Tuesday 3rd December 2024

In Across the Leagues today:

• Leicester v West Ham…
• Paqueta priced as the favourite…
• Win & Both Teams to Score picks… 

Tonight’s picks: Foxes, Hammers, and a 34/1 shot…

Good afternoon. A busy and exciting schedule of midweek fixtures gets underway this evening…

So far this week, I’ve found myself tied up with other business matters. But I pulled a late one last night to catch up - and you can see the fruits of my research below…

But first, the reason I’ve been so busy with admin…

In case you missed it, we’re now called Spa Publishing Group. Across the Leagues and our range of sports betting products was previously published by Oxfordshire Press. The new company delivers the SAME services, and the SAME websites, from the SAME people (including very much, yours truly - and my long-term partner in all things football, Shaun).

You don’t need to do anything, other than keep an eye out for our new name, Spa Publishing Group, appearing in your inbox…

I just wanted to clear that up as it has transpired that over the weekend we had a few email issues. If you haven’t done so already in recent weeks, the advice is to click on the relevant ‘Not Junk’ (or similar) button for this email, just to let your inbox/ email provider know that you ‘trust’ messages from us, and want to receive them (!). There were a few gremlins the other day with our email sends. We’re on the case. And moving forwards…

34/1 shot in the Football League…

I spent a good chunk of time last night whittling down a list of Win & Both Teams to Score (Win & BTTS) contenders for the midweek round of English Football League (EFL) games…

Here are the three teams that make the cut for us tonight & tomorrow…

Reading v Cambridge
League One, tonight 8pm

Win & Both Teams to Score: READING

• Reading are joint-2nd in the division for Win & BTTS results this season (5), and 2nd for Both Teams to Score (69%) - with goals at both ends in 10 of their last 11 league matches. Five of the Royals’ last 6 wins have paid out for Win & BTTS…

MK Dons v Chesterfield
League Two, tonight 7.45pm

Win & Both Teams to Score: MK DONS

• MK Dons are the in-form team in League Two, winning 5 games in a row - with all 5 ticking the box for Win & Both Teams to Score. They are ranked 1st in the division on our Win & BTTS stats (6 wins) this season, but are down in 23rd place out of 24 teams when it comes to keeping clean sheets, with just 2 from 16 attempts…

Peterborough v Burton
League One, Wednesday 7.45pm

Win & Both Teams to Score: PETERBOROUGH

• Peterborough are the joint-top team in League One for Win & BTTS payouts this season, and 4 of their 6 triumphs in this market have come at home. The Posh are also no.1 in the division for Both Teams to Score (75%). Their weakness comes at the back: Peterborough are the only team in League One yet to keep a clean sheet - conceding in 16 out of 16 games…

The Win & Both Teams to Score treble on Reading, MK Dons & Peterborough pays 34/1. The advice here is a Trixie: three doubles and the treble.

On to the Premier League now, with all 10 midweek games being shown live on Amazon Prime Video…

For score Predictions, Bet Builder pointers, and a 71/1 acca, check out today’s ATL Extra - Premier League Predictor email here.

Leicester v West Ham

Premier League, tonight 8.15pm - Amazon Prime Video

Standout stats:

• The Home v Away, Head-2-Head comparison tool on our website shows that Over 4.5 Cards bets have paid out 4 of Leicester’s last 5 home games, and in 4 of West Ham’s last 5 away
• Leicester have had 4 or more men booked in each of their last 3 home league games (and in 4 of the last 5 at the King Power Stadium). While West Ham have had a man sent off in 2 of their last 3 road trips
• Tonight’s referee is Josh Smith, moving up to the top-flight after a run of 7 appointments in the Championship. His last Premier League match was in September, and he dished out 6 yellow cards that day

The new Leicester manager is the big story going into tonight’s match. Ruud van Nistelrooy takes the reins for the first time. I’m expecting a noisy crowd, and the Foxes to be eager in the tackle…

For the visitors, keep an eye out for Lucas Paqueta. The West Ham midfielder was originally due to miss this match for off-pitch reasons, but he’s free to play now. The Brazilian is the Hammers’ joint most-carded player this season, with 4 yellows. The bookies make him a 2/1 favourite for another card here.

Over 4.5 Total Cards is the match pick. See below for bookies and best odds. Find out more about Cards & Booking Points betting in our guide here.

Total Cards stats this season - Leicester Home/ West Ham Away:

Log-in to view all our bet-specific stats for 18 leagues at:

www.acrosstheleagues.co.uk

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TODAY’S PICKS & BEST ODDS

See above for full details

Three EFL games as listed above:

• Trixie. Win & Both Teams to Score: Reading, MK Dons, Peterborough - best odds William Hill, Bet365, BetVictor, Betway (34/1 the treble) 

Leicester v West Ham:

• Over 4.5 Total Cards @ 6/5 (2.2) Ladbrokes, Coral, Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, 23/20 (2.15) Betway, Unibet, Evens (2.0) Bet365. Also available: Over 42.5 Booking Points @ Evens (2.0) Betfred. Total Booking Points markets also available with Skybet, William Hill, Boylesports

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I’ll be back on Friday with more stats and analysis for you…

Enjoy the football…

Best wishes,

Oliver Upstone

Across the Leagues