed by the occasion, but how long can they keep this free-scoring City side at bay for?

The Seagulls lost 2-0 at the Etihad earlier in the season, and only had 24% possession in that game. I expect City to have plenty of the ball, but I don’t think it’ll be a thrashing on their part.

It should be a very entertaining 90 minutes of cup football, and team news will be the most intriguing part of this clash.

FA Cup coverage will take place throughout the weekend on BBC1, and this match will be screened live on Saturday night.

Aussie Rules – AFL – Collingwood vs West Coast

The third of my big betting events comes from the AFL, and this is an interesting clash between two sides who picked up their first victory of the season last weekend. Collingwood slipped up against Geelong Cats during the opening round of fixtures, but they remained competitive throughout the game. They bounced back with a convincing 110-66 success against the Tigers.

West Coast also got off to an underwhelming start when they were defeated by the Brisbane Lions, but they got off the mark with a decisive victory over Greater Western Sydney last weekend.

Both teams were defeated by sides who have won each of their opening two matches, so there can be very little shame in those defeats, and the pair should be fighting it out for a play-off position this year.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Jordan de Goey in action this weekend. He lit up the MCG on Thursday night, and he is one-to-watch this season. The 23-year old still needs to improve his overall consistency, but there is little doubt that he has a bright future in the game, and he certainly put in an eye-catching performance last week. He also played a significant role when these sides met in July 2018, and he clearly enjoys playing against the Eagles.

West Coast’s performance last weekend was very impressive, snapping a losing run, and they should be able to kick on from here. They do still have a few injury problems, particularly in forward areas, but they should be able to put pressure on their opponents here.

Collingwood are odds-on favourites for this meeting, and it’s perfectly understandable, but they haven’t beaten West Coast in their last three meetings including a heartbreaking AFL Final defeat at the end of September.

I probably should have mentioned by now that this is the first time the pair have met since that significant occasion, and West Coast will be keen to keep the unbeaten going here.

I really enjoyed last year’s AFL Final, and I hope this game is played with the same intensity. It should be a cracker, and a chance for both sides to get some more early season points on board.

All of this season’s AFL Coverage can be found on BT Sport and on the BT Sport App.

Soccer – Scottish Premiership – Hearts vs Hibernian

The Edinburgh derby takes place this weekend, with Hearts facing Hibs at Tynecastle and it’s the fourth of my big betting events. Following the excitement of last week’s Old Firm, this should be another cracking match-up in the Scottish Premiership.

Hearts have had a very peculiar season, and their form has been up and down. They’ve actually only won two of their last seven coming into this game, but they did beat Aberdeen here last weekend. They have a big game with Rangers on Wednesday night, but they’ll have one eye on this all-Edinburgh clash.

Hibs have really benefitted from Paul Heckingbottom’s arrival. The Yorkshireman has helped transform the side, and they were 2-1 victors at Livingston last weekend. They’ve won five of the last six in the Premiership, and will be keen to keep that run going. They may only have won five times on the road this season, but they’ve been victorious in each of the last three, and shouldn’t be underestimated here.

Hearts are understandably the favourites in this tie, but it could be close, and I am certainly looking forward to watching this game. It should be end-to-end, and I don’t expect either team to keep a clean sheet.

There have been 26 goals in the last five meetings between this pair, and I think that pattern should continue here.

Can Paul Heckingbottom mastermind his first victory in the Edinburgh derby? The fans are already pleased with his impact, but this would be the ultimate way to win over any sceptical supporters.

Scottish Premiership fans can enjoy this game on BT Sport 1 on Saturday lunchtime.