[Tommy]

NFL – just three more weeks of regular season action, and the heat is on
in the Wild Card race. Check out the latest futures betting, plus a hot
pick for the live Chargers – Indy matchup this weekend. Also, win more for
hitting your parlays this weekend with bet365’s Parlay Bonus!

College Football – the Bowl season is nearly upon us, and that means live
games and plenty of shootouts!

INDY 4/6 FOR SUPER BOWL…
Week 14, and another win for the Colts, although they didn’t impress
everyone with their play against Jacksonville. Peyton Manning was sacked a
couple of times in positions where his offensive line should have done
better. Still, with Indy now assured of playing all their postseason games
indoors (homefield advantage in the playoffs, plus the Super Bowl at Ford
Field, Detroit), we’ve cut them to 4/6 to go the distance. Seattle were
also positive market movers (into 15/2 from 8/1), after destroying San
Francisco on Sunday and, thanks to other teams tripping over each other,
are just 6/5 to be the NFC’s representatives in the Super Bowl. However,
after a weekend of setbacks, some teams are facing much tougher tasks in
the race for the other playoff positions.

bet365 latest Super Bowl prices…Indianapolis 4/6, Seattle 15/2, New England
12/1, Denver, Cincinnati 14/1 others on bet365 website.

JAGS 1/10 FOR WILD CARD…
‘Setback Sunday’ saw Carolina, Chicago and San Diego all suffer costly
defeats, and the Chargers plight is worse due to their schedule, which
includes a road game against the Colts this Sunday (Indy are early
7.5-point favourites) - but more of that later. As a consequence,
Pittsburgh are right back in contention in the AFC, and their game against
the Vikings this weekend will have serious playoff implications. Things
also fell right for the Jags, despite their loss to Indy, and they now look
nailed-on to get a wild-card, especially considering their easy run-in.
Their final three opponents have won only seven games between them,
starting with the 49ers (16 point underdogs!) at home this Sunday. In the
NFC, most teams have similarly-hard tasks to make the elite half-dozen,
with Atlanta looking to have most to do.

bet365 latest Conference Wild Card betting (to qualify for post-season via
the NFL’s wild card selection)

AFC – Jacksonville 1/10, Pittsburgh 4/6, San Diego 11/8, Kansas 6/4,
Cincinnati 10/1, Miami, Denver, New England 20/1

NFC – Carolina 5/6, Dallas, Minnesota 10/11, Tampa Bay 11/10, NY Giants
11/4, Atlanta 5/1, Chicago 11/2, Washington 9/1

SAN DIEGO @ INDIANAPOLIS – CHARGERS TOO BIG AT 7.5…
Su Dec 18 – 1:00 pm EST/18:00 GMT – LIVE BETTING AVAILABLE
The time has arrived for the Colts to join the ’72 Dolphins at 14-0, in a
matchup of the AFC’s highest-scoring teams. The Colts are currently
7.5-point favourites, with the total set at 51, but the bet has to be San
Diego getting the points. For one, with only three games left, SD need this
game badly just to stay in the playoff race, while Indy’s priority might be
to stay healthy now they’ve secured the No.1 spot. The Colts would surely
take winning a Championship over going 14-0, let alone 16-0.

SD might also have the better team this weekend. Indy have played three
teams in the top 15 for total offense, and they all scored well (Cincy
scored 37, NE 21, St Louis 28). SD are 8th (3rd for scoring), but what
seperates them from the other teams is their ability to play defense as
well. They are No.1 at stopping the run, and that will force Peyton Manning
to throw the ball more than he has done so far, making it tough for Indy to
convert 3rd downs to keep possession. And, LaDainian Tomlinson and the San
Diego offense could well catch a break this week with two of the Colt’s
best defenders, Corey Simon and Cato June, likely to sit the game out with
minor injuries. The Colts are rightly favourites, but the number is just
too big. Once the game starts, don’t forget to check out our live markets,
via our ‘In-Play Console’.

Live Game Pick: San Diego (+7.5) @ 10/11

GET MORE BACK FOR HITTING YOUR PARLAYS…
You know you shouldn’t, but it’s hard to resist a speculative parlay wager
each weekend, especially as you’re assured of getting an extra value here
at bet365 with our Parlay Bonus. Each week, we pay out up to 50% more on
successful NFL & NCAAF parlays on the following 6 markets:-

Point Spread, Game Total, First Half Point Spread, Second Half Point
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This weekend’s suggested parlay is on the following teams:

Chicago (-3.0); Carolina (-9.0); Oakland (-3.0); San Diego (+7.5) and Tampa
Bay (+4.5) - all teams are currently priced at 10/11, and a $50 parlay pays
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BET IT LIVE WITH 365…
You can’t beat the adrenaline rush of the live game, and that’s when our
In-Play service kicks-in via our new ‘In-Play Console’, which has all the
odds and markets on one convenient page (just click on the link on the top
left-hand side of the home page). This weekend’s live games are:

TB Buccaneers @ NE Patriots
Sa Dec 17 – 1:30 pm EST/18:30 GMT

KC Chiefs @ NY Giants
Sa Dec 17 – 5:00 pm EST/21:30 GMT

SD Chargers @ IND Colts
Su Dec 18 – 1:00 pm EST/18:00 GMT

DAL Cowboys @ WAS Redskins
Su Dec 18 – 4:15 pm EST/21:15 GMT

ATL Falcons @ CHI Bears
Su Dec 18 – 8:30 pm EST/01:30 GMT (Monday)

GB Packers @ BAL Ravens
Mo Dec 19 – 9:00 pm EST/02:00 GMT (Tuesday)

Good luck in Week 15

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
*****************
GET READY FOR THE BOWL SEASON…
Arkansas State @ Southern Mississippi
Tu Dec 20 – 8:00 pm EST/01:00 GMT (Wednesday)
We’re less than a week away from the start of the Bowl schedule, and we’ve
got lines on all 28 games here at bet365. It all kicks off with the New
Orleans Bowl next Tuesday, with Southern Mississippi listed as 17-point
favourites against Arkansas State and, after being deprived of action for
three weeks, college football fans are sure to be watching this one (live
In-Play betting available). However, the four Bowl Championship Series
games (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange and Rose) don’t take place until early next
year.

Since the series began in 1998, there have been 28 BCS games, with the
favourites lying 19-9 straight up and 15-13 against the spread. If you’re
going to back the underdog, history shows you should be taking the money
line – the ‘dog has won outright nine of the 13 times it has covered the
number, the biggest being Stamford (+14) in 1999. Also, you might be
disappointed if you’re looking for a close battle, as just 30% of the games
have been decided by single figures. That’s interesting, considering that
none of this year’s teams are giving up more than 7.5 points.

Texas @ Southern California
We Jan 4 - 8:00 pm EST/01:00 GMT (Thursday)

Florida State @ Penn State
Tu Jan 3 - 8:00 pm EST/01:00 GMT (Wednesday)

On January 4th, No. 1 Southern California will face No. 2 Texas in the Rose
Bowl. This is the second BCS national title for USC in the last two years,
and we’ve got them listed as 7-point favourites against the Longhorns.
USC’s head coach, Pete Carroll, is a perfect 3-0 both straight up and
against the spread in BCS games. The Orange Bowl (Jan 2nd) pits the No.3
Penn State against ACC champions, Florida State, with the Nittany Lions as
7.5 point favourites.

West Virginia @ Georgia
Mo Jan 2 - 8:30 pm EST/01:30 GMT (Tuesday)

Notre Dame @ Ohio State
Mo Jan 2 - 4:30 pm EST/09:30 GMT

The Sugar Bowl has No.8 Georgia against No.11, and 7.5 point underdogs,
West Virginia, while the most intriguing battle on paper is the Fiesta
Bowl. No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Notre Dame will knock heads in the desert,
with Ohio State currently listed as 4 point favourites. The Buckeyes have a
great record in BCS bowls (3-0), including a 31-24 upset over Miami (FL) in
2003.

Get in the game and be lucky!

Nigel