Online Betting News

William Hill have shortened the price of Tonga beating England in Friday’s crucial World Cup match from 7/1 to 6/1, following support for the outsiders with England now offered at 1/12 from 1/16.

Wilkinson is 2/1 to score between eleven and fifteen points and 10/1 to score thirty one or more. “Tonga are a big price considering their performance against South Africa and although the bets coming in on Tonga are not huge, they have been enough to shorten the price,” said Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams.

Hill’s expect the home nations to struggle from here on in and offer 8/11 that all the home nations are eliminated before the semi finals and have even opened a book on which of the coaches will be the first to leave his job with Wales coach Gareth Jenkins their favourite at 5/4.

England vs Tonga - 80mins Prices:
1/12 England,
6/1 Tonga,
25/1 Draw

All Home Nations to be eliminated before Semi-Final Stage:
8/11 Yes,
1/1 No

William Hill 1st Home Nations coach to leave job after World Cup:
5/4 Gareth Jenkins (Wal),
9/4 Brian Ashton (Eng),
11/4 Eddie O’Sullivan (Ire),
8/1 Frank Hadden (Sco).

Wilkinson Points Against Tonga:
7/1 1-5 Points.
7/2 6-10,
2/1 11-15 Points,
10/3 16-20 Points,
6/1 21-25 Points,
14/1 26-30,
10/1 31 Points or more.

Home Nation To Finish With Best Group Position:
4/9 Wales,
5/2 Scotland,
15/2 Emgland,
33/1 Ireland

Bradford are a best priced at 5/1 with bet365 for the Carnegie Challenge Cup following the weekend’s quarter-finals.The Bulls crushed a disappointing Huddersfield 52-20 in a one-sided clash at Odsal but are rated just third favourites ahead of Wednesday’s draw.

Holders St Helens are odds everywhere despite a real scare against Warrington.

The Wolves made a mockery of their dismal League form to lead 12-4 at half-time and remained on course for their first win at Knowsley Road for 13 years until Saints launched a great fightback to come through 25-14.

Wigan are next best at 9/2 with bet365 following their 25-6 victory over Harlequins.

Catalans created a piece of history at the KC Stadium by securing their first ever last-four spot courtesy of a 26-23 win over ailing Hull but the bookies don’t expect them to go much  and are priced at 20/1.

St Helens remain short 1/4 favourites at Sky Bet to top the regular season Super League standings following their last-gasp nerve jangling 27-26 win over Salford.Saints had to claw back a 12-point deficit against the team at the bottom of the table and only sealed victory when teenage scrum-half Matty Smith dropped a late goal.

Saints almost threw away victory when the Reds’ Luke Robinson hit the post with what would have been a match-levelling drop-goal attempt.

The win kept St Helens at the top of Super league although Leeds remained on the same number of points (24) after running in seven tries in a 42-26 over Warrington at Headingley.

Leeds are a best 9/2 at Bet Direct to finish in front of Saints while Bradford are 10s at Paddy Power to top the table

Ken Brown, a 34 year old financial advisor from Manchester, looks set to win £10,900 from bookies William Hill after placing a bet in 1999 that then promising teenager, Dean Schofield (Sale Sharks) would gain a full England Rugby Union cap.

Ken who is a volunteer Rugby coach at Aldwynians Rugby Club, near Manchester, has seen thousands of young up and coming rugby players, but as soon as he saw the then eighteen year old Dean he immediately contacted William Hill, asking if they would offer odds about him playing for England.

Hill’s offered 200/1, and Ken placed £54.50.

When - if - Dean Schofield runs onto the pitch to take on South Africa on Saturday Hill’s will hand over £10,900.

“We have had a run of these long-shot wagers recently including a £10,000 payout to the Kirkland Family when their son Chris was called up for the England football team and a five figure payout to a gentleman who lived to be one hundred.

You have to take your hat - or scrum cap - off to Ken.

A lot of people think about placing bets on rising stars, but few actually put their money where their mouth is, and even fewer win,� said Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams.

Bookmakers William Hill rate England as massive underdogs for the first Rugby Union Test against South Africa on Saturday and offer 6/1 for an England victory and 1/12 that the home side are victorious.

Hill’s also offer 4/1 that any of England’s debutants score a debut try and 5/1 that Andy Farrell scores a try.

Hill’s have also opened a market on how England talisman Johnny Wilkinson will score his first points and make a penalty their 1/2 favourite and offer 5/2 for a conversion, 8/1 Drop Goal and 16/1 he scores a try.

“England have a very depleted squad and the latest news suggests that there is a bug going round the England squad, which has ensured that England are Friendless in the market,� said Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams.

William Hill England vs South Africa 1st Test:
1/12 South Africa,
6/1 England,
25/1 Draw

How Will Wilkinson Score His First Points:
1/2 Penalty Goal,
5/2 Conversion,
8/1 Drop Goal,
16/1 Try

A.Farrell to score a try:
1/9 No,
5/1 Yes

Leicester are the hot 2/5 favourites at Sky Bet to beat the Ospreys in the final of the EDF Energy Cup final at Twickenham on April 15.

The Tigers booked their final berth first as they beat Sale 29-19 before the Ospreys eased past Cardiff 27-10.

Giant Samoan winger Alesana Tuilagi inspired Leicester’s win after he scored a powerful solo try and created the other as the Tigers kept their treble trophy hunt alive.

In the second semi, Sonny Parker and full-back Lee Byrne scored well-executed tries for the Ospreys either side of half-time, but the Blues hardly helped themselves.

Three Cardiff forwards - flanker Scott Morgan, together with locks Deiniol Jones and Robert Sidoli - were sin-binned by English referee Wayne Barnes during a game the Blues would rather forget.

The Ospreys are 7/4 to lift the trophy

ENGLAND RUGBY WORLD CUP ODDS DRIFT TO LONGEST EVER FOR DEFENDING CHAMPS….

Following their disappointing 6 Nations campaign, England’s World Cup odds have been lengthened from 14/1 to 16/1 sixth favourites by William Hill - ‘England are now the longest odds ever offered about any defending Rugby World Cup holders’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe, ‘Which shows just how far backwards they have managed to go in the space of just a few seasons.’
Hills now make New Zealand 1/ 2 favourites to win the World Cup and also offer 6/1 France; 8/1 Ireland; S Africa; 12/1 Australia; 16 England; 25 Wales; 50 Argentina; 150 Scotland; 250 Italy; 500 Samoa; Fiji; Canada; 1000 Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Romania, USA.
MEANWHILE, FRANCE have been installed as 11/8 favourites to win next season’s 6 Nations by William Hill who also offer 15/8 Ireland; 9/2 England; 6/1 Wales; 33/1 Scotland; 50/1 Italy.

Following their 27-18 defeat to Wales in Cardiff, England’s World Cup odds have been lengthened from 14/1 to 16/1 by William Hill.

“England are now the longest odds ever offered about any defending Rugby World Cup holders, which shows just how far backwards they have managed to go in the space of just a few seasons,” said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Sky Bet are even more dismissive of England, making them 20/1 to retain the title.

Hosts France are 6/1 to triumph at Hills while the team they pipped to Six Nations glory, Ireland, range from 8s at Paddy Power and Hills to 14s at Sky Bet. South Africa are general 10/1 shots.

But it’s New Zealand who are the red-hot favourites at a general 4/7.

Australia, who England beat in the 2003 final, are 12/1 at Hills, who also go 25/1 Wales, 50/1 Argentina, 150/1 Scotland 250/1 Italy, 500/1 Samoa, Fiji, Canada, 1000/1 Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Romania, USA.

France have been installed as 11/8 favourites to win next season’s Six Nations by William Hill, who also offer 15/8 Ireland, 9/2 England, 6/1 Wales, 33/1 Scotland, 50/1 It

St Helens have drifted to 4/5 with Sky Bet to win the engage Super League after they suffered defeat at the weekend.

Daniel Anderson’s defending champions are still clear favourites but the 24-12 loss at Hull on Saturday means they now trail leaders Bradford by four points.

The Bulls took advantage of Saints’ slip as they survived a huge scare at Harlequins before winning 36-22 to move clear at the top of the table.

They are now available at 5/1 with Sky Bet and are joint second favourites alongside Hull and Leeds, who sneaked a narrow 32-26 victory at Wakefield on Friday.

At the other end of the table Huddersfield are 6/4 favourites with Stan James to end up with the wooden spoon.

The Giants’ desperate start to the season continued on Saturday as they fell to a 23-22 defeat against the Catalans in France.

They remain bottom of the table - and the only club in the league without a point

Leicester are still marginal 5/6 favourites to win the Guinness Premiership with Sky Bet after the weekend’s action.

The Tigers maintained their three-point lead at the top but were made to work hard in their 29-25 victory against a resilient Bath side at Welford Road on Saturday.

However second-placed Gloucester kept tabs on Leicester as they ran in four trys on the way to a 34-25 success over Harlequins and they’ve now edged ahead in bet365’s market as 4/5 favourites, but they are Even money with Sky Bet.

Saracens meanwhile have been cut to 20/1 with Coral after Kameli Ratuvou scored two sparkling tries in their impressive 36-5 triumph against a below-strength Bristol 36-5, but they’re still available at 25s with Sky Bet.

The defeat pushed Bristol out to 50s with bet365 while Sky Bet make London Wasps 40/1 following their 16-13 loss at London Irish.

At the other end of the table Worcester gave their survival hopes a colossal boost by fighting back to stun Newcastle 23-21 on Saturday and they are now 4/5 favourites to go down with bet365.

Northampton are bottom, but with a game in hand, after a 18-18 draw with Sale and they’re a best of 5/4 with Sky Bet to get relegated