Win a VIP trip for two to the final of the paddypower.com Irish Greyhound Derby final at Shelbourne Park on Saturday 12th September.

This is the richest greyhound race in the world and courtesy of sponsors paddypower.com you and a friends could be at the final where you’ll enjoy a lavish meal in the restaurant overlooking the track, overnight accommodation in a top Dublin hotel and €250 of Paddy Power free bets.

Paddy Power himself will be on hand to personally mark your card and hopefully making it a very memorable and profitable evening for you and your guests. To be honest you’ll probably find it far more profitable if you don’t listen to his consistently woeful tips.

To be in with a chance of winning simply answer the following question:

Who won the 2008 paddypower.com Irish Greyhound Derby?

a) Late Late Show
b) Shelbourne Aston
c) Tyrur Ted

Mail your answer on a self addressed email and send it to competitions@paddypower.com….posting the answer on here won’t put you in with a chance of winning but it will make it a lot easier for everyone else. We’re also only taking your first answer so at least go to the trouble of looking up the correct answer online if you don’t already know it. It’s probably on wikipedia.

Answers must be in no later than midday Thursday September 10th and the winner will be notified the same day. Please remember to use the email address you have registered with us to ensure we have the correct contact details.

Anyone who has an issue with our use of two attractive ladies to promote the final, should direct their complaints to the Joe Duffy Show. We’re sure he could squeeze a couple of days out of this one too.

Posted in Competitions, Greyhounds | 31 Comments »

UFC 100 might have had the hype but UFC 101 offers a more promising night of action. From the high-profile clashes that top the bill, to the return to action of promising fighters Amir Sadollah and George Sotiropolous, there are potential fights of the night throughout the card.

BJ Penn v Ken Florian
BJ Penn’s latest outburst against George St-Pierre, where he accused the Canadian of using steroids based on nothing more than his own opinion; “I can’t hand you any proof, but that’s my opinion.” The logic behind this opinion is spurious to say the least. “The rest of us, we get fat, then we train and get skinny and the cycle goes over and over again. He looks the same way all the time. Come on.” Penn’s disbelief that a top athlete wouldn’t pile on the pounds between fights adds fuel to the commonly cited belief that BJ isn’t the most dedicated trainer in the world. This latest steroid dig and the greasing allegations he made against GSP after being outclassed in their last fight, do nothing to dispel the other commonly held belief that he’s a bit of a whiner.
So he’s not the most lovable of characters but that doesn’t warrant an automatic bet on Kenny Florian, especially as Penn hasn’t been beaten at 155lbs since losing his first clash with Jens Pulver in 2002. Though it must be noted that the Hawaiian has fought only seven times at lightweight since that loss, plus he’s been beaten four times in his last eight fights. Granted each of these defeats came when he stepped up in weight against top class fighters but even admirable losses take their toll. The difference between his first fight against GSP in 2006, when he lost a split decision, and their rematch in January of this year could be interpreted as a lack of progression in Penn’s game. There’s no questioning his natural ability but there are constant questions hanging over his conditioning and his dedication to the sport. Let us not forget that he was intending to retire had he beaten GSP last time out. Not the actions of a man with the fire still burning in his belly.

This is where things begin to look up for Kenny ‘Kenflo’ Florian. Having looked a decent but limited fighter throughout the Ultimate Fighter show, where he was pummelled to a decisive first round defeat by the enigmatic, or just plain weird, Diego Sanchez, the Boston native has since developed into a formidable all-rounder. Six straight wins since losing his first title challenge on points to Sean Sherk, with convincing victories over quality opponents Stevenson, Huerta and Lauzon setting him up for his second crack at the title. Whilst Florian is a better striker than some would give him credit for, and five submissions from his nine UFC wins tells of how dangerous he is on the ground, the most impressive weapon in his arsenal is his fight intelligence and tactical awareness. Staying on his feet against Roger Huerta could have been a big mistake but he kept his distance, moving in and out of range, picking up the points and avoiding El Matador’s dangerous hands. If he goes in with a similarly effective game-plan against Penn, then we could see a new lightweight champion crowned. Expect to see him attempting the leg kicks which GSP and Caol Uno used to good effect against the current champion and though Penn is arguably a more dangerous striker with a better chin, Florian could well keep the fight standing. Kenflo rarely takes a lot of damage on his feet and with this being a five rounder, he might decide to dance for a few rounds to test Penn’s conditioning, presuming he can avoid being taken down that is. On the ground Penn is a clear favourite but Florian is a legitimate BJJ black-belt so it’s unlikely to be a complete whitewash on the mat. GSP was able to pass Penn’s guard at will and Florian’s decision to spend some time training with the Canadian up in Montreal in preparation could improve his already very strong ground game enough to give him the edge.

Making predictions in MMA is always fraught with danger and the safe option is always to go with the favourite. A Penn win is likely to come in the form of an early stoppage while Florian will be planning on taking the fight into the later rounds, wearing down the champion to take the fight on points or by way of a late stoppage. If Penn has been spending his training camp just bitching about GSP and jumping out of swimming pools then he could be in trouble. This is little more than conjecture and Florian needs to be prepared for a BJ Penn at his very best. If he gets that then he’s going to struggle to survive but the suspicions are that the best days of the Hawaiian may well be behind him, as could be his reign as the UFC Lightweight World Champion.

Anderson Silva v Forrest Griffin
Less than impressive in his last two outings and overtaken by GSP as many people’s pound-for-pound number one, have opponents started to work out how to negate Anderson Silva or has he simply found things so easy in the UFC that he’s gone off the boil a little? The Brazilian can occasionally look a little too relaxed in the octagon, to the point of seeming disinterested, but the one thing he won’t be allowed to do by Forrest Griffin is relax. The Ultimate Fighter Series 1 winner has greater skills than he admits to but it is his heart and will to win which has made him one of the most popular and likable figures Dana White has on his books. So the fight is set up to go one of a number of ways. Silva could respond to the greater challenge of taking on the veracious and unrelenting Griffin by upping his performance and putting in the kind of master-class we begun to take for granted until his below par showings against Elites and Cote. Though there’s no evidence for it, Silva could struggle at the weight, against a more natural heavyweight. The one minute it took to knock out James Irvine in his previous light-heavyweight bout, told us little other than that the Sandman isn’t anywhere near the Spider’s class, no matter what division they’re in. It’s also possible that Silva could put in another lacklustre display and get caught out by a fired up and focused Griffin. Such are the possibilities of ifs and buts.

When making your bets on this one you’ll need to make sure your heart isn’t ruling your head. The romantic choice would be a heroic victory for Forrest but in the light of the facts there really is only one winner. Silva has yet to look troubled, winning nine from nine in the UFC, while Griffin, for all his heart, has been stopped by both Rashad Evans and Keith Jardine, neither of whom are anywhere near as dangerous a striker as the current middleweight champion. Silva to win by an early stoppage to make it a perfect ten in the octagon and set himself up nicely for the defence of his title against Dan Henderson and then perhaps a shot at Lyoto Machida’s light heavyweight belt, if he’s still wearing it by then.

Best of the rest;
The big appeal of the UFC is the unpredictability of the fights. Fans tend to turn up early for fear of missing the fight of the night, which is as likely to be on the undercard as it is the main event. There are however some fighters worth looking out for. First up we see the return to action of Australian George Sotiropolous, who has spent the last year out with various injuries. Well-rounded, tough and extremely fit, George should make short work of his namesake George Roop and a first round ko is on the cards for a fighter who will be eager to return with a bang.
Similarly, TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah has failed to make an appearance since beating the over-rated CB Dolloway for the second time over a year ago. A series or injuries has resulted in him having to pull out of bouts but each time it’s been pretty close to fight night. This means he’s been in training camps whenever he hasn’t been injured, so a well-conditioned, injury-free and somewhat frustrated Sadollah could make quick work of UFC debutant Johnny Hendricks. First night nerves have gotten the better of many a fighter and first round win for Sadollah looks the best bet here.
Kendall Grove could put in a dazzling display but is as likely to have a stinker, if he’s fit and focused he’s a good bet to beat the favoured Almeida. Josh “The Dentist” Neer and Kurt “Batman” Pellegrino meet in a battle of the nicknames, history tells us this one will be decided on the mat, so a submission win for whoever you fancy looks the way to go.

Posted in Sportsbook | 4 Comments »

For some Liverpool fans it is the greatest betrayal since Judas decided to join the Romans for a paltry 30 pieces of silver signing-on fee. We’re not sure if his contract was performance related but we suspect Michael Owen’s may be.

The news that their one time hero is now taking orders from Darth Ferguson simply compounds their opinion that he never really loved their club the way all Liverpool players are expected to. Jumping ship for Real Madrid was forgivable but then to return to England a year later to play for Newcastle, told these fans that he was more concerned with a fat pay packet than playing for a side challenging for honours. Now there’s something of a paradox in that the money hungry Owen has signed for team who will be challenging for honours and has done so for wages far less than he was getting at St James Park and probably less than he could have expected had he signed for a team like Hull. So maybe it’s not about the money after all, but United?

Thanks for the memories but the line has been drawn and you’re now one of THEM. There’ll be no customary round of appplause that most former Liverpool players can expect when they return to Anfield, instead the player who almost single-handedly won the FA Cup in 2001 is more likely to be welcomed with a chorus of boos. To know how fierce the rivalry is between these two clubs and yet still cross the divide willingly? It’s like coming home to find your enemy in bed with your ex….okay you don’t really love her like you used to but it still stings, you still feel betrayed by someone you once opened your heart to. They should consider your feelings before jumping in to bed with whoever they fancy, it’s just the decent thing to do.

Anger and comdemnation are the most likely reactions from Liverpool fans but this story, like all others, has more than just one side.

It’s no secret that Owen would have loved a return to Anfield, with Steven Gerrard and Liverpool owner George Gillett amongst the contingent of supporters who tried convincing Benitez that he was worth taking a risk on, that he still has what it takes to produce for a top club. Now Benitez isn’t a stupid man and he surely saw the appeal of signing a player with Owen’s goal-scoring potential, on a reduced contract and without a fee. The purse strings are tight at Anfield these days so, even with all the injury worries, the risk being taken is minimal in comparison to the potential reward. Even if Owen stayed fit for only half the season, he is still capable of offering a better goal return than other strikers currently on Benitez’ books. Dirk Kuyt, David N’Gog, Ryan Babel, Nabil El Zhar, names that hardly put a bead of perspiration upon the brows of opposing defenders.

Benitez may not be stupid but he sure as hell is as stubborn as a Catalonian mule. The manner of Owen’s departure may have left a bad taste in the Spaniard’s mouth, leaving for Madrid without even giving the new manager a chance, and then his decision to join Newcastle ahead of Liverpool when he returned a year later, would have been the final straw for the grudge loving Rafa.

Looking at it, somewhat, objectively, would it have been much different from the nostalgic resigning of Robbie Fowler? The answer to that is yes. Fowler was clapped out long before his return to Anfield and as much as the fans willed him on to show even flashes of his former greatness, few would have invested any great hope in him becoming a key player for Liverpool again. Owen on the other hand has a lot more to offer, those of you who chuckled your way through his 32 page dossier will be more than aware of this already. Apart from being cool, stylish and good looking, as well as being an ambassador, athlete and icon, Owen is still a goalscorer. Granted he’s slower and more injury prone than he once was but if you were a Liverpool fan and you had the choice of Kuyt or Owen going one on one with a keeper in a crucial game? Well it’s not really a choice, is it?

So Liverpool fans can boo away but Owen could well be wearing their particular shade of red this coming season if Rafa wanted it to be so but the manager decided against his return and Owen was left to make his decision based on the other offers in front of him. If his only serious options were Manchester United, Newcastle or Hull, was that really a choice either?

Should Owen have done the decent thing and sacrificed his own career for the lofty ideals of a former club?

Should Benitez have swallowed his pride and resigned Owen?

Has Ferguson made a shrewd move or is he simply trying to put one over on Rafa?

Tell us what you think.

Posted in Football | 20 Comments »

Having insisted that he wouldn’t sell Real Madrid a virus, Alex Ferguson has gone and sold them something much worse. He must now find a talented but stroppy winger, who likes to fall over, doesn’t like to track back and can’t drive, all for less than £80 million!!

Okay, the anti-United banter aside, Ronaldo’s imminent departure to Real Madrid comes as little surprise and while some may baulk at the price paid, especially considering Kaka went to the Bernabeu for £24 million less, you have to remember that Real Madrid buy players for more than their footballing talent. It could be argued that Kaka is a better player but right now Ronaldo is a more marketable commodity and his shirt sales will already be starting to chip away at that record breaking fee.

In purely footballing terms, will Florentino Perez’ previously used Galacticos policy reap the rewards that everyone expects after such a financial outlay? Some will say that having too many high profile players in the one team will create a disjointed team with off-field personality clashes undermining their ability to achieve on the pitch. This view is more a rehashed platitude than an insightful projection of things to come. Whatever your opinion of Ronaldo’s on-field histrionics, there has been little evidence to suggest that he is a disruptive influence in the dressing room, though he has been unsettled since last Summer’s speculation, there have been no notable rumours of major personality clashes with other United players so there’s no reason to believe this will change in Madrid. As long as he keeps on Raul’s good side of course. As for Kaka? The Brazilian has been nothing but a model professional throughout his career and this is sure to continue at Madrid. The doubt being raised is whether these two, along with whoever joins this Summer, will gel effectively with the players already there? If two of the best players in the world can’t adapt to playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world then who can? If there is any doubt in the mix then it has to be created by new manager Manuel Pelligrini. We know what Kaka and Ronaldo can do but one runners-up finish and an Inter-Toto cup win with Villarreal is the sum of his accomplishments in Europe. Pelligrini’s major successes have all come in South America and while these shouldn’t be dismissed, they do carry less weight in this part of the world. He may well lead Real to a clean sweep of all competitions but at this point he is where the biggest doubts rest.

Back to Ronaldo and United. That Alex Ferguson didn’t want to lose his star player was clear, especially with the relative failure of Dmitar Berbatov, but having achieved all he could at United and with an unhidden desire to move to Madrid at some point, there was little point keeping Ronaldo at the club if he no longer wanted to be there. Getting £80 million for his services will have helped twist Fergie’s arm too. Now what though? Moving Rooney into a more central roll will increase the number of goals he scores but will he reach the same numbers as the departing Ron? It’s unlikely and unless Berbatov suddenly finds an enthusiasm for hard work, he won’t be the one to counteract this loss of firepower either. So Alex clearly needs to start looking for a replacement, if he doesn’t already have one lined up. Remember though that United still have massive debts and a large portion of this sale could be used to off-set the increased losses of parent company Red Football.

Here are the most obvious targets:

Franck Ribery: Bayern are very reluctant to sell and will hold out for a fee in the region of the Kaka and Ronaldo deals. Doesn’t score as many goals but is more creative and more of a team-player than Ronaldo. Would cost a large chunk of the £80 million which Fergie is unlikley to have at his disposal. The best replacement out there though.

David Villa: Although heavily rumoured to be on the verge of joining Real Madrid as well, they don’t have a limitless supply of money and a big offer in the £30-40 million region could be enough to tempt him to Manchester. Consistently prolific and would suit United’s style of attacking. However he does favour remaining in Spain.

Antonio Valencia: A replacement in position only. While a talented and creative player he doesn’t offer anything like the attacking threat. Will probably end up at Old Trafford but another goal-scorer would still be required.

Carlos Tevez: The Argentinian is unhappy with how he’s been treated during his time at the club He may be persuaded to stay but being so similar to Rooney has hampered him so far and that’s unlikely to change dramatically should he decide to remain where he is.

The idea that United will now fall to pieces is an appealing one but Ronaldo isn’t the first star player to leave Old Trafford during Ferguson’s reign and there’s no reason to think that the departure of the Portuguese winger will have a catastrophic effect. Keane, Cantona, Beckham, Stam, Van Nistelrooy…all were big losses and yet the trophies kept coming.

What do you think of Ronaldo’s move? Will it effect United’s title hopes next season and who do you think Ferguson should get to replace him?

Posted in Football, Sportsbook | 51 Comments »

The announcement of the PFA Player of the Year nominees will have those of you who don’t garner their footballing opinions straight from the back pages of the red tops scratching your head, at least a little. That Manchester United dominates proceedings is no surprise considering their success, however the inclusion of only one non-Manc is a little too lopsided for me. Especially considering who’s made it on the shortlist.

Okay let’s have a quick rundown.

Nemanja Vidic: No arguments here. He’s having a bit of a mare in recent weeks but only in contrast to how he’s performed pretty much since he arrived at Old Trafford. One of the best players in the world and a likely winner.

Steven Gerrard: Again it’s hard to argue with his inclusion. Doesn’t have to do as much of the one man band stuff anymore but still makes a massive impact, scores goals, turns games and on his day is unplayable. Is on the verge of a great season, if luck goes his way.

This is where some doubts start to arise for me.

Rio Ferdinand: If you say something often enough it has to be true, right? Wrong. That Rio is so regularly rated as World Class is one of the great mysteries of football. Well it’s not really a mystery in fairness, being an English player he is subject to the usual hype which comes flooding forth at the very hint of talent. Rio is a decent defender but if he didn’t have Vidic beside him, not just would he not have been nominated but United would be watching Liverpool and Chelsea battle it out for the Premier League right now.

Edwin Van Der Sar: There’s no argument about the calibre of United’s Dutch keeper, even though he turns 39 this year he’s still a class act. However, behind a defence so well marshalled by Vidic he hasn’t exactly been the busiest and it seems that he may be getting some undue credit for the team’s record breaking clean-sheet run. Not undeserving of recognition but there are certainly harder working goalkeepers out there.

Ryan Giggs: All season the commentators and “experts” on various football shows have been waxing lyrical about Giggs and Scholes. Real footballers, who play the game the right way and when they’re not showing the rest of the Premier League how it should be done they’re off walking on water. Now I’m not about to have a go at arguably the best player the Premier League has seen but if you remove the rose tinted glasses for a second you’ll see that Giggs has played a cameo role and only occasionally has he really impressed. The problem is that when he does play well he gets so much praise and attention that people start believing he’s producing in every game. He hasn’t been and though he should have won a Player of the Year award at least once during his illustrious career, it’s really only nostalgia which sees him in the mix this year.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Okay, maybe it’s my personal bias, and if it is I’ll accept that but the winger hasn’t been anywhere near the player who was a clear winner last season. On his goal count perhaps he does deserve an inclusion but his performances are inconsistent, he rarely threatens against one of the other big clubs and spends more time complaining than tackling back. Ferguson has a history of indulging star players but Ron’s petulance must be testing his patience at times. Undoubtedly a world class player but he’s had an indifferent season in which it appears his massive success has gone to his head a little and affected his form.

If not these then who, you ask? Okay let me throw a few names into the mix and see if we can get some discussion going. How about Tim Cahill? The Everton utility player has performed manfully in various positions this season and scored some vital goals for the Toffees during their protracted striker crisis. Phil Jagielka is also worthy of a mention. Has Rio Ferdinand really played better than him this season or was he just in a better team? The same could be said of Matthew Upson. Then there’s Brede Hangeland, the Norwegian centre-back has been one of the main reasons for his side’s success this season. Fulham have conceded only 7 goals more than Manchester United or Liverpool this season and Hangeland’s performances have attracted a lot of attention. There are plenty of rumours that he’ll be playing for a bigger club next season.
Nicolas Anelka has played as well and scored as many goals as Ronaldo. Frank Lampard has been more consistent and way more prolific than Giggs. Xabi Alonso has been an unsung hero for Liverpool. Martin Skrtel, his recent blip aside, is a far better defender than Ferdinand as is John Terry and Jamie Carragher and Patrice Evra…..you get the point.

The main question I’m asking is do these players deserve to be on the shortlist. If so, then why? If not, then who should have been nominated instead?

Oh and before anyone comes back with the argument that of course the nominations are spot on, sure aren’t they voted for by the players, I’ll have you remember that Paul Merson is a former player and, presuming he knows how to make an X and was sober enough to focus, would have had a vote in these awards. Remember it’s okay to form your own opinion, the masses aren’t always right.

Posted in Sportsbook | 57 Comments »

Having figured out that he wasn’t at Cheltenham, Hohlethelonely refused to even start in the 3.40 Uttoxeter. Temperamental or just plain lazy we’re not sure because it’s a horse but what we do know is that you shouldn’t have to suffer so we’re refunding all bets on this horse.

Posted in Justice Payouts, Racing, Sportsbook | 5 Comments »

Win €/£100 in Free Bets

As with most things we set our frazzled minds to, yesterday’s Cheltenham Katchphrase game wasn’t as well thought out as it really should have been and was in very real danger of turning into somthing of a farce. To avoid such pitfalls today I’m enforcing a few rules. There’s only one guess per person per square revealed, we can’t have one person having a hundred guesses before any one else even makes one (not naming any names, dave) . You can only win once over the four days, so sorry joe but we have to give everyone else a chance. I think this is all pretty fair and other rules will be made up if necessary.

So on to today’s installment. It’s pretty simple really, I’ll start revealing a new square every half hour or so from 1pm and you just say what you see. The first person to get it right wins €/£100 in free bets but if we get to the end and no one has the right answer then, and only then, will it become a free for all and Dave can have as many guesses as he wants. Good luck guys.

We have a winner. Today Dave Jones’ quality over quantity approach has won him the free bets. Congratulations Dave. One Trick Pony it is, I think we’re going to have to start making these a bit tougher.

Posted in Cheltenham 2009, Cheltenham Katchphrase, Competitions, Katchphrase, Sportsbook | 31 Comments »

Win £/€100 in Free Bets

There’s not really a whole lot to it. We show you a picture and you have to tell us what it’s supposed to represent. The exciting part is that we don’t show to you it all in one go. Oh, no. We’re dragging this bad boy out. So, in a manner completely unlike any tv show you think you might have seen before, we’ll reveal one square at a time while a little yellow robot and Roy…no wait that’s not us…we’ll just be revealing a new square every half an hour or so (it is Cheltenham today) until someone correctly guesses and wins themselves £/€100 in free bets. First person to guess correctly wins.

So just say what you see. Damn is that copyrighted? We’ll go check with legal and you try and win yourself some free bets.

Also to give everyone a chance at having a go it’s now limited to one guess per person per square shown. So you have to have a proper think about it.

We Have a winner!! Horse Play it is and the €100 goes to joekeenan. I’ll be back tomorrow with another, hopefully more difficult, Cheltenham Katchphrase.

Posted in Cheltenham 2009, Cheltenham Katchphrase, Katchphrase, Sportsbook | 45 Comments »

You’ve seen it in the shops and now the ridiculously popular Last Man Standing is available online too. Not sure what it’s all about? Then let us explain, without the aid of knob jokes or Cristiano Ronaldo insults.

All you have to do is register, sign up to the next game and you could be on your way to the guaranteed €/£10,000 guaranteed first prize on offer in every game. Once signed up you choose one Premier League team to win from the next round of fixtures. If your team wins you advance to the next week, lose and you’re out.

Here’s the trick though, you’re only allowed to pick each team once during the course of any one Last Man Standing game so you’re going to have to pick outside the big sides at some point. Can you pick out the shocks as well as the sure things? If you think you can, then sign-up, make your choices and if you can survive longer than everyone else, the money is yours. We have given you a helping hand by bending the rules to allow you to pick the win and the draw on a match but you can only do this once during the game so use it wisely.

Find out all you need to know here and see if you can be the Last Man Standing.

(This competition is open to all sexes. Last Man, Woman, Hermaphrodite or Transvestite Standing just didn’t have quite the same ring to it.)

Posted in Sportsbook | 1 Comment »

We have two VIP tickets to the paddypower.com Cheltenham Trial Day at Naas this Sunday and we’re throwing in overnight accomodation in a four star hotel for Saturday night, hospitality at the races (free food and drink) as well as €100 for you to punt on the action.

The full prize includes:

- Overnight Stay and dinner in the Kilashee House Hotel
- Admission and Racecard
- Dinner in the Panoramic Restaurant at the Course
- Free €100 Bet
- Free Cheltenham Preview with Willie Mullins, Colm Murphy and Top NH Jockeys between races at the course

To be in with a chance to win this great, if somewhat last minute, prize all you have to do is answer the question below. The winner will be picked at random and the question is so easy that it really makes no difference who answers first. Only entries before 12pm (midday) Thursday will be considered.

What is the small guy who sits on the horse during a race most commonly called?

a) Jockey
b) Calvin Klein
c) Oompaloompa

Remember to use the email address you have registered with us otherwise we won’t know who you are.

Posted in Racing, Sportsbook | 53 Comments »