England Premiership Soccer Betting

I don’t know about you but weekend soccer betting is one of my favourite pastimes. Nothing I enjoy more than settling in for a great game of football on the telly, spurred on by the anticipation of following the outcome of my soccer betting picks. If you are anything like me, you will enjoy this instalment of soccer free picks on the English Premiership league. Here goes:

Soccer Betting Line:

Newcastle United -½ -120 -120 2½ O +110 U -130 Draw +250

Bolton Wanderers +½ Ev +310 2½ O +110 U -130 Draw +250

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time, Saturday August 23, 2008

Soccer Betting Analysis: Newcastle United is seeking glory days gone by. Kevin Keegan who is determined to bring back the good old days has brought in three very good players to accomplish the feat. All three made their debut at the Old Trafford last week against Championship League champions Manchester United. They grinded a 1:1 draw which will mean a lot for their confidence as they host the Bolton Wanderers this weekend. Conversely, the Wanderers won their match against Stoke City 3:1. But admittedly, Stoke is a weaker side so their success is not so big in the grand scheme of things.

Soccer Betting Verdict: Newcastle finally has a worthy bench. They appear poised for a good term this year. This year is the year Newcastle loyalists believe their side will turn things around. The club signed excellent players in Guthrie, Coloccini and Gutierez. Bolton had a dismal season last year and only just escaped relegation. They lost important players and it looks to be the start of a difficult year for them.

Soccer Free Picks: Newcastle United @ -120 | Under 2.5 goals @ -130

Soccer Betting Line:

Fulham FC +1 -140 +450 2½ O Ev U -120 Draw +280

Arsenal FC -1 +120 -175 2½ O Ev U -120 Draw +280

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time, Saturday August 23, 2008

Soccer Betting Analysis: An interesting side note for this match is the fact that host city Fulham has asked its fans to appear in white; the idea is that a sea of white in the stadium will intimidate the hugely favoured Arsenal side. I guess when you lose your opening match, all manner of strategies to win are worth giving a go. Fulham lost to Hull last week 2:1. This happened with new players on the bench and key players injured. Clearly, they need time to gel and recuperate. So as Fulham waits for its new players to find their feet, their key players to return, Arsenal has a great chance of notching another win.

Soccer Betting Verdict: Arsenal, who opened its season with a 1:0 win over WBA, will try to continue on that vein by beating Fulham. I am not sure a sea of white will be enough for them to lose focus in a match they are clearly favoured to win. At best, I expect the strategy to create a good atmosphere and if Fulham is lucky, they will grind out a draw.

Soccer Free Picks: Draw @ +280 |Over 2.5 goals @ Even

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room