Technically there is a game this week but a half-paced, half-hearted kick about under the Hawaii sun doesn’t warrant the attention of our American football experts in Las Vegas.

Sunday’s Pro-Bowl will provide some entertaining highlights but it’s and end of season wind-down game played by star names thinking of their holidays. It’s main use is to fill the gap between the Conference games and Super Bowl XLVII.

Pat and Kenny ignore the Pro-bowl and get right to the meat of the matter, taking an early look at the betting for the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. We also get the latest update from the Las Vegas trading floor and there’s an attractive young lady in a bikini, if you like that kind of thing. Which I do.

• Betting: Super Bowl XLVII

“Yes darling, that dress does make you look like Mila Kunis.”
“You look as beautiful as the day we got married.”
“No, of course I didn’t fake it.”
“It’s not the size that matters.”

However lying about the fact that your girlfriend has died of leukemia isn’t one of them. Especially when that girlfriend has also been made up.

If you’re not already familiar with the tale, this week the story emerged that Notre Dame’s star linebacker Manti Te’o never had a girlfriend called Lennay Keku. Why is this even a news story? Lying about having a girlfriend is a regular occurrence in this office.

Well let us quickly explain. Te’o became something of a media darling when his girlfriend died of leukemia the day after his grandmother died. He became a source of inspiration to his team-mates and to anyone who watched his story on tv. Manti conducted numerous interviews where he talked about touching subjects like her last words to him before she died.

Except she didn’t die because she never existed. Deadspin.com became suspicious of this story and decided to investigate a little deeper.

Now it turns out that the whole thing was a hoax and that Manti’s supposed girlfriend Lennay Keku only ever existed on Twitter and Facebook. He’s claiming that he is the victim of a cruel hoax but his story isn’t matching up with the evidence Deadspin claims to have uncovered. It is starting to appear as though it was instigated by a friend of his and that Manti may have been involved from the star.

Read their investigation here

Te’o is destined for the NFL in this year’s draft but this story could impact how high he’s drafted and how much money he makes.

Either he’s a fool for being sucked in so easily or he’s a cynical scumbag who played with the emotions of others to promote himself. I know which one I’d rather be.

By Rob Dore | NFL betting

It’s Conference Championship time this weekend and if the action on Sunday is anywhere near as exciting as last week’s games I’m going to have to take Monday off.

Pat and Kenny take you through both games, giving you their usual expert mix of insight, stats and banter. There’s also another £50 free bet to be won.

First up is the NFC Championship where the Atlanta Falcons host the San Francisco 49ers (8pm, Sky Sports 2). Most of the money was on Green Bay last weekend but Colin Kaepernick’s record-setting rushing performance turned that game on its head. Can he find the same gaps against an Atlanta side which almost collapsed to defeat in the second half against Seattle?

Following that we have the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens (11.30pm Sky Sports 2), a repeat of last season’s game. Tom Brady will be the focus of attention in the build-up but Joe Flacco has shown he can make the big plays when the pressure is on. This is going to be a lot closer than the betting suggests…unless the Ravens defence starts to show its collective age.

• Betting: San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons
• Betting: Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots

It’s the final two QFs of the Super Bowl tonight after the San Francisco 49ers  won 45-31 against the Green Bay Packers last night and the Baltimore Ravens saw off the Denver Broncos 38-35 thanks to Rookie Justin Tucker’s 47-yard field-goal in the second period of overtime.

On Sunday night the NFC’s top-seeds - the Atlanta Falcons – host Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. The Falcons lost two of their last four regular season games where as Seattle have now won six in-a-row. Home field advantage is big but so is momentum.

The New England Patriots blew out the Houston Texans 42-14 in week 14 but don’t take that as any kind of guarantee. New England still have some big defensive issues and if Matt Schaub can find the holes in their secondary, the Texans can take one step closer to their first Super Bowl appearance.

Pat and Kenny are back to give you the low down on all of tonight’s action. There’s a money-back special, a free £100 bet to be won and some scantily clad ladies for you to enjoy. We were supposed to have some scantily clad men too but…eh…we forgot. Sorry about that.

• Betting: NFL Coupon
• NFL Video archive

Football

Aston Villa are the 8/11 favourites against Bradford in the first semi-final of the Capital One Cup tonight in a competition that has proved a welcome distraction from the Barclays Premier League for the Villains. Paul Lambert’s side  got a potential FA Cup banana skin out-of-the-way when beating Ipswich 2-1 at the weekend but Villa fans (and their manager) will desperately want a Cup final appearance at Wembley as their Premier League campaign goes pear-shaped.

League Two side Bradford are 15/4 and have already knocked out Wigan and Arsenal in this competition so the Bantams won’t be over-awed by the fancy dans from the top tier despite this being their first appearance in a Cup semi-final since 1911.  Gabriel Agbonlahor has five goals in seven League Cup games for Villa and is 11/2 to get the games’s first goal tonight.

It’s an all Premier League clash as Chelsea take on Swansea in the other semi-final on Wednesday night.

Everton will face Bolton or Sunderland in the next round of the FA Cup after the Toffees thumped Cheltenham 5-1. Goals from Nikica Jelavic and Leighton Baines gave David Moyes’ side a 2-0 lead at half-time before Leon Osman added a third after the break. Russell Penn pulled one back for the lower league side but goals from Seamus Coleman and Marouane Fellaini made it a convincing win for Everton. 

• Betting: Bradford v Aston Villa
• Betting: FA Cup outright

Golf

Dustin Johnson is the red-hot 1/2 favourite to win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions after shooting seven-under in round two to bring his overall score to eleven-under-par.

Steve Stricker is eight-under after an impressive second round effort and is 9/2 in the market to improve on that in tonight’s third round. It would take another solid round of golf to make a dent in DJ’s three stroke lead.

The big-hitting Bubba Watson shot a 69 in round two and is 15/2 in the market, four strokes off the lead.

• Betting: Hyundai Tournament of Champions 

Racing

Paddy was at it again on Saturday refunding €235,000 in his Money-Back Special all losers.

Punters cashed in as the sirens went off for the MBS in the  1.35pm at Chepstow and the 2.40pm at Wincanton.

Just four days after refunding a whopping €150,000 to 14,000 punters on New Year’s Day Paddy made it one hell of a start to 2013 for punters. An he’s not done yet. This Saturday and every Saturday in January Paddy will laugh deliriously at the bean-counters and spit in the eye of the company share price with his Money-Back Special All Losers.

Racing today comes from Chepstow, Leicester and Wolverhampton.

The Sun’s top tipster Templegate is napping Nutin Fancy in the 12.50pm at Chepstow.

‘He won an Irish bumper before running really well in a couple of hot novices’ hurdles in bad ground at this track last season’, says the in-form tipster. ‘The step up in distance is sure to suit my fancy and there are rarely any fitness worries with Philip Hobbs’ runners’.

• Betting: All Tuesday’s cards, form and odds

BROTHERS IN ARMS? Robin and Rooney are leading United’s title push

By Andrew Robinson

What a year 2012 was. The Olympics, the Ryder Cup and Euro 2012. It’s enough to get you down, but before you reach for the dark glasses and spend the next 12 months hibernating, there’s plenty going on in January to get you over the hump.

1. ODI Internationals

England’s seemingly never-ending tour of India continues in January with five One Day Internationals. James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott will all miss the series, but Alastair Cook is confident. India’s aging side is missing key players, and if their fielding in the Test series is anything to go by England will be in with a shout of a series win.

• Betting: Cricket coupon 

2. Africa Cup of Nations

Some of the top players in Europe will be heading to South Africa to take part in the tournament this month.  Zambia go to the event as holders and are a juicy 12/1 to repeat the triumph with Paddy Power.

The Ivory Coast undoubtedly have the strongest squad, with the likes of Didier Drogba, Arouna Kone, the Toure brothers and Didier Zokora all making the trip. The Elephants are 13/8 with Paddy Power for the golden generation to lift the trophy.

• Betting:  ACN outright

3. NFL play-offs

The NFL play-offs get underway this weekend with the wildcard games and the event goes on throughout January, so you’ll have plenty of action to watch.

The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots currently lead the betting at 3/1 and 10/3 respectively. Paddy Power is even running a Money-Back special on the Indianapolis Colts/Baltimore Ravens game.

If there is a touchdown scored in the final 2 minutes of regular time, losing total points bets on the game will be refunded.

• Betting: NFL play-offs

4. Heineken Cup

The fifth round of Heineken Cup games take place this month, with some of Europe’s largest domestic sides, both literally and figuratively, clashing in some bruising encounters. Racing Metro against Saracens and Northampton taking on Castres are two of the highlights of round five.

• Betting: Rugby coupon

5. FA Cup

The FA Cup gets into full swing on January 5, with the big boys making their debuts in the competition. With so many all-Premier League ties in the third round, this year could see a surprise winner.  Swansea look like they’ll be safe this season, so could push for a Cup win. They’re on offer at 45/1 to lift the trophy in May, while West Ham could be a good shout at 66/1.

• Betting: FA Cup coupon
• Betting: FA Cup outright 

6. Premier League

The race for the Premier League is hotting up and Manchester United taking on Liverpool and Arsenal welcome Manchester City to the Emirates on January 13. United are 3/4 to continue their procession to a 20^th title against Liverpool, while Arsenal and Man City are both 13/8 for their clash on January 13.

• Betting: Premier League coupon 

The NFC East title is down to two contenders, the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins, and they meet on Sunday at FedEx Field.

Watch the latest NFL betting tips video from the Paddy Power Sports Network (PPSN) and find out who our men in Las Vegas are tipping as FIVE teams scramble for two playoff spots with one wild card position also still available, along with the title spot.

They discuss the Chicago Bears at the Detroit Lions with plenty of interest too as the Green Bay Packers travel to an Adrian Peterson-inspired Minnesota Vikings. The game of the day is, however, in Maryland as the Cowboys travel to Washington.

Find out why Sunday’s big game could be a conservative affair, according to our PPSN tipsters, and watch to the end of the video to find out how to find a £50 free bet.

Super Bowl XLVII betting odds

There are 15 teams that can still win Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans this year led by the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots at 4/1.

Next up with Paddy Power are the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers at 11/2 followed by the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers at 6/1.

The Seattle Seahawks are the only team at 10-1 and then the odds jump to 20-1 for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Redskins are 25/1 with the Cowboys at 33s. The Redskins’ other NFC East rivals who still have a shot are the New York Giants at a distant 75/1.

Otherwise we make the Cincinnati Bengals 40/1, Chicago Bears 50/1, Minnesota Vikings 66/1 and Indianpolis Colts 66/1 for the Super Bowl.

• Betting: NFL Coupon

Pat and Brian take you through this Sunday’s live games giving you stats and insight directly from the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas.

There are two money-back specials and a chance to win a free bet in this video so make sure you stay tuned/fast forward to the end.

• Betting: NFL Coupon

Week 14 of the NFL and the Washington Redskins are fighting for their play-off lives on Sunday.  Baltimore need to win and haven’t lost back-to-back games since 2009 after going down to the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20 last week.

The Ravens at evens (+2.5) in the handicap could be the play. If there’s a touchdown scored in the final 2 minutes of regular time, Paddy Power will refund losing total points bets on the game.

Washington are the favourites at 20/29 in the match betting having beaten the New York Giants 17-16 last time. But they’ll have their work cut out for them in the Battle of the Beltway in Landover on Sunday live on Sky Sports 2 at 6pm.

The later game sees the Giants host the New Orleans Saints on Sky Sports 2 at 9pm and New York have to win against a side who are out of hope in the Vince Lombardi Trophy this season. The reigning Super Bowl Champions have lost three of their last four games and are in danger of losing their grip on the NFC East.

Coach Tom Coughlin has been here before though and all that experience should count for something.

Another late-season run will have to start against the Saints – a side that crushed them 12 months ago.  The Giants have too much to play for and at 5/12 on the match betting and 20/23 on the handicap at -4.5 should see this through.

• Betting: NFL coupon

Luckily we have Pat and Kenny to give you some insight in to this weekend’s biggest live games. They’ll dazzle you with their usual array of stats and insight, slathered in a thick layer of Yankee charm. Yeehaw.

There are two money-back specials and the chance to win a £/€50 free bet for doing no more than having a guess and sending a tweet. There’s also a rather attractive blonde who makes a random appearance. Let us know if you want to see more of her next week.

Padvent: A time of year when people focus on what is really important. Christmas sport and Paddy Power. It is a season observed by all sport fans who love enhanced odds and celebrated from December 1 to December 25

Christmas is just around the corner and with every shop in the country telling you to buy more useless crap, it’s important to remember the important thing at this time of year: Incredible sport.

You’re probably fed up of getting caught in a tornado of shoppers and old ladies paying for everything with pennies. Tired of the people who clear the shelves in Tesco thinking the Mayans were right and the world is ending. Simply dreading visiting relatives where the conversation is more uncomfortable than a prostate exam from Captain Hook. Luckily Paddy Power is here to help and make your Christmas awesome.

We have a sackful of special sports betting offers – our famous Powerplays — lined up and will roll one out EVERY DAY leading up to Christmas. We’re calling it Padvent. See – it’s like Advent only sacrilegious and filled with stuff you actually want. Pffft tiny pieces of crappy cheap chocolate.

So tell the kids Santa only visits children who sit quietly through the sport, and settle down to watch some top quality footie all the while chuckling evilly to yourself as you take advantage of Paddy’s super-generous price enhancements.

• HO! – Suarez to score in the Europa League     
• HO! – Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor to win the World Championships
• HO! – The favourite to win the Tingle Creek

Paddy is certainly in the festive spirit and he’s planning to enhance a huge amount of markets each day. Whether it be on the King George, the PDC World Championships or the Manchester Derby, you can be sure Paddy’s got it covered.

You can’t guarantee a white Christmas this year, and you can’t promise to feign gratitude when someone gifts you the Hollyoaks box set, but you can be sure that Paddy will be bringing you some of the biggest offers of the year from now until Christmas day.

With just five weeks remaining in the regular season, it’s a crucial time for pretty much anyone who isn’t the Kansas City Chiefs as faint hopes of the Playoffs are extinguished or strung out for a couple of weeks longer.

Sky Sports will be doing their thing of showing us the Seahawks at Bears and Steelers at Ravens games on Sunday evening whilst giving us our fill of the latest events elsewhere and chatting through the excessive commercials on US TV.

If that’s not enough, there’s a steaming bowl of venomous NFC East hatred to savour. Sunday/Monday’s late game (1.30am, Channel 4) sees the Eagles travel to the Cowboys and Monday/Tuesday night’s offering is the no less prickly meeting of the Giants and the Redskins.

It’s a fascinating round of games to enjoy, most of which with very little to choose between the teams.

That way this weekend’s NFL Money-Back Special is extra helpful. If your 4-fold or bigger accumulator  bet placed on Match Handicaps this week lets you down by one leg, we will refund your losing bet.

There’s also a £100 free bet to be won but you have to watch/skip through to the end of the video for the details.

In the early game the Minnesota Vikings travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears, who may be without Jay Cutler at quarter-back who missed last week’s game against the 49ers with concussion. For the Vikings Adrian Peterson has been in vintage form and he could prove to be the game changer. (6pm SS2)

In the second Sky Sports game the New Orleans Saints have dragged themselves back to 5-5 and look to go in to the positive for the first time by beating the San Francisco 49ers. Easier said than done and defeat for the Saints could make the play-off mountain a little to steep to climb. (9.15pm SS2)

Finally the late game serves up the game of the day. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers take on the New York Giants in the MetLife Stadium. The Packers are riding a five game win streak whilst the Giants have lost their last two. Both teams lead their respective divisions but things are tight and the chasing teams will be looking to pounce on any slip-ups. (1.20am Channel 4)

There’s also a £50 free bet to be won but you have to watch/skip through to the end of the video for the details.

• Betting: NFL Coupon

The Texans may be 9-1 but they struggled against a not particularly good Jacksonville Jaguars side last week. Matt Schaub came up with 527 passing yards, the second most in NFL game history, and a career best five touchdowns to drag his side to an overtime win. He showed in this game that he can perform when the pressure’s on, which is a good sign for the play-off bound Texans. If his side struggle again this week, expect Schaub to get the job done.

Here’s a video of Schaub taking an illegal hit from Denver Broncos’ Joe Mays during the Texans’ win earlier this season. He lost a piece of his earlobe as a result of this hit. This clip doesn’t show Schaub at his best but who doesn’t like a good hard hit clip?

2. Arian Foster

It looks every inch a Texans win in their match-up against Detroit, who look set to lose their ninth Thanksgiving Day game in-a-row. If Schaub can’t hurt them through the air then Arian Foster will get it done on the ground. The Texans’ running-back is averaging nearly 100 yards and has scored 12 TDs (ten running and two receiving).

Here’s a video of the best running-back in the league doing what he does. Which is mainly running fast whilst carrying a ball.

3. RGIII

Robert Griffin III is the most exciting of this season’s rookie quarterbacks. He hasn’t led the Redskins to as many wins as Andrew Luck has with the Colts but he doesn’t have as good a team around him.
Griffin has thrown 12 Tds and just 3 interceptions this season but what makes him so dangerous is his ability to run the ball. He’s leading his team with six rushing TDs and has amassed 613 rushing yards this season. Dallas’ leading rusher this season is DeMarco Murray who has just 330 yards.

RGIII performs like a seasoned pro and is a threat through the air and on the ground. Dallas rarely win two games on the bounce and Griffin looks set to put up good numbers to keep his team’s play-off dreams alive.

4. No Gronk

Rob Gronkowski has been New England’s star receiver over the past season and a half, which is quite the achievement when you line up alongside the likes of Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez. The Gronk suffered a broken forearm during a specials team play with the Pats well clear at the end of last week’s game. Hernandez is expected to play but if he’s not fully fit the Patriots offence is going to be a lot easier to shut down.

Here’s the Gronk scoring two TD’s in the Pats win over the Rams at Wembley. As you can tell from his celebrations, he’s also a little crazy. And he sleeps with pornstars.

5. Jets Pass Defence

With Tom Brady’s options limited the Jets have a chance to shut-down the NFL’s most potent offence. Mark Sanchez may suck but the Jets can still get it done on the defensive side of things. They’re ranked 4th in the league against the pass, which is where the Pats are at their most dangerous.

If the Jets can force New England to run the ball they’ll have a chance of beating their bitter rivals after three straight losses against them.

Antonio Cromartie is the man most likely to pick off Tom Brady should the Jets get in his face and force a mistake. On a side note Cromartie has 12 kids by eight different women across six states. So he’ll probably need the bonus money for child support.

Tonight we have three potentially cracking games starting with the Texans at the Lions (5.30pm), then RG3 and the Redskins travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys (9.15pm) before bitter rivals the Patriots and the Jets do battle in New York (1.20am). All three games are live on Sky Sports 2.

Our friends in Las Vegas Pat and Kenny take you through all three of tonight’s games, giving you the stats and insight you need before placing your bets.

There’s also a money-back special on all three games as well as a chance for you to win a £/€100 free bet.