Sports Then and Now

There are many tricks to betting on soccer.

When you are planning to start betting on soccer, it’s always best that you do everything that you can in order to increase your chances of winning. In this article you can find a short guide that will tell you exactly what you have to do in order to increase those chances and all you have to do is to take into consideration the tips presented below:

1. Know the bet types and how to read the odds – An informed bettor is always a winning bettor. In case you want to get the most out of the bets that you are making, you should know exactly what you are betting on and you must understand the information which is given by the odds that are available for a certain match.

2. Study the league – Each and every league has its very own characteristics and you need to make sure that you study everything and know exactly what you are dealing with, before you start placing bets.

3. Money management – You always need to apply a money management strategy when you are placing online sport bets. This means basically that you always need to make the bets that you can afford to lose and this way when the variance will take you down, you won’t suffer too much.
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Liverpool and Aston Villa played to a 2-2 tie.

Bookmakers had their hearts in their mouths when Liverpool met Aston Villa at Anfield. They were quite desperate to see one of the most famous teams of the Premier League beaten, and Liverpool definitely helped them get closer when they were held for a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. Liverpool had a shocker of a start when Villa raced to a 2-0 advantage in the first half but recovered very well. Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard made the most of the opportunities and put the ball in the goal post to secure a draw and grab a point. Daniel Sturridge was able to score a goal before half time through Henderson’s flick, and Steven Gerrard’s penalty leveled the scores after Luis Suarez was tackled by the goal keeper Brad Guzan. The draw leaves Liverpool 2 points ahead of the 5th placed Everton and a point for Villa brings them in the top half of the League, but just 6 points ahead of the relegation zone. Nevertheless, it was still an unbelievable result considering the amount of money that has been put on the Reds.

Liverpool was as short as 1-5 for victory at the start and with such a form it is extremely tough for Brendan Rodgers to lead them to next season of the Champions League. But still Rodgers said that he was confident that his side will never give up the fight and despite the comeback he will regret the dismal first half by his team which eventually led to a drop of 2 points.  It would have otherwise been an easy win at home. He added that it was vital to get that goal before half time. Read the rest of this entry →

The FIFA World Cup is one of the world’s most exciting sporting events. Every country in the world has the opportunity to send their team to this elite competition, making it every professional player’s dream to represent their nation on the world stage.

This equal opportunity gives perennial favorites and little known squads an equal chance at glory and produces some of the most memorable moments in sporting history. The 2002 World Cup is only one example of an exciting moment in sports history. Let’s take a look at some of the unlikely upsets that took place during the 2002 World Cup.

Republic of Korea

Perhaps the most admirable performance of the competition was that of South Korea. The South Koreans found themselves pitted against Portugal, the United States and Poland in a group that led many people to immediately write them off. Despite their poor odds of advancing to the knockout stage, the South Korean team went undefeated and won their group in stunning fashion. This included an upset victory over Portugal that knocked the Portuguese out of the competition and sealed Korea’s place in the final 16.

The momentum continued for South Korea as they shocked Italy in the round of 16 and advanced to a quarterfinal match up with the Spanish giants. Their victory over Italy came in exciting fashion as the host nation won the game with a golden goal in extra time. Both the manner of the victory and the pedigree of the Italian team make this win one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, as cited by Bleacher Report.

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Transfers have become a growing component of International soccer.

With Gareth Bale’s transfer to Real Madrid from Tottenham completed last summer, the world transfer record has been busted again.

From Alf Common, the very first $1,000 player, to Johan Cruyff’s $1,000,000 deal to sign for FC Barcelona, to Bale’s $100,000,000 transfer to Spain, large figures have been invested by clubs shopping to land the world’s greatest players.

We will look at the largest moves and some memorable quotes on the mega deals.

Alf Common’s transfer from Sunderland to Middlesbrough in February 1905 was the 1st time a player had ever been moved for a £1,000 fee. The striker went on to assist Middlesbrough stave off relegation to Division Two that season.

Liverpool’s Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez has been a huge talking point of this summer’s transfer window but it was his Spanish namesake who was making headlines in 1961. The midfielder transferred from Barcelona to Inter Milan for a fee of £152,000 and helped the Italian side to three league titles and two European Cups. Read the rest of this entry →

The first World Cup was hosted by Uruguay, who also managed to win the 13 team tournament.

Already the qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup are underway. Around the world avid fans are cheering on their team hoping that by the end of next July their team will hoist into the air the most coveted trophy in all of sports. This competition marks the 20th World Cup with an estimated 3.3 million tickets available.

The 2014 World Cup will take place in Brazil next June and July. It will be the first time the Cup has been held in South America since Argentina hosted the competition back in 1978. Since the World Cup originated in South America, it is only fitting to discuss its humble beginnings which started with the original tournament in Uruguay in 1930.

During the 1920’s the Olympic Football Tournament met with success and became quite popular. As a result, FIFA became determined to organize a championship tournament of its own. Since Uruguay had won two Olympic Gold medals in 1924 and 1928, it was chosen as the site for the competition. Also in Uruguay’s favor was the fact that it was celebrating its 100th anniversary of independence in 1930. Read the rest of this entry →

The Stanley Cup

Every year athletes across the globe compete for iconic championships and the trophies that come with them. Here is a look at some of the best known trophies in sports.

Stanley Cup
This coveted trophy is awarded each year to the National Hockey League’s winner of the Stanley Cup Finals. It is so iconic that the men presenting the trophy wear white gloves. Unlike many trophies that are made specifically for a championship team each year, this trophy is passed onto the next winner from year to year. Named after Lord Stanley of Preston, then Governor General of Canada in 1893, the Stanley Cup has been held high above the heads of hockey champions for many generations.

The five bands forming the trophy’s base have special significance. Each player’s name for the winning team is inscribed on the lowest band. Once the band becomes full, the oldest band, located at the top of the base, is removed and placed on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

NBA Championship Trophy
Many may not know that the NBA Trophy is actually called the Larry O”Brien NBA Championship Trophy. Don’t recognize the name? Many don’t. A number of years ago, professional basketball was struggling to make a name for itself. If it weren’t for the efforts of then commissioner of basketball Larry O’Brien, the NBA may not ever have become the widely known professional sport it is today. During the mid 1970’s and into the 80’s, Larry O’Brien made a number of gutsy decisions that have ultimately led to the NBA we cherish today.

The trophy stands two feet tall and weighs in at nearly 15 pounds. It is designed to look like a basketball about to enter the net. It is made of sterling silver and overlaid with 24 carat gold. Each year the winning team receives its own trophy to permanently display. Read the rest of this entry →