Fulham 6-4 for Europa glory

SPORTS BETTING: FULHAM and their excellent manager Roy Hodgson aim to prove that money is not everything in football by lifting the Europa League Cup in Hamburg tonight.

Big-spending English clubs have failed to make it to a European final this season, but Hodgson has somehow managed to steer his club into tonight’s showpiece occasion while operating on a relatively-meagre budget.

Hodgson may not be able to pronounce his Rs, but he certainly knows his football and victory for Fulham over Atletico Madrid tonight would be a fitting reward for his - and his players’ - endeavours.

Fulham have floored some huge clubs on the way to Hamburg and 11-4 about them overcoming Atletico in 90 minutes is fair.

The Spanish side are 6-5, with the draw at 12-5. Fulham are 6-4 to lift the trophy, while Atletico are 4-7.

Saturday’s FA Cup final seems much more clear-cut, with Chelsea overwhelming favourites at 1-5 to beat Portsmouth in normal time.

The draw is a 6-1 shot, with Pompey a whacking 16-1 with VC Bet.


ENGLAND’S cricketers, recommended here at 10-1, are 3-1 second favourites to win the World Twenty20 following the Super Eights stages.

Paul Collingwood’s men have been mighty impressive, but so, too, have Australia, who are worthy favourites at 11-8. England take on Sri Lanka (19-5) in the semi-finals in St Lucia tomorrow, starting at 4.30pm, while the Aussies play Pakistan (5-1) at the same time and venue on Friday.

Barbados hosts the final on Sunday (4.30pm).


LEE Westwood has been labelled a choker by The American press following another last-round failure in the States.

Worksop’s finest lost a lead in the Masters last month and it was a similar story at Sawgrass on Sunday as Tim Clark came from behind to win the TPC.

Nevertheless, Westwood is the third favourite at 16-1 to win the US Open at Pebble Beach next month, behind the troubled Tiger Woods (6-1) and Phil Mickelson (8-1).

Rising star Rory McIlroy can be backed at 25-1, while Sunday’s winner Clark is a 66-1 shot.


IT came as little surprise to see Gordon Brown resign as leader of the Labour party following the General Election and the bookies have wasted little time in chalking up the odds for his successor.

David Miliband is the red-hot favourite at 4-6, with Alan Johnson next-best at 8-1, Ed Balls 10-1 and Ed Miliband 11s.


ALREADY RECOMMENDED: England to win World Twenty20, 10-1.