The dust has barely settled from Monday’s delayed fourth round finish to the US Open but the bandwagon has moved on to Connecticut for the Travelers Championship.

As with the European Tour, I’m going to put a line through any of those players who played all five days last week on the gruelling Bethpage Black course, which means I won’t be putting up favourite Hunter Mahan.  Mahan has preformed really well in both majors so far this season and had he had a little more luck on the run in on Monday he could have been the new major champion.  He didn’t have the luck though and it’ll be difficult for him to bounce back this week, albeit on a course where he’s won and finished runner up twice in the last three years.  At 12/1 with totesport this doesn’t represent enough value and we’ll be leaving him alone.

Having looked down the betting for the shortest priced player who wasn’t in New York you’ll find Woody Austin at 28/1 with totesport.  Austin sat it out last week and comes here fresh, with two top ten finishes in his last three tournaments.  He also has a top five finish here back in 2005 and should be suited to the course.

Paul Goydos is another player coming here fresh and in good form.  With a third and fourth place finish in his last three tournaments the old campaigner is in good nick and could spring a surprise at 66/1.

Kevin Na is having a very consistent year on tour with six top tens from fifteen starts and he’s a good price at 33/1 with totesport to get his maiden tour victory.  Na finished 9th here two years ago so should know his way around the course, plus this course has a history of helping young players get their first victory with both Hunter Mahan and JJ Henry breaking their duck at River Highlands. 

For all your golf betting this week visit totesport.

The golfing gods haven’t been very friendly to punters of late with long shot Lucas Glover taking the US Open prize and following in other non fancied winners such as Shane Lowry, Christian Cevaer and Jeppe Huldahl in recent months.  So the Race to Dubai arrives in Germany and there’s a fair amount of head scratching as to who will win in the BMW International Open.

Some of those involved in last weeks US Open make the trip to Germany and I’m tempted to put a line through any of those involved in all five days.  This then includes two of the top three in the betting with Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy both 12/1 shots with German Martin Kaymer.

Both McIlroy and Stenson performed admirably on the fifth day but coming here without the usual preparation time will be a hindrance and although the field is not the most competitive we’ll leave them alone at those prices.

Kaymer is fresher having missed the cut at Bethpage but the German’s not quite been the same force he was twelve months ago when he won this tournament in a play-off.  He’ll have the local support of course but the 12/1 looks a little skinny and for that reason he won’t be making my list.

The man he beat in the play-off last year Anders Hansen looks a lot more interesting betting prospect.  The Dane is 25/1 with totesport and has arguably had a much better season than Kaymer, which includes a win on tour at the start of 2009 and some very solid weeks in competitive company.  He also likes the course, with a fourth place finish in 2007 to go along with his play-off defeat last year.

Another player who missed the cut last week in the States is Luke Donald.  Donald plays most of his golf across the water now but finished sixth here when he last played this course three years ago and he should relish this track.  Before last week Donald had a couple of very solid top twenty finishes on the PGA Tour, none more so when he powered to a first round lead at the Memorial with a 64.  At 18/1 I think he represents more value than the likes of Kaymer and those who played all five days last weekend.

Further down the betting another Dane has solid claims and at 25/1 Soren Kjeldsen represents some decent value.  Kjeldsen has gone from strength to strength since winning at Valderrama at the end of last season and has already added the Open de Andalucia title to his name earlier this season, tipped up on this site I may add!  After picking up an injury Kjeldsen comes here off a four week break so will be fresh.  Kjeldsen also has good course form having finished fourth here in 2005, with the Dane also finishing in the top fifteen last term.

Continuing the Scandanaivain theme Martin Erlandsson could be another unfashionable winner at a big price.  The Swede is a 125/1 shot with totesport and with two top six finishes in Munich in his last three visits he might be worth a small stake each-way bet, despite his very poor recent form.

Finally, another player with good course form is Robert Jan-Derksen, a 50/1 chance with totesport.  The golfer from the Netherlands has had a few weeks off but finished 8th and 6th in two of his three previous visits to this course and is also a two-time winner on tour.

For all your golf betting this week visit totesport.

What a fantastic week it has been.  There’s been a real international flavour to proceedings with winners for Australia, France and the United States and today it seems as though it’s the turn of South Africa to take a valuable win as JJ The Jet Plane bids for glory in the 3.45pm Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Scenic Blast hacked up in the King Stands for Australia earlier in the week and there’s no reason why the Mike De Kock trained sprint star from South Africa can’t also take advantage of a weakish looking home field.  He’s battling it out for favourtism with Hong Kong raider Sacred Kingdom in the betting but his win at Windsor a few weeks ago gives JJ the edge here.

The final day of Royal Ascot has some huge betting races with plenty of runners going to post.  Kicking off with the Chesham Stakes at 2.30pm, Aiden O’Brien has the two early pace setters in the betting market with Beethoven and Emporer Claudius.  It looks like the weakest of the juvenile races this week and Wesley Ward’s Honor In Peace will also be well supported in the betting come race time.

The Hardwicke Stakes at 3.05pm sees Sir Michael Stoute’s 4yo Doctor Freemantle installed as firm favourite with totesport.  Fourth in the Derby last year he should appreciate this step back in trip but it could favour second favourite Campanologist more who was a course and distance winner here in the King Edward VII Stakes last year.

It’s sure to be one of the most frenetic betting heats of the week with the traditional cavalry charge of the Wokingham Stakes at 4.25pm.  28 runners go to post for this six furlong sprint and although Jimmy Styles heads the early prices at totesport it’s High Standing, trained by Willie Haggas and ridden by Ryan Moore that’s getting all the attention in the morning’s papers and is sure to go off shorter come this afternoon.

Totesport are going five places a quarter the odds in today’s Wokingham Stakes.

There’s another big field in the 5.00pm Duke of Edinburgh Stakes with Crackentorp heading the market in what looks like another competitive betting heat.  Hatton Flight looks the best of the rest looking for a four-timer under the steering of the impressive William Buick and Pires looks a big price around the 14/1 mark with totesport.

Last but not least the Royal Ascot meeting signs off with the stayers in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at 5.35pm.  Last years Queen Vase runner up Amerigo looks the one to beat here and tops the market at totesport just ahead of old-timer Carracciola for Nicky Henderson.

There’s a bumper day of totepool betting to be had as well.  Yesterday’s jackpot rolled over again just under £150k so we can expect a jackpot total of near £200k for today’s Royal Ascot meeting.  There’s 10% cashback on the tote placepot and also because it’s a Saturday there’s also 10% cashback on the scoop6, where a single winner of the win and bonus funds could scoop over £1/2!

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

There’s a fantastic line-up on day four of Royal Ascot with the Coronation Stakes at 3.45pm the highlight. 

1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati at the head of the early betting at totesport.  She goes up against the French 1,000 Guineas winner Elusive Wave but the trends suggest this will be too much for her, having not had a French Guineas winner of this races since 1957.  Our own Guineas winners have a far better record and the 9/4 available first thing could well be snapped up by the time they go down to post.  At a bigger price, Baliyana catches the eye at 9/1 with totesport.  The Irish raider will love the ground and has been supplemented for this race, by Derby winning trainer John Oxx, whose stable is on top form.

All eyes will be on Aegean in the first, the Albany Stakes at 2.30pm.  Wesley Ward will be looking for a hat-trick of wins to take back to the States with him this week and in Aegean it’s said to be his best chance of all his entries.  His price is sure to come in the closer we get to the race and he’ll be battling it out for favourtism with Aiden O’Brien’s Lilly Langtree, who looks to win this race for the second successive year.

The King Edward VII Stakes at 3.05pm has a quality field with Epsom flop Black Bear Island heading a very competitive betting market.  The Dante winner didn’t take to the Epsom track and takes his place here alongside other Derby also-rans Debussy and Montaff.  The trends suggest the winner of this race by-pass Epsom though so Native Ruler and South Easter look the best placed to battle this one out.

The Wolverton Handicap at 4.20pm in what looks like another competitive betting heat.  Stone of Scone takes early favourtism and is well weighted to make claims here but it’s Halicarnassus who has great claims to defy top weight and win at a big price.  The Mick Channon trained 5yo has shown glimpses of his best form of late and is on a fair mark despite top weight.  Moonquake probably represents Godolphin’s best chance of a winner today to follow up their fine win with Flying Cloud.

The stayers line up in the Queen’s Vase at 4.55pm and Dushan looks to be the talking horse of the day.  The Michael Jarvis trained 3yo showed good form in his maiden last time and has the pedigree to get this trip.  Yankee Doodle also looks as though he has stamina to burn and Aiden O’Brien’s secured Ryan Moore’s services for the banned Johnny Murtagh.

Finally, 29 runners go to post in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at 5.30pm.  Continuing totesport’s trend of offering an extra place in the day’s big handicap, today is no different as the firm go a quarter the odds the first five on this race.  Godolphin’s Mutheeb heads the market at 13/2 so once again there’s some terrific value on offer for each-way backers at totesport.

Yesterday’s tote jackpot wasn’t won, which means it rolls over on the £95k mark for today’s six races from Royal Ascot.  This means we could be seeing the jackpot total soar up towards the £200k mark just before the first race today.  Meanwhile, totepool are still offering a 10% cashback on all tote placepot bets today and with yesterday’s placepot dividend paying just over £3,500 for a £1 stake at Royal Ascot it’s definitely worth a bet.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

Today’s big race Royal Ascot is the Gold Cup at 3.45pm, where Yeats will be bidding for a historic fourth win. Geordieland is next in the betting with totesport and he’ll be looking to go one better after finishing second here for two consecutive years.

Ladies Day kicks off with the Norfolk Stakes at 2.30pm, with Richard’s Hughes and Hannon bidding for another Ascot winner in the shape of favourite Monsieur Chevalier. The unbeaten Colt should have the measure of this field but there’s been huge support for Wesley Ward’s Yogaroo as the American bids for his third win of the week.

The 3.05pm Ribblesdale Stakes sees Leocorno and Take the Hint battling out for favourtism with totesport. Both of these fillies swerved Epsom for a crack at this today but it’s John Gosden’s Take the Hint who has the stronger form and should be suited by the longer trip.

Jumping forward to race 4 totesport are offering five places at a quarter the odds on the Britannia Stakes at 4.20pm. With thirty going to post there’s plenty of each-way value on offer with Desert Creek heading the betting at 6/1 with totesport.

The Hampton Court Stakes at 4.55pm and King George V Stakes at 5.30pm round proceedings off on the third day of Royal Ascot, with Freemantle likely to go off an odds on favourite in the first of these.

Today’s tote jackpot is guaranteed at £50k once again but with just under £35k rolled over from yesterday it’s sure to go higher today. Totepool are also offering 10% cashback on all placepot bets, so visit totesport to get the extra value on racing’s favourite bet!

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

It’s the second major of the year and traditionally one of the toughest, with invariably long rough and skinny fairways to master along the way.  The US Open starts on Thursday at New York’s Bethpage Black golf course with Tiger Woods looking to retain the title he won in dramatic circumstances last year.  He was the only golfer to shoot a sub par 72 holes back in 2002 with this tough course and the inclement weather holding no prisoners.

In a bid to pick out this years winner, I’ve taken five aspects into account.  Firstly, they have to be able to hit the fairway with such perilous rough and tight fairways, so they have to be straight off the tee.  To win any major you have to have a hot putter.  These greens will be lightning fast so I’ll be looking at the putting stats.   You cannot ignore form, both current and course.  We have to go back all the way to 2002 to when this course was last played and as I’ve already commented, only Tiger finished under-par so the course form here will be hard to come by.  US Open form is also a good judge, as most US Open courses are set up the same way, plus you can gauge the players ability to perform in a major such as this.

Now of course, put all that into a computer and Tiger will get spat back out at you with the result being him priced up as 13/8 favourite with totesport.  Two wins from his seven starts this year after knee surgery is impressive and if he can hit the fairways like he did last week at Muirfield Village he’ll be the one to beat come Sunday.  His driving was suspect in this years two toughest tests to date though at Sawgrass and Augusta and I wouldn’t be a backer at such a short price.

So, who can beat the Tiger?

I’ve picked out five players who I think will make the weekend and give you a run for your money.  The first and shortest price of my picks is Jim Furyk.  Furyk ticks the boxes in terms of driving accuracy and his solid short game.  He has three top ten finishes to his name in his last three tournaments, including runner up last time out behind Tiger at Memorial.  He’s a US Open winner back in 2003 and he finished runner up in 2006 and 2007.  At 25/1 with totesport I think he offers the best value of those at the top end of the betting.

Brian Gay again ticks the boxes in terms of his accuracy and form on the greens, plus he’s in the form of his life picking up his second win of the season at the St Jude’s Classic last week.  If anything, that win probably goes against him as it’ll be a big ask for him to maintain this momentum in tougher conditions this week but at 66/1 he ticks all the boxes bar US Open form and is worth a speculative each-way bet.

There’s a couple of players I don’t think can win but could be worth an each-way shout.  Robert Allenby finished 12th last time the US Open came to Bethpage and is one of the straightest hitters on tour.  His putter can let him down from 10 feet and shorter, plus he seems brittle when in contention coming down the stretch.  However, he’s in good form after his fourth last week and at 66/1 I’d be having a punt for him to finish in the top five.

Tim Clark is getting a reputation for choking and his search for his first tour win in the States goes on after missing a tiddler for victory a fortnight ago in Texas.  However, he’s very straight and is in the top twenty in the putting stats too.  He has finished third in a US Open previously and performed well at Augusta two months ago.  At 90/1 with totesport he’s another I’d want to back to finish in the places.

I can’t really see a European winner this year.  The top ranked Europeans have gone missing of late with Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington in poor form and Henrik Stenson seemingly gone off the boil since his memorable win at Sawgrass.  I’d say this years come too soon for Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood is not at the same level he was this time last year when finishing runner up.  Paul Casey is the form horse of the Europeans but I don’t think he has the short game for a US Open win and the trio of Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Justin Rose seemingly not good enough. 

Graeme McDowell would probably be my pick of the Europeans.  at 80/1 he’s not the shortest price but he was the highest placed European in the first major of the year at Augusta and comes here off the back of a final round 63 which catapulted him into the top ten in Ohio last week. You can also back G-Mac to be top European at 20/1 with totesport.

For all your golf betting this week visit totesport.

The bookmakers took an absolute battering on day one of the Royal Ascot festival and there are plenty of well fancied horses going to post today that will pour more misery on the layers, none more so than in today’s big race the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Tartan Bearer will be in the stalls at 3.45pm for the big race and looks likely to be a very short price with totesport.  He has the class as Dante winner and Derby runner up in 2008 and should come on for the run earlier this year.  Of the others, the betting suggests that Vision d’Etat and  Never on Sunday hold the biggest threat to the favourite.

Today’s first race is the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at 2.30pm where Infiraad looks a worthy favourite.  Coming here off the back of a fine win in a Newmarket handicap jockey Richard Hills prefers him to his stablemate Ouqba, who is officially rated 12 lbs higher by the handicapper so this could be a big hint in itself.

The one mile Windsor Forest Stakes for fillies and mares goes off at 3.05pm and Lush Lashes will go off another short priced favourite.  The Jim Bolger filly can be forgiven her disappointing re-appearance this season on heavy ground and can wipe out this field if returning to her best, which saw a win in the Coronation Stakes here last year.

Today’s other races include the 28 runner Royal Hunt Cup run over the straight mile at 4.20pm.  It’s sure to be an exciting race and totesport are offering 5 places at a quarter the odds.  Forgotten Voice heads the market at 4/1 but the bookies will be hoping for a big price winner to ease the pain of yesterday.

The Queen Mary Stakes at 4.55pm and Sandringham Handicap at 5.30pm complete today’s action and once again Royal Ascot is the days jackpot meeting.  The tote jackpot was one yesterday to a single stake of £1 so one lucky punter collected just over £50k for predicting the six winners of the jackpot races.  That means the pools been reset but totepool have once again put up a minimum guaranteed £50k for punters today.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

It’s day one of Royal Ascot so we’re looking forward to five days of top quality racing on the beeb and some top notch betting opportunites.

Proceedings kick off at  2.30pm this afternoon with the first of three Group 1 races in the shape of the Queen Anne Stakes.  Godolphin’s Gladiatoros heads the betting with totesport with Paco Boy and Sir Michael Stoute’s Main Aim also attracting interest in the betting.

The second of the Group 1 races is the King Stand Stakes, a five furlong sprint going off at 3.05pm.  Scenic Blast heads the betting with totesport with Amour Propre and Fleeting Spirit also well supported in what looks like a weak renewal.  Sprint specialist Dandy Nicholls saddles Tax free, currently available at 11/1 and with a 50% lifetime strike rate and a favourable draw he could run another big race for the Yorkshireman.

Today’s big race the St James’s Palace Stakes goes off at 3.45pm and with a likely odds on favourite in the betting with Mastercraftsmen.  Aiden O’Brien will be looking for his sixth success in this race in the last ten years with Delegator and Evasive his main market competitors.

The days other races include the Coventry Stakes. at 4.20pm, the Ascot Stakes Handicap at 4.55pm and finishing off with the Windsor Castle Stakes at 5.30pm, where totesport are going 1/4 the first four places.  With 5/1 bar the field there’ll be plenty of value in store in day one’s get out stakes. Of course, Royal Ascot is today’s tote jackpot meeting and totesport are giving away a £50,000 guaranteed jackpot on this day one.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

There’s no tournament on the Race to Dubai this week so all eyes are on the PGA Tour from a betting perspective.  Tiger last week snatched victory at Muirfield Village last week with a superb last round and it’s clear to see the effect he has on the rest by just being in the field and within striking distance on Sunday afternoon.

With the US Open next week, Tiger’s having the week off but world number two Phil Mickelson does make his return to tournament golf and heads the betting this week for the St Jude Classic at 12/1 with totesport.

Although there’s plenty of motivation for Phil, given the emotional reasons for not playing much in the past month and with the US Open around the corner but he hasn’t got a lot of form at Southwind and a lack of golf in general will probably count against him.

Justin Leonard is alongside him in the betting this week at 12/1 and he looks the pick on paper.  Leonard has won here twice before including last year and enjoyed three top twenty finishes during the Texas Swing this past 30 days.

David Toms is another with a superb record on this course with wins here in 2003/2004 plus a third place in 2007.  His form has been ok in 2009 with a number of top ten finishes but I wonder if he still has the game to seal the deal on Sunday.  With that in mind, I wouldn’t be a backer at 14/1.

Others I’d leave alone at the head of the betting are European trio  Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Padraig Harrington.  Having see Garcia in the flesh at the London Club a fortnight ago he seems really out of sorts with is game, especially on the greens and I couldn’t back with any confidence at 14/1.  Stenson’s (22/1) a favourite of mine but he’s dissapointed since winning the TPC at Sawgrass with two missed cuts in Europe.  Harrington hasn’t had a great 2009 and has admitantly been fiddling with his swing too much.  For that reason I wouldn’t be a backer but at 33/1 he does represent value if he can return to the form that got him a fourth placed finish here last year. 

Further down the betting Bob Estes catches the eye at 40/1 with totesport.  Its fair to say Estes has been around the block a few times but he has a decent record at Southwind having finished third and fourth in 2004 and 2003 respectively and finished in the top fifteen las year.  As far as his form this year goes, he’s only missed three cuts from fourteen tournaments and has a top five finish to his name at the AT&T at Pebble Beach.  With the field the way it is he could spring a surprise and definitely worth an each-way squeak.

For all your golf betting this week visit totesport.

I’m not convinced that too many people care but the football season officially ends tonight as the World Cup Qualifiers are played across Europe.  I’ll hold my hands up, I didn’t watch the Kazakstan match at the weekend, it should have been something of a procession for starters and secondly I find watching any match on Setanta a truly painful experience.

As a beard-wearer myself I feel more than qualified to comment on that ridiculous ‘goatee’ effort from Tery Venables.  Age catches up with all of us but it seems to me that a once revered football man Venables has very little to offer in commentary and analysis these days and with that growth on his face he’s difficult to take serious. 

Steve McManaman nailed his colours to the mast during his playing days, cashing in on a lucrative pay day in Madrid and building a property portfolio with Robbie Fowler, himself having had more clubs than Ian Woosnam.  In his defence McManaman is at least articulate, although this is tempered slightly that he is Scouse. 

Chris Waddle is neither articulate or Scouse but he is barely understandable as co-commentator and takes the Terry Butcher approach by moaning the whole match. 

Perhaps my biggest complaint of Setanta (and Sky Sports started this trend) is the pre-match chat with the commentary team, peering over their shoulder to give themselves an identity to their usually faceless work.  I don’t really want to know what John Champion looks like to be honest, and this has to be the most pointless pre-match action since somebody at Sky decided to give Richard Keys and company a bar stool to sit on for Champions League nights.  For someone with back problems I wince seeing the likes of Jamie Redknapp and Ruud Gullit perched like canaries.

ITV pick up the reigns for tonight’s England clash with Andorra so there will be some familiarities for viewers.  Steve Ryder seems uncomfortable to me in any surroundings other than a golf buggy.  One of my heroes Teddy Sheringham will stutter his way through an analysis which makes Andy Townsend look like poet laureate in comparison.  As it’s an England match Clive Tyldsley should avoid bringing up ‘that night’ in Barcelona or Istanbul, but I wouldn’t bet against it.  That leaves my favourite David Pleat.  Not just because he’s a Spurs legend, but he’s the only co-commentator who addresses the nation and I look forward to his ‘Good evening everyone’.

So, onto the betting.  England are a 1/100 shot with totesport to take eight wins from eight games in the group and virtually seal their passage to next years World Cup, so from a value point of view you’re better off looking at some of the other markets.

England have actually failed to score a first half goal against tonight’s opposition in two of their three matches to date, but totesport have gone 1/66 that the home team will be winning at half time so it suggests this isn’t a trend to get too excited about.

In the goalscorer markets, Wayne Rooney heads the market at 11/4 to net first.  There might be better value elsewhere though as England are always dangerous from set pieces.  John Terry would be the obvious pick at 14/1 but his centre half partner Matthew Upson can be just as potent and at 25/1, we’d have a sniff each-way on him scoring first.

There aren’t too many other juicy matches in Europe tonight, but if you had a £25 fivefold accumulator with totesport on England, Holland (home to Norway), Russia (away to Finalnd), Ukraine (home to Kazakhstan) and Sweden (home to Malta) it would pay £64.86.

Click here for all International football betting