Derek McGovern's Bets of the Day

By Derek McGovern in Betting Blog

Published 22:59 23/11/10

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Manchester United star Ji-Sung Park says the intimidating atmosphere at Ibrox tonight can’t match the games he plays for South Korea against bitter rivals Japan.

Park revealed: “The fans tell us that if we lose they are going to throw the players into the sea.” Which you’d have to say is going overboard.

“These kind of games in Europe are special,” said Park, who says United will play with their Champions League head on, when for Korea he normally plays with his water wings on.

“If we get a draw we go through but we’re not going there to get one point, we want three,” said Park. Earlier this year North Korea sunk a South Korean battleship, which stunned Park and team-mate Wayne Rooney, who said it was their own fault for putting it in the B7 square.

There have even been reports that North Korea has built an atomic suitcase bomb that could slip into any Western country. The good news is, the airlines have lost it.

At Old Trafford the Rangers penalty area was so heavily guarded Nato was called in. Gers got what they came for – a 0-0 draw – and the clever money tonight will go on “fewer than three goals” at 8-11.

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There's talk that the royal wedding on April 29 will get more TV viewers than England’s World Cup win.

People still speak animatedly of the fierce battle between the English and the Germans, with all that fuss over a bar – and that’s just the reception.

An audience of 32.2million tuned in on BBC and ITV to watch Alf Ramsey’s wingless wonders and Ladbrokes offer 9-4 that Kate and the chinless wonder will pull in between 30 to 34million.

That’s a fair bet. There’s more of us and more TVs than in 1966 – and a royal wedding is a real water-cooler event, if he doesn’t get the day off as well.

The wedding of Diana and Jug Ears in 1981 drew 28.4million and you’ve got to imagine even more will enjoy the day this time. We have to enjoy it, we’re paying for it. Ladbrokes offer 4-6 for Kate and Wills to outdraw Diana in 2011.

Kate is smart, hard-working, and attractive. She undermines everything the royals stand for.

Hills are offering 4-6 that she will be a queen and 11-10 she won’t. You can get the same odds for Prince Edward.

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Four years ago the England cricket team were stuffed, steamrollered and shamefaced in Australia – for Freddie Flintoff that happened most nights.

No-one has ever had a worse series, apart perhaps from fainting I’m a Celeb star Gillian McKeith.

So maybe we shouldn’t get too excited this time round when English optimism is bursting.

For the uninitiated, an optimist is someone who tells you whether or not you need glasses.

Bookies are saying so much money is being bet on England there won’t be any left over for Ireland.

So why are Ricky Ponting’s men favourites when the last decent series the Aussies had was Prisoner Cell Block H?

The bookies usually know something we don’t, like why their toilets are permanently locked, and their aggressive approach to “get” England has me more than a bit worried.

It looks too easy to go for England. They are used to winning, the Aussies are used to losing and Rolf Harris is used to drawing. But a little bird and Two Little Boys tell me the Aussies could bounce back and bite us on the bum.

One way to make the Ashes go with a swing is to take the 16-1 offered by Hills that there will be no England century during it.

This will put you in the position of cheering each time an English wicket falls, which has the added advantage of annoying the neighbours like mad.

You could also take the 8-11 offered by Hills that there is no double century scored during the series, by either side.

This will put you in the position of cheering EVERY wicket that falls, annoying the neighbours even more.

Ashes (Hills): 11-10 Australia, 9-5 England, 4-1 drawn series. First Test (starts in Brisbane tonight): 5-4 Aus, 2-1 England, 11-4 draw.

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