Sports

Fans wait for the World Cup has, of course, been a little longer than normal this time around – ordinarily the tournament would ve already been completed.

Nevertheless, the big kick-off is closing in with Qatar 2022 now just 100 days away – we re into the final straight!

As with any major tournament, predicting a winner in the build-up is just a natural part of being a football fan, even if it can often be a fool s errand.

But considering how integral statistics are to football these days, using data might just give you the edge, and that s where Stats Perform come in.

Our Artificial Intelligence team have used Opta s extensive data reserves to quantify each team s chances of winning the entire tournament.

Every match has been run through the …

Two-time Women s World Cup winner Carli Lloyd has announced she will retire from playing at the end of the year.

The 39-year-old has earned 312 caps for the United States and represented 11 clubs across a 22-year playing career, 12 of those as a professional.

Lloyd is one of four players to have played more than 300 times at international level and is in line to play her last match for USA in their September and October friendlies.

She will also see out the remainder of the National Women s Soccer League season with NJ/NY Gotham FC before ending her career.

The New Jersey native hinted at her retirement following USA s defeat to Canada in the Tokyo Olympics semi-finals earlier this month and confirmed her decision on Monday.

When I first started …

Jordan Henderson believes Liverpool have started this season even better than they did in the 2013-14 campaign, which saw them come so close to winning the Premier League.

Liverpool finished two points behind champions Manchester City that season when they had Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge starring as part of a lethal strike partnership.

The Reds were in contention to win the title until the final weeks of the season, but an infamous home defeat to Chelsea and a draw at Crystal Palace during their final three games dramatically ended their hopes.

Captain Henderson, though, feels Liverpool s team is stronger now under the management of Jurgen Klopp, as they sit level on points with leaders City after 10 matches.

I don t think we started that one as we…

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will play a near-meaningless game Saturday night, as both teams have locked up a playoff spot. These NFC East rivals will each be missing a ton of key players and predicting who’s in is just speculation at this point. 

This game is a real mess from a prop perspective and it’s why the traditional prop markets haven’t opened yet as of Friday. Good thing for you, finding derivative markets is right up our alley despite this game being littered with uncertainties on both sides of the ball. Happy Week 18.

Without further ado, we bring you our Week 18 free prop picks for Cowboys vs. Eagles.

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How do you bust out of a slump?

If “Bull Durham” taught us anything – and it has (so, so much) – it’s that all you need is a rainout, which involves a little B&E and public intoxication. And perhaps some light cross-dressing.

Self-help gurus promote performance over results — tough to do when grading NFL betting picks — while sticking to your process instead of trying something drastic and desperate. So, no blind darts being thrown or using pets to pick games.

And sports psychologists working with athletes in the midst of a slump preach positive “self talk”, which is a change in course from the negative flamethrower I’ve been aiming at the TV every time one of my bets goes sideways.

I’m Ja…

Dak Prescott’s nearing return will loom over this game but regardless, an excellent game is on deck in Southern California in Week 5, when the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams meet.

Dallas has successfully navigated its spell without Prescott, heading to L.A. at 3-1. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is just 2-2 and facing a real identity crisis amid offensive struggles. 

Both the perseverance of Dallas’s offense and the struggles of L.A.’s are highlighted in our NFL player prop picks for the Cowboys vs. Rams. 

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The NFL rolls in London this Sunday with the first of three successive weeks in the UK’s capital city. The Jaguars are the ‘home’ side here and welcome to Falcons to Wembley Stadium for Week 4.

Ahead of the big London game, we’re focusing on Jaguars’ franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence and picking out the very best NFL picks for the former Clemson standout.

Be sure to also check out our Falcons vs. Jaguars player props, and full Falcons vs. Jaguars betting picks and before placing your wagers on the latest NFL odds! 

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The 7-5 Houston Texans will look to climb the AFC South ladder with a win this Sunday at the breezy and possibly wet MetLife Stadium vs. Zach Wilson and the New York Jets. NFL odds favor the Texans, and rightfully so. 

With C.J. Stroud and the indoor offense of the Texans rolling into what is expected to be a rough-weathered game, should bettors expect some slow football out of the gates?

I break down the Week 14 odds and offer my free NFL picks for Texans vs. Jets on Sunday, December 10.

Texans vs Jets odds

Texans vs Jets predictions

The New York Jets took plenty of professional money this week that moved the +6 spread to as short as +5. This was before the news that Zach Wilson was going to b…

Week 1 of the NFL preseason continues Friday night with a matchup between the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Texans already have a preseason game under their belt with the Hall of Fame Game last week while the Steelers could have a quarterback battle on their hands in their preseason opener.

Let’s get into my Texans vs. Steelers predictions and NFL picks for this preseason game on August 9.

Texans vs Steelers prediction

My best betOver 19.5 1H (-105 at DraftKings)

My analysis

Since the Houston Texans already have a game under their belt, they plan on playing all their healthy starters for the beginning of this game. That means we will see reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud su…

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, for the A-League Men is back, this time celebrating its 20th season. It’s a time for hope, for spirits swelled by the promise and potential that comes with the blank slate of a new season. And that goes not just for the 13 sides taking part in this year’s competition but, as has invariably been the case of late, also the league itself, which has lurched from crisis to crisis in recent years to test the depths of even the most ardent supporter’s endurance.

‘The best left foot is back’: Juan Mata lands at Wanderers amid A-League Men fanfareRead more

It all begins on Friday, when Central Coast host Melbourne Victory in a rematch of the 2023-24 grand final. In that contest, the Mariners yet again…