Snooker Grand Prix

[Pete89]

So I've been betting the snooker over the past few days, I would say its one of my strong suits, and one that I underplay. I have had 2/3 winning doubles so far, with yesterdays Ebdon/McCulloch double only being let down by the latter. Lets start with the outright market though:

O'Sullivan 5/2 skybet
Higgins 6/1 Paddy
Maguire 10/1 sky
Robertson 12/1 Lads
Junhui 12/1 tote* (11/1 sporting)
Williams 14/1
Allen 16/1 tote* (14/1 paddy)
Cope 16/1 sky
Ebdon 16/1
Perry 20/1 tote* (18/1 SJ)
Hendry 25/1 SJ
Doherty 25/1 betfred
King 40/1 SJ
Milkins 66/1 Lads
Pinches 100/1 Sporting
Davis 100/1

e/w 1/2 odds 1-2 all exept tote *(1/3 ods 1-2)

Looking for the Value bets outright I would be tempted to side with Higgins at 6/1. Last years winner takes on O'Sullivan tomorrow should be able to make up for his semi final defeat against the Rocket in Shanghai. If tomorrows match does go the way of the Wizard of Wishaw then he will most likely be Unbackable.

Another Potential outright is Mark Williams, who dispatched Bingham in his first round match 5-0. Just back from Injury, the Welshman could make a splash at the Kelvenhall.

Each way Jamie Cope looks a good price at 16/1 the youngster will need the luck of the draw, as will most in this unique format, but the "Shotgun from Stoke" should have the neccesery class to carry him through the more difficult ties; he defeated Peter Ebdon in the second round last year despite high scoring efforts by Ebdon (including a 147 attempt that was hindered thanks to some unrully spectators), and Steven Maguire in the First, before losing to eventual runner up Ryan Day in the Quarter Final. IMO the youngster is one to watch, and one to have on your side.

Finally I caught the end of Mark Kings match today, and was impressed, so a small stake at 40/1 might not go amiss, although I will wait and see when Sporting Index reoped there outright market what is on offer.

Summary:

Higgins to Win 6/1 ladbrokes 3pts
Williams to win 1 pt, 1pt e/w 14/1 gen
Cope 1pt e/w 16/1 skybet
King 0.5pt e/w StanJames

[Pete89]

Onto the Second Round Matches now,

My first too picks I have done into detail about above and so perhaps unsurprisingly, I will be opting for Higgins and Cope. Cope is available at 11/10 with Ladbrokes and Higgins at 11/8 with the same firm. He was available at 6/4 with SJ as recently as half an hour, but has been backed in.

Of tomorrows evening matches Neil Robertson looks to be in with a chance against Doherty, the Aussy made it to the semi finals of the Worlds this year, and may be too good for the Irishman at 8/13.

Summary:

Higgins 2pts11/8
Cope 2pts 11/10
Robertson 1pt 8/13

All at Ladbrokes.

[Pete89]

Higgins wins and Cope loses. So +0.75 including my outright loss on Cope

[Pete89]

Mark Allen (NIrl) bt Jamie Cope (Eng) 5-3

John Higgins MBE (Sco) bt Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 5-4

Neil Robertson (Aus) bt Ken Doherty (Irl) 5-2

Joe Perry (Eng) bt Barry Pinches (Eng) 5-2

[Winrew]

Some decent picks Pete , well done..

[Pete89]

Cheers Winrew.

Higgins is now a BP 2/1 with tote to win it with Williams still avalible at 14/1 with coral and King into 33/1 with lads. All firms are now 1/3 odds 1-2

Looking onwards to tomorrow, We have Mark Williams against 7 time world champion Steven Hendry. The Scotsman has gone off the boil in recent years and the Welsh Wizard may have the Hunger that Hendry is lacking, following his return from a wrist injury. Available at 8/11 with a number of firms, Williams could provide the result that the local fans won't want to see, and continue the Scot's 4 year dry spell since the '05 Malta Open.

Onto the Evening session, the pick of the day's matches will be Maguires clash with Ding Junhui. Maguire will be another local favourite, and again I'm going to have to go against him and side with the Chinaman at 11/10 with ladbrokes. The same firm are offering 22/1 that he racks up 3 or more centuries, which may be worth a small interest; he racked up 100 century breaks in his first 5 seasons, a record he shares with "The Rocket" O'Sullivan.

Summary:

Williams to beat Hendry 8/11 gen 2pts
Ding Junhui to beat Maguire 11/10 1pt
Ding Junhui to make 3 or more centuries 22/1 0.5pt

[Pete89]

Was speaking to a certian Mr Thorn in ladbrokes. He seemed quite supprised with the 22/1 on offer. When he was told it was Internet only he went off o find a computer :p

[Pete89]

Results from yesterday:

Mark Williams MBE (Wal) bt Stephen Hendry MBE (Sco) 5-2

Peter Ebdon (Eng) bt Mark Davis (Eng) 5-3

Ding Junhui (Chn) bt Stephen Maguire (Sco) 5-1

Robert Milkins (Eng) bt Mark King (Eng) 5-1 ,

todays matches:

1pm
Robertson 4/6 sky vs Perry 11/8 Boyle
Higgins 1/2 Sporting vs Allen 7/4 gen

7pm

Williams 1/2 sporting vs Milkins 2/1 lads
Junhui 8/13 tote vs Ebdon 6/4 SJ

[Pete89]

Total staked (including outrights) 17.5 pts
Total returned: 12.93 pts

Now for the latest outright odds:

Higgins 2/1 tote (already recomended 3pts @ 6/1)
Junhui 9/2 tote
Williams 6/1 ladbrokes (already recomended 1pt + 1pt e/w @ 14/1)
Robertson 13/2 sky
Allen 9/1 ladbrokes
Ebdon 12/1 lads
Perry 14/1 lads
Milkins 25/1 lads

1/3 odds 1-2

Looking at the ties that are left its easy to see all the favourites going through (although I'd be surprised if it happened), and out of all of them Robertson is probably the weakest, so I'm going to recomend 2pts on Ding Junhui outright at 9/2 at totesport.

Looking at today's early matches, theres not much value in any of the favourites, so I'm going to have a small stake on Perry at 11/8, as he has the best chance of an upset. I'm also going to have a small double with Higgins at boyles sports @ 3.43

Summary:
Junhui outright 2pts 9/2 tote
Perry to beat Robertson 1pt 11/8 Boyle
Perry/Higgins double 1pt 3.43 Boyle

[Pete89]

Two bets tonight

junhui 1pt
Williams 2pt

at work so can't go into detail

[Pete89]

Neil Robertson (Aus) bt Joe Perry (Eng) 5-1

John Higgins MBE (Sco) bt Mark Allen (NIrl) 5-1

Mark Williams MBE (Wal) bt Robert Milkins (Eng) 5-2

Ding Junhui (Chn) bt Peter Ebdon (Eng) 5-2 ,

Staked: 24.5
Returned: 17.55

[Pete89]

Again I'm at work so have to be quick:

higgins to beat Robertson 3pts 8/15 coral
higgins to win 6-2 1pt 7/1 Boyle
higgins to win 6-1 0.5 pts 14/1 sporting

[Winrew]

I hope other folk are getting on these picks Pete , great thread......

[Amccabe]

I have been, but only with very small stakes, wishing i'd put bigger stakes on now but nevermind, will do next time you tip on the snooker Pete because i know you know your sh*t now, Cheers!

[Pete89]

Cheers lads,

I didnt have web access at all all weekend, so I'll have to record a loss for this weekend. I did dutch my bet with roberston at 10/11 on sunday though with a 5pt stake, but I wont record that.