Six of the best sports betting tips for 2015

1. Novak Djokovic to win 3 Grand Slams

Australian Open odds

After year bemoaning the dominance of three or four select players in the ATP tour, tennis fans may be remembering the times a little more fondly now. Djokovic is on his own at the top of the mountain in men’s tennis, and 2015 should be his year to dominate. The fact that Roger Federer, at 33 years old, is the current world number two also speaks volumes of the level of competition. Rafa Nadal is the only player currently capable of beating Djokovic on any given day, but the Spaniard’s fitness is a continual concern. At 27, Djokovic is in peak physical condition, and it is hard to look beyond him walking away with at least three of the biggest prizes in tennis.

2. New Zealand v South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final

Here’s the one big issue: if you don’t believe the All Blacks are going to be lifting the Webb Ellis Cup on Oct 31st – you’re wrong, and you’re completely out of your bloody mind. Now we’ve settled that, the more interesting question is who will be the best among the rest come October? Aside from being world number 2, the Springboks have a relatively easy pool, followed, presumably by a game against the banged-up runner-up from the group of death (candidates Australia, England, Wales, with some Fijian hard-hitting thrown in) and then a possible semi-final against a team they beat in the group stages. Expect an all southern-hemisphere final at Twickenham this autumn.

3. Chelsea to win the Champions League but not the Premiership

UEFA Champions League odds

Chelsea’s first XI is as good as anything in world football right now. While they may not have the twice-in-a-generation player that Real Madrid and Barcelona each possess, they also don’t have these sides’ frailties in defence. Much like Bayern of two years ago, Chelsea are a beautifully balanced side, and, in Jose Mourinho, they also possess the best coach in Europe. That said, squads win you championships, and the Blues are looking a little thin around the edges in the centre of the park. In recent weeks they’ve dropped points against the likes of Sunderland and Newcastle, and the Special One will need to rest key personnel as the season wears on. Unless Mourinho makes a couple of headline acquisitions to bolster his midfield, the title will likely be staying at the Etihad.

4. Ireland to retain the 6 nations

I may be about as welcome as Thierry Henry in the Emerald Isle for saying this, but it is possible that Ireland are a better team now that Brian O’Driscoll has finally called it a day. There is the sense of a collective responsibility within the team, with players like Paul O’Connell, Jamie Heaslip, Johnny Sexton and Tommy Bowe starring in the strongest Irish squad for years, under the stewardship of highly respected Kiwi Joe Schmidt. While their northern-hemisphere rivals have endured mixed 2014s, The 6 Nations champions only lost one match, 13-10 away to England, and defeated the likes of Australia, South Africa and France. If a likely semi-final with the All Blacks wasn’t on the cards, I would be backing them all the way to the World Cup final.

5. Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl

NFL Playoff odds

The Packers have presumptive MVP Aaron Rodgers yet again providing the spark from QB after an injury-hit 2013. Yet the major difference is he has the players around him to shoulder some of the burden. They possess the #1 ranked offence in the NFL, with Eddie Lacy and James Starks giving the team a genuine running game, while wide-receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are the first pairing to post 1,000 reception yards each in a regular NFL season. Of their two likely Super Bowl opponents, the New England Patriots have struggled to click offensively in the last few weeks and, significantly, lost 21-16 away to the Packers in the regular season. While the Denver Broncos go into the play-offs in great form, there is the continued suspicion that QB Payton Manning can choke on the highest stage of all, and you can only guess what mental scars are left over from last year’s 43-8 humiliation to the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.

6. Australia to win the ICC Cricket World Cup

ICC World Cup 2015 odds

It is not just their #1 ranking, or that the competition is being staged on their home turf,which make the Baggy Greens the favourites to lift the ODI World Cup come March 29. This is a tournament loaded with significance for the current crop of players. Australia have gone through a difficult few years transitioning from the great team of Ponting, Warne and McGrath et al, but they have steadily worked their way back up the ICC rankings, and this is the perfect way for the current team to announce their own arrival as a true force in international cricket. The tragedy of Philip Hughes’ death is also a significant factor, as it has bound this squad with a massive sense of determination to honour their team-mate. In recent months they have recorded ODI series victories against South Africa and away to Pakistan, as well as the Test series against India.

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