Bet365 are once again offering both new and existing customers in Great Britain the chance to up the ante ahead of another big Euro 2016 clash.
The rules are simple. All you have to do is place a bet on England’s meeting with Wales this afternoon up to a value of £50 and Bet365 will give you a risk-free in-play bet of the same value. It’s risk-free because if you win said in-play bet you take the profit and if you lose they simply refund the stake to your account.
So what are the best odds on Thursday’s Group B showdown?
While England-Wales may not be the fiercest rivalry on the international stage - it’s not even the fiercest set to be played out on Thursday at the Euros - it’s a game that will mean a great deal for both sets of fans, for different reasons.
The Three Lions find themselves two points behind both Wales and Slovakia heading into the game having let their lead over Russia slip late on last Saturday. Roy Hodgson may know that failing to win would not knock them out of the tournament at this early stage, but would put real pressure on their final match with Slovakia, leaving Wales firmly in the driving seat to top a group that England really should.
In fact, given the result between the two other teams in Group B on Wednesday Wales would seal top spot and a potentially more favourable draw in the knockout stages with a win. The incentive is certainly there for both teams to go for all three points, though there’s little doubt that they will go about it in a completely different way.
England vs Wales - Pre-match tip
England will want to start strongly, just as they did in their opener with Russia, but will be tasked with breaking down a resolute Wales defence, happy to soak up pressure early on. As a result the goal markets for each half should be considered for your pre-match bet, particularly given the theme of the tournament thus far.
Many believed that the expansion to a 24-team tournament would lead to one-sided fixtures, but encounters that saw the underdogs sit deep in an attempt to frustrate their opponents. It’s a theory that has certainly been vindicated thus far, with a very modest 29 goals scored in 15 matches thus far (less than two per game). Of said goals, 20 have come in the second half of said matches.
That is an average of 0.6 goals in the first half of matches at the Euros thus far and 1.33 after the interval. With a draw representing an excellent result for Wales but the temptation of going all out to top the group late on, I’d back a similar pattern this afternoon.
My tip, then, is to back over 1.5 goals in the second half and while that may have only happened in 5 of 15 matches so far, two of those were the games that England and Wales featured in. With both managers able to rely on some real firepower in the final third, this match should be very entertaining, particularly in the second half when the game begins to open up and defences tire. The odds @2.37 on two or more goals after the interval would herald a tasty £68.75 profit from a £50 bet, as well as triggering the in-play offer of the same value.
England vs Wales - In-play tip
As I’m backing the game to really open up in the second half, with chances likely at either end, that could play into Wales’ hands, who have one of the best counter-attacking threats at the tournament. While Aaron Ramsey breaks forward from midfield and could test Joe Hart, the main man is undoubtedly Gareth Bale, who is sure to trouble this England defence.
If Hodgson’s men commit too many men forward, leaving space for the Real Madrid star to run into, it could be costly, but having dropped points in their opener England have little choice but to do so against Wales. With the Three Lions the clear favourites with Bet365, the most tempting odds are with Chris Coleman’s men as a result, and none more so than Gareth Bale to score at anytime @3.40.
If you did choose to bet the maximum value ahead of kick-off of £50 to redeem Bet365’s offer, that would allow you to put the same stake on Bale to find a way past Joe Hart and would bring a potential profit, as things stand, of £120. If Wales’ star man doesn’t add to his tally then that £50 will be refunded to your account. Game on!
