What are the odds Spurs finish the season as London's top team? Derek McGovern's Bets of the Day

By Derek McGovern in Betting Blog

Published 22:00 21/12/11

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Spurs have been touted as serious title contenders, but only by those who go to bed wearing Tottenham pyjamas wrapped in a Tottenham duvet.

You get the impression Harry Redknapp’s aim this season is to finish in the top four and then leave to pursue the England job he looks nailed-on for.

If he delivers Champions League football he will have taken Spurs as far as he can.

Unless they move into the Olympic stadium, then he’ll have taken them as far east as he can.

’Arry has masterminded a brilliant start to the campaign, the highlights being a win over Arsenal and a Europa League exit after only 15 games.

Spurs have a reputation for coming down with the Christmas decorations and the Yuletide period is sure to test their Champions League hopes, their title ambitions and, most of all, Ledley King’s knees.

But they’ll start it by beating Chelsea on Thursday night. Get on at 8-5.

Spurs are 11-10 with Boylesports to finish the season as top London club. My money’s on Spearmint Rhino.

Hills offer 4-1 for any sub to score in Thursday's game. You will find a million worse punts – usually on my weekend betting slips.

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BET OF THE DAY

A recent survey discovered that a woman's "I'll be ready in five minutes" and a man's "I'll be home in five minutes" are exactly the same length of time.

Get on Spurs at 8-5 to beat Chelsea.

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Roberto Mancini was wide of the mark when he accused occasional footballer Wayne Bridge of being happy to do nothing and pick up £90,000 a week.

The word he should have used was ‘ecstatic’.

You have to feel sorry for the one-time England left-back.

When he was with Chelsea, even his girlfriend was rotated.

Now he can only watch the action from the sidelines, and I know how that feels, as a peeping Tom.

His current girlfriend is Saturdays singer Frankie Sandford, who hates being called a WAG.

Don’t worry, your boyfriend has to play football before you can be called a WAG.

Arsenal have been linked with a loan move for Bridge and that is sure to end in tears, like most Bridging loans.

Manchester City can choose to pay Bridge £90,000 a week for doing nothing or compromise and pay him £45,000 a week to help out their rivals – just like Emmanuel Adebayor.

Bodog offer 4-1 for Bridge to score an own goal while playing for Arsenal this season.

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I’ve seen some bad ­favourites in my time – in fact I’ve backed most of them – but Mark ­Cavendish at 1-3 to win the BBC Sports Personality award tonight takes the biscuit.

It beats me how ­Cavendish was able to do much cycling at his Isle Of Man home, which is only 30 miles long. The isle, not his home.

I’ve never been to the Isle Of Man, but I do know its best friend is the Isle Of Dogs.

Me and cyclists don’t get on. I got knocked over by one the other day and while I was lying injured on the deck, he told me I’d been really lucky.

When I asked why, he said: “Because I normally drive a bus.”

There are three golfers on the list more deserving of the award than Cavendish, not to mention a couple of cricketers and someone called Dai Greene, which is not so much a sportsman as an ­instruction.

The favourite has a poor record in this event – in fact the last one to oblige was Tony McCoy a full 12 months ago – and it will be no surprise to see Cavendish chinned on the night. That’s the price you pay for blagging a Page 3 bird.

Darren Clarke, the heartwarming winner of The Open back in the summer, cries out to be backed at 6-1.

He usually cries, “Fore” or “Mine’s a pint”.

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