Week 12 of the NFL season got underway late Thursday night at Heinz Field as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10. This week also sees Tennessee face a stern test in New York, as they look to continue their 10 game winning streak against the NY Jets. One game that catches the eye is the New England Patriots’ against the Miami Dolphins, it remains to be seen if Bill Belichick’s Patriots can deal with Miami’s wildcat offense that beat them so spectacularly in Week 3.

The Chicago Bears travel to The Show-Me State this week to face St Louis and they’ll be looking to bounce back after a big loss to the Packers last week. They are 10/11 to overcome a – 8.5 handicap with totesport. The Bears’ offense has been pretty solid this year, their rookie running back, Matt Forte, is having a great season and now that Kyle Orton I back under centre, I expect them to be firing on all cylinders against a poor Rams team. The Bears defense is slightly under performing at the moment but are still one of the best teams against the run.

And the run game is where St Louis are struggling. Their starting running back won’t play this week which leaves Antonio Pittman to pick up the slack, he’s struggled so far and hasn’t scored a touchdown yet. Their passing game isn’t any better – their quarter back, Marc Bulger, has only thrown 7 touchdowns but has managed to throw 8 interceptions and I think he’ll really struggle this week. St Louis’ offense is ranked 30th in the league, whilst their defense is ranked dead last, Chicago should limit their scoring and should take it by 2 touchdowns or more.

Belichick is one of the best coaches in the NFL, and he’ll have been preparing his New England defense for the wildcat offense that Miami like to use. Their defense has slowly started to get it together – apart from their high scoring game against the Jets last week, the Patriot’s defense had only let in 48 total points in the previous 4 games. Their QB Cassel seems to have finally settled in and he has improved as the season’s gone on, this showed last week as he threw for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Miami’s defense has been a big surprise this season, they are only allowing 19 points a game – which sees them ranked 10th in the league. The bad news is they are ranked 21st against the pass, quite worrying as they come up against an improving Cassel and two of the leagues best receivers in Moss and Welker. They are on a 4 game winning streak but I wouldn’t focus on that too much, their offense isn’t the best and they find themselves ranked 24th on points scored. We think the Dolphins may come unstuck against this tough defense and expect Cassel to have another great game, therefore New England +1.5 at 10/11 on the handicap is a good bet with totesport.

New York travel to the desert this week to take on a good Arizona Cardinals team. The Giants offense is ranked 1st in the league, they have the top ranked rushing game and a Superbowl winning quarter back in Eli Manning. He’s having a good season so far – he’s over 2000 yards with 15 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. Their running game is superb, especially their starting running back Brandon Jacobs. He could go over 1000 yards for the season in this game, he has a superb 5.4 yard carry average and has 11 touchdowns to his name. He may not be fully fit this game but they have good backups in Bradshaw (6.7 yards per carry) and Ward (5.3 yards per carry). Their defense is ranked 5th in the league but they are really good against the pass (ranked 2nd).

Arizona have the passing game to match the Giants, but don’t quite have the running game or the defense. Warner is over 3000 yards already and has thrown 20 TDs, but 16 of those went to 2 players – if the Giants can keep them quiet it could be an easy game. Their starting running back is now Tim Hightower but he’s struggling for big yardage games – he has under 300 yards so far and his back up hasn’t helped matters by telling the owners he wants to be released.

Their defense is ranked 22nd in the league having allowed almost 23 points a game, they’re on a winning streak but have allowed teams like San Francisco and Seattle to get over 20 points against them so I can see the Giants putting up around 30 points. It’s a tough game but taking New York Giants -3 on the handicap at 4/5 could pay dividends.

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Week 11 got underway late on Thursday night in the NFL with a great game that saw the New York Jets beat the New England Patriots 34-31 after overtime, there are a couple of good looking matches this weekend and we’ve taken a detailed look at some of the games with good NFL betting opportunities.

The Tennessee Titans are the surprise package of the season, being the only team to win all their games. They have two good running backs in White and Johnson and they lead the league in rushing touchdowns with sixteen between them. The Titans quarter-back has plenty of experience and manages the game well and if the running game is struggling he can be trusted to move the ball through the air.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled to score this season, and their running game isn’t the best. They’ve only won four of their nine games and we can see them really struggling against a very good Tennessee defense, taking Tennessee (-2.5) on the handicap at 4/5 with totesport is a good bet.

The Arizona Cardinals are another team playing well this year and their offense is ranked best in the league on points scored. Veteran quarterback Kurt Warner is having a great season – he’s ranked 2nd on total passing yards, total touchdowns thrown and has the highest QB rating in the league. Arizona also like to play with 2 running backs who have done well so far, having rushed for 10 touchdowns between them.

The Seattle Seahawks are a little banged up on both offense and defense. Their offense is really struggling and they’re ranked one of the lowest scoring teams in the league. Defensively they are not what they were, the fact that Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney is also missing doesn’t help. They are allowing 252 passing yards per game, which sees them ranked 31st in the league and I think Kurt Warner will take advantage. Therefore the Cardinals (-2.5) on the handicap looks a decent bet at 8/11 with totesport.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were a little unlucky against the Indianapolis Colts last week and I expect them to bounce back this week against the San Diego Chargers, they’re are available at 10/11 with totesport to overcome a -4.5 handicap. Although their offense isn’t the best, neither is the Chargers’ defense. Pittsburgh’s defense is one of the best in the league - they are only allowing 15 points a game and they are ranked first against the pass and second against the run.

San Diego’s main worry, apart from their inconsistency, is their defence. They’re allowing more than 24 points a game and are currently the worst team against the pass, something ‘Big’ Ben Roethlisberger will look to take advantage of.

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After a shambolic episode of the UK’s favourite car crash TV program the X Factor last week where Laura White got cruelly eliminated from the show, it seems as though it’s been the hot topic of conversation on the lips of housewives and teenagers up and down the country.

In fact, following a large internet campaign and even a mention in parliament from the Culture Secretary about the injustice of Laura being eliminated from the show, totesport are offering 5/1 about her being re-instated into the program.

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It’s that time of year again, I’m a celebrity get me out of here begins in earnest this Sunday and totesport have some special match bets to celebrate.

There are a couple of wags amongst the contestants this year and although they may be divisions apart on the football field they’re much close priced in the jungle league betting.

Joe Cole’s squeeze Carly Zucker is an 8/13 shot with totesport to triumph over Peterborough United star Tom Williams who is priced at 6/5.

Totesport also have an Eastenders match bet available on this series favourite Joe Swash versus Sid Owen who finished third in series three. There may be some value to be had on Joe at 5/6 each of two.

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Totesport are offering 13/8 that the England cricketers will clean sweep the Stanford Super Series in the West Indies and come away £570,000 richer.

England are 5/6 to win two of the matches, 11/2 to win just one and 20/1 to not win a single game.

All attention will be on the big match versus the Stanford Superstars where England are 4/7 favourites.

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We all know the English enjoy a beer and totesport is offering 14/1 that the English sides can record a clean sweep in this weekend’s Heineken Cup fixtures. In the last round, only a last minute penalty in Tolouse prevented Bath from completing a perfect start for the English teams.

Meanwhile, paparazzi fodder Danny Cipriani is the 7/2 outsider to score the most points between his fellow number 10’s, Felipe Contepomi, Ronan O’Gara and Luke McAllister.

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It seems as though punters can’t decide whether Spanish stunner, Ruth Lorenzo, has the X Factor or not. The traders at totesport have been forced to cut Ruth in from 4/1 to 9/4 to finish in the bottom two this week, but also from 33/1 to 25/1 in the outright betting after an outlandish £1k bet from a punter in London.

The originally named Gilrband are the 15/8 favourites to be eliminated whilst Laura heads the betting at 12/5 from Alexandra at 10/3.

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Totesport are offering 20/1 that Wales will miss their fourth penalty in successive games when they play in Germany on Wednesday night.

Totesport are also taking bets on which Welsh player will take the next penalty and make Graig Bellamy, who missed against Liechtenstein on Saturday, the 4/6 favourite.

It’s been an absolute nightmare for the Welsh with Jason Koumas and Gareth Bale the other culprits. The two other Welshmen are 7/4 and 5/1 to take the next penalty with others on request.

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Following the draw for the group stages of the UEFA Cup totesport is offer 4/1 that an English team lift the trophy in May 2009. The shortest priced English club is Aston Villa at 12/1, with Man City and Spurs both priced at 14/1. The fourth team Portsmouth are 28/1. A team which is eliminated from the Champions League is the 3/1 favourite.

Paul Petrie, totesport spokesman commented, ‘this looks a strong UEFA Cup even without the Champions League teams and we expect a few to be too good for the English Teams, especially as it is unlikely that one of the Big Four will drop down from the Champions League.

Visit totesport for a run down of all UEFA Cup outright prices and special markets.

The Sky Poker World Grand Prix Darts begins on Monday night, with last years winner James Wade looking to defend his title. The ‘Machine’ from Aldershot is a 1/4 shot to beat Tony Eccles in the first round and 4/1 with totesport to successfully defend his title.

Number one seed Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor is as short as 11/10 to come good in Ireland but with the unique ‘double start’ format of this competition, the thirteen time World Champion could come unstuck.

With this in mind there could be an opportunity in the bottom half of the draw for Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley, a huge 66/1 shot. He’d meet Taylor in the quarter finals and if he could live up to his name prove to be a tough opponent.

You can bet on the darts in-running on all the live matches with totesport.

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