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McFadden to retire at end of season

Leinster back Fergus McFadden will retire at the end of the current season after he confirmed the news on Monday.

Kildare man, McFadden, made his debut for Leinster against Welsh side Cardiff Blues in September 2007. He has gone to on to make over 180 appearances for the province since then. In a remarkable career he would win a Heineken Cup in 2011 when Leinster beat Northampton, followed that up with a win in the 2012 final against Ulster, he also won the challenge cup in 2013 with the province and claimed a Pro 12 titles in 2012 and 2013 also.

Moreover, he would also go on to represent Ireland playing 33 times. He scored 10 tries in them appearances. He would go on to play in the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand also. McFadden released a statement confirming his retirement saying, “They say the best time to leave a party is when you’re still having fun so the time has come for me to announce my retirement from the end of the season,”.

He stated “It was a dream come true” to play for Leinster and Ireland. He went on to thank all his past coaches, rugby staff, medics and all the backroom staff. McFadden thanked all the players stating “It was an honour to play and work beside such incredibly talented and professional people”.

He went on to thanks the Leinster fans which he described “I don’t think you can ask for better supporters”. He closed his statement by thanking his family and friends “To my wife Rebecca, my son Freddy, my parents, my friends and family, thanks for being there every step of the way”.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen paid tribute to McFadden after a stellar career. He said, “Fergus has been an amazing contributor to lots of great things that have taken place in Leinster and Irish rugby and he’s definitely one of the great characters that we’ve had around in the group”.

Cullen continued, “We are being guided by public health guidelines at the moment but naturally the hope is that Fergus gets the chance to pull on the Leinster jersey again. “Regardless of what happens though, we sincerely thank him for his efforts over the years and wish himself, Rebecca and their little boy Freddy the very best of luck”.

Do outsiders in horse races ever win?

There is no doubt about how popular horse racing continues to be in many countries. It is evident by the number of people who bet on Irish racing or that follow UK horse racing.

Of course, Irish and UK racing is now at a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but this does not mean there is no racing to enjoy globally. Betting on Preakness Stakes in the USA is still allowed as racing is carrying on there – this is a similar picture to places like Australia where horse racing has been allowed to continue for Aussie fans.

 

One question that many people have when betting on horses is just how often do the underdogs win? After all, they are the horses with bigger odds and which bring greater returns when they are successful. If you could work out how often they win, it might be possible to formulate a winning strategy around this information. That could come in very handy when betting online at future events such as, for example, the Galway Races 2020.

 

Underdogs win more often than you think 

 

To answer this question correctly, you first have to look at how often favorites win in horse racing. While getting a definitive figure for all types of racing and conditions is difficult, the generally accepted winning rate for favorites is around 35%. If you take the underdog to mean any other horse in the betting that isn’t the favorite, this means they win about 65% of the time. Of course, things are not quite as simple as that, unfortunately! 

 

As everyone in racing knows, there are underdogs, and then there are real underdogs. The chances of a 100/1 shot winning, for example, are pretty slim – they simply do not win many races. Most of the 65% of horses that win that aren’t favorites usually come from the first five or six in the forecast. The trick, however, is being able to look through the card and see which of those not favored heavily may have enough to clinch victory.

 

But what type of information should you consider? 

 

Form 

 

Form is a significant factor when looking at underdogs on a card. Information on a horse’s form is readily available online, so it is a no-brainer to look into this. It is generally best to study the last few races to give an overall indication of form and whether they can repeat a previous win or build on confidence from recent place finishes. If the underdog you are looking at has fallen or has been unplaced in its last five starts, then it might be wise to ignore it.

 

Class of race 

 

Each race will be in a specific class, with Class 1 being the best. It is worth bearing in mind which class of race the underdog you are looking at is running in before betting. The horse, for example, might have poorly performed in higher class races recently, which explains its current underdog status. If the race you are looking at is at a lower class where it has performed well before, that is a good sign. In simple terms, it might well win this race due to running against more inferior horses than before. 

 

Jockey/trainer/horse combo

 

Some jockeys just gel with particular trainers while some horses perform well for certain jockeys. This can be the sort of thing which other punters miss, hence why a horse may be lower in the betting than they should be. Check online stats to see if the horse has done well with today’s jockey before – even if they have done badly with other jockeys in the past few races. It is also worth seeing if the horse’s trainer has a winning relationship with the jockey in question. These things often follow repeating patterns and are worth knowing about.

 

Course and distance 

 

Horses can be creatures of habit, and this can be a secret weapon when looking for horses to win that are further down in the betting. If an underdog horse seems to always run well at one particular course, you might want to bear that in mind. Horses also get used to running certain distances and tend to be better at some than others. Have a look at the distance of the race in question and see how well your horse usually does over that. If you have an underdog that has won before at that course and distance, you could be onto something. 

 

Underdogs can and do win 

 

As noted above, horse racing favorites only win 35% of the time. That leaves the majority of races being won by those lower down in the betting. While backing rank outsiders to win is not usually advised, finding good value underdogs to win can pay off. The critical thing is to do your research first and find a good selection benchmark to identify the underdogs worth backing.

 

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guideline to Bet on the English Premier League

Who wouldn’t want to bet on the most notable football league around the globe? The EPL is a buzzing hub full of football fans, punters as well as critics.

The beauty of the premier league is that brings most people together than you could ever imagine. You can be sure to check most casino online, and you’ll get to be conversant with its popularity as well as unique markets all year long. However, not everyone has taken up the opportunity. Are you one of them? There’s no need to fret. Here’s the ultimate beginner’s guideline to betting on the EPL. 

 

  • Register in a legitimate website 

 

You wouldn’t be able to enjoy the benefits of EPL betting, and much more is you lack a gambling account in legitimate betting websites. It’s often a chance to enjoy the many bonus offers, including a welcome bonus, among others. You’ll also discover the opportunity of enjoying enhanced odds. Nonetheless, don’t get carried away quite fast before reading the terms of service. It’s a chance to know what you’re signing up for without much hassle.

 

  • Choose matches to bet on

 

As a beginner, it’s easy to get carried away with numerous games going down in the EPL. However, this isn’t the time to panic and stake a wager on all games to try your beginner’s luck. Instead, it’s a chance to sit down and critically choose matches you can wager on. It’ll enable you to select games that you are quite conversant with always. You can also check on the live casino to see the live money line odds that can come in handy. As you select the matches, be sure to check on the market categories as well. It’ll enable you to go through the various markets and choose one that you are most comfortable with at the time. It’s also a chance to research in-depth about the markets. Thus, get to learn about their benefits as well as a shortcoming of choosing them.   

 

  • Wager on the EPL table 

 

As you get to familiarize yourself with EPL betting, you ought to know there’s more to bet on other than the individual matches. You can choose to bet on the premier league table. During this time, you can get a chance to predict how the English premier league table will appear when the football season comes to an end. It’s often a chance to enjoy great long-haul wins as compared to pre-match bets. You can have the opportunity to examine the teams and carry out a prediction on clubs that might get relegated or any top league football clubs. It’s often a unique chance to learn more about the EPL than meets the eye. Thus, you become well-endowed with English premier league information that enables you to stand out. 

As a novice punter, you ought to brace yourself for the various outcomes in the gambling world, including at casino online. Let no one discourage you from engaging in this fun activity that’s a gold-mine in the making. You can try your luck today at any live casino and by implementing the above tips.

Here are 4 money-making strategies when betting on English premier league football teams.

Every punter experiences a fantastic opportunity when it comes to football betting. It’s one of the highly sought gambling opportunities in the world.

However, only a few can make profits since the margin for errors among soccer teams and players is so slim that it makes it notably challenging to bet on them. The great news is here! Below are some money-making strategies that you can apply when betting on English premier league teams.

 

  • Bet on stakes with the best odds 

 

Often when you want to stake a bet of one the English premier league games, it is quite natural for you to stick on one online gambling agency. However, if you get rigid, chances are you are missing out on a lot of cash. It’s because you’re neglecting and denying yourself the opportunity to shop for better odds. There are millions of soccer betting sites that you can choose to have a look at all times. It’s a chance to get the best odds available in the market. You have a unique opportunity to shop around the web to get the best casino with sweet deals. Choose the best odds to make money in football betting.

 

  • Track your bets 

 

How often do you track your bets? It’s no surprise that most punters don’t follow even a single bet they place. You ought to stand out from the rest. You need to track all your stakes, especially when the bets are on English premier league games. It’s a unique way to manage your bankroll as it can swiftly get out of hand. Tracking your bets is a chance to optimize performance while betting on soccer. If you are longing to make profits, you need to follow each bet. It will allow you to monitor all winning trends while betting on English premier league games.

 

  • Have a data-driven prediction

 

Betting on English premier league doesn’t necessarily rely on pure luck. You need to incorporate the correct statistics; they don’t lie. You need to use highly sophisticated data-driven predictions to make money while betting. It will allow you to have a detailed algorithm that will make your football betting predictions a walk in the park. Ensure you are signed up in sites such as W88 that offer value betting opportunities.

  1. Find your niche 

Football betting is wide. You need to find a specific area that you have passion for and stick to it. Once you become an expert, you are sure to change your conversion rates. It also gives you ample time to research and watching that particular aspect of the English premier league games. You get to note the trends in that specific season and have extra information. Such details are hard to come by from any bookmakers. Finding a football betting niche enables you to have all the essential marginal gains that will make you profitable in the long haul.

When it comes to making money in gambling, especially the English premier league football betting, you should dare to be different. Develop a unique betting system by using bookmakers such as W88, and with no time, you will be earning money like a champ.

 

 

GAA and Soccer set to go ahead from July

GAA and Soccer is set to go ahead in July after the phased restrictions of Covid 19 were announced. Golf courses will also open on a restricted basis in the first phase. Leo Varadkar announced the details in which he said the current restrictions will remain in place till the 18th of May.

The first phase will see sports amenities been open to the public. For example tennis courts and golf courses would fall under this as social distancing can be maintained. Competitions will not be allowed though in terms of golf, it will be members only. The second phase commences on June 8th. This will see people allowed to engage in outdoor sport and fitness activities. RTE Sport report that under this fall small group team sports training (no matches), social distancing will have to be adhered to.

Phase 3 will commence on June 29th. This stage will allow behind closed doors sporting activities. However, arrangement have to be in place to maintain social distancing. Phase 4 and Phase 5 is where we can see some light at the tunnel. July 20th will see GAA and soccer teams resume activities. Limitations will be have to be in place on the amount of spectators while also ensuring strict social distancing is in place. The final phase, which is phase 5, will allow allow physical contact sports such as rugby and boxing. Sports clubs and gyms will also be allowed to open once cleaning has carried out and social distancing maintained.

The signs are looking good for a return of some sort of sport for us to watch. Whether the GAA will start talks on starting the championship for the end of July onwards I’m not so sure. It would put a lot of pressure on players and managers. Teams will obviously have to train to get up to match fitness etc which obviously would take a while. Only time will tell that’s for sure !

Irish Showjumping great Colonel Billy Ringrose dies aged 89

One of the legends of Irish Showjumping, Colonel Billy Ringrose, has died at the age of 89.

Col Ringrose was one of the country’s most successful riders during the 1950s and 1960s, before going on to become Chef d’Équipe of the Aga Khan team.

In 1961, the then Captain Billy Ringrose and Loch an Easpaig won the Grand Prix in Nice and the Grand Prix in Rome within the space of a month. He competed at two Olympic Games (Stockholm 1956 with Liffey Valley & Rome 1960 with Loch an Easpaig), claimed six individual international showjumping Grand Prix and seven Nations Cup team events.

The Dublin rider was a member of the first mixed Army-civilian Irish team to win the Aga Khan Cup in 1963 along with Diana Conolly-Carew, Séamus Hayes and Tommy Wade.

Billy Ringrose is the only rider to have won the Grand Prix event at all four shows on the American tour: Washington DC, Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Madison Square Garden in New York and the Toronto Winter Fair.

Ringrose later became Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School at McKee Barracks in Dublin and Chef d’Équipe of the Irish team. Following victory for the Irish team of Paul Darragh, James Kernan, Eddie Macken and Captain Con Power in 1977 when managed by Seán Daly, Billy Ringrose took charge in 1978 and helped complete their famous three-in-a-row of Aga Khan wins in 1979.

When he later became President of the RDS (1998-2001), he had the honour of presenting the Aga Khan trophy to the winning Irish Chef d’Équipe, having previously won it himself both as a rider and as Irish Chef d’Équipe.

In 2017, Ringrose’s son Fergal published a 280-page memoir of his father’s life and equestrian career, ‘Billy Ringrose – A memoir of my Father’.

Horse Sport Ireland CEO Ronan Murphy paid tribute to a showjumping legend, stating:

“On behalf of everyone at Horse Sport Ireland, I want to pass on our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Col Billy Ringrose, who was one of the greats of Irish Show Jumping. His career as a rider and later as Chef d’Equipe was outstanding and he gained the respect of everyone he met not just for his sporting excellence but as a true gentleman.”

Placing Bets 101: The Basics of Betting on Sports

The American Supreme Court has given the okay to sports betting, so if you live in states like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, or Oregon (among others), you no longer have to make the trek to Las Vegas to place bets. 

If you want to learn the ins and outs of placing bets on sports, you’re in the right place. This guide will get you started with the basics and have you on your way to hopefully making some cash! 

Keep reading to learn more. 

Favorites vs. Underdogs 

Every game will have a favorite and an underdog. Oddsmakers (the people who decide on the favorites and underdogs, point spread, etc.) will make this determination based on who is expected to win the game (the favorite) and who is expected to lose (the underdog). 

The favorite has a minus sign next to their name when the point spread is written out. For example: 

  • Houston Texans +7.5
  • San Francisco 49ers -7.5

In this example, the favorite is the San Francisco 49ers and they are expected to win by 7.5 points (which is explained below). 

Spread vs. Moneyline

A moneyline bet is a simple pick of who you think is going to win the game. You don’t have to pay attention to the point spread or any other factors. You can look at the point spread to see who is the favorite and the underdog, but otherwise, you don’t need any other information.

If you bet on the favorite, and they win, you generally don’t win as much money as you would if you bet on the spread or bet on an underdog who ends up winning. 

Betting on the spread is a bit more complicated. Instead of just picking the winner, you have to pay attention to the point spread. In the spread, the favorite “gives” points and the underdog “gets” points. 

In our above example, the 49ers are a 7.5 point favorite. This means that if you bet on them, they need to win the game by 7.5 points or more in order for you to collect on your bet. If they win, but only win by 7 points, for example, you lose your bet because they didn’t cover the spread. 

If you bet on the Texans, who are the underdog, you need them to either win the game or lose by less than 7.5 points.

If you want to make a little money betting on sports, you might consider installment loans, if you are certain you’ll be able to pay it back.

Over/Under

You can also bet the over/under, which is based on the point total. For each game, oddsmakers will release a projected total number of points that the teams will score combined. For example, in our Texans vs. 49ers example, the over/under (or total) might be set at 52. 

If you bet the over, you’re betting that the teams will score more than 52 points combined. If you bet the under, you’re betting that the teams score less than 52 points combined. If they score exactly 52 points, it’s a push. You don’t win any money, but you don’t lose any either. 

Placing Bets on Sports: Start Small 

This guide to placing bets should get you started in your new betting adventure. The more you bet, the more you learn. As you become more confident, you can branch out to different types of bets, like parlays, and increase the amount you are betting. 

If you found this information helpful, be sure to check back often for new and informative content. 

GAA confirms partial refund for season tickets

The GAA has confirmed that they will offer a partial refund or discounts for next year for season ticket holders if the 2020 championships can’t be completed owing to the Covid 19 pandemic.

A statement had to be released as it was highlighted that they had changed their terms and conditions of season tickets in March. These conditions were that they specified that there would be no refunds in the events that competitions were cancelled due to a pandemic. However, the GAA said on Wednesday, that they were within their rights to change the terms and conditions. They said they are simply “seeking to provide greater clarity” rather than attempting to “step back from its obligations”.

The statement continued, “If this unfortunately does not prove to be possible due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, we will offer all 2020 Season Ticket holders a discount on their 2021 Season Ticket, or alternatively a partial refund of their 2020 Season Ticket. All refund decisions will be dependent on how the remainder of the 2020 Season can be completed”.

Currently a season ticket costs 120 euros. This allows an individual to attend all of it’s county hurling and football fixtures in the league. Furthermore,  1 championship game and the All-Ireland club finals. Furthermore, there is still of course the option to purchase further tickets.

The statement also said they are hopeful the 2020 season can still be played in the current year. It said, “We are still hopeful of completing the 2020 inter-county and club season over the course of the current year. This will include championship and some of the remaining league fixtures”.

 

Top 5 Props in World Rugby

Not much going on in the World of rugby at the moment. Ireland are due to play in the summer against Australia but that is under threat owing to Covid 19. So, I have decided to do a couple of lists up. Firstly, starting with the top 5 props in worlds rugby.

  1. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland) – At 27 years old the Wexford man is now in the prime of his career. He was played over 105 times for Leinster spanning back to 2013. He has been an integral part of the Ireland team since 2015 making over 40 appearances. He also been on tour with the British and Irish Lions. He won the Six Nations, Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 2018. While he would also secure two Pro 14 titles with Leinster 2018 and 2019. He would win a Champions Cup also in 2018.

2. Sekope Kepu (Australia) – Kepu is very experienced in the position. He has made over 106 appearances for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2008 against Italy. Kepu played at U17, 19 and U21 level for New Zealand. He is one of the best in the game at the moment.

3. Ramiro Herrera (Argentina) – At 31 the Argentine is one of the best in the game. He has played 39 times for Argentina. A strong ball carrier and sturdy in the scrum makes him one of the best in the game.

4. Dan Cole (England) – Cole is a very consistent player. He has played 95 times for England. He has numerous honours at both club level and international and is one of the best tighthead props in the game for sure.

5. Demba Bamba (France) – Bamba at 22 has a long career ahead of him. He is currently playing with Brive in the Top 14. He made his debut in 2018. He has a Six Nations U20 Championship medal and also won a World Cup winners medal U20 that same year.

Top 8 hurlers to never win an All-Ireland

So with the GAA likely not go ahead this summer. I have decided to compile some lists of players. This list will look at the top 8 hurler to never win an All-Ireland.

  1. Ken McGrath (Waterford) – One of the games greatest ever players to play the game. The Mount Sion man made his debut in 1996 and would go on to play till 2011. He would win 4 Munster titles with the Deise and three all-star award. McGrath, who is now a pundit with The Sunday Game was rather unlucky not to win a title in his 15 year career

2. Tony Browne (Waterford) – Tony made his debut in 1991 for Waterford. He would go on to play till 2014, an inter-county career spanning 23 seasons. He won 4 Munster titles, 1 National League and 3 all-stars. Browne was named hurler of the year in 1998. The Mount Sion man would also go on to claim 7 County titles.

3. Ciaran Carey (Limerick) – Ciaran made his debut in 1989 for the Shannonsiders. He would finish up inter-county hurling in 2004. He would win 2 Munster titles, 2 National League and 3 all-star awards. Carey played with his club Patrickswell from 1987 to 2004. With his club he would win 9 County titles and Munster titles.

4. John Mullane (Waterford) – Mullane was arguably one of the best forwards in the game not to win an All-Ireland medal. The De La Salle club man played with the Deise from 2001 to 2014. He would score 15-134 in 47 appearances. Mullane would win 4 Munster titles, 1 National League and 5 all-star awards. The 39 year old still plays with his club and also commentates on live games with RTE.

5. Ollie Canning (Galway) – The older brother of Joe Canning. Canning is now a pundit with Sky Sports. Canning won everything in the game bar an All-Ireland title with Galway. He made his debut in 1996 and retired in 2010. He would win 3 Connacht titles, 4 National Leagues and 4 all-star awards. With Portumna he has won 6 county titles, 3 Connacht titles and 4 All-Ireland titles. One of best corner backs over the past 20 or 30 years for sure.

6. Dan Shanahan (Waterford) – “Dan the Man” made his debut in 1995 for Waterford and would retire in 2014. Dan won 4 Munster titles, 3 all-stars and 1 National League. He would go on to win the hurler of the year award in 2007 after some superb performances. He currently still hurls with his club Lismore.

7. Damien Hayes (Galway) – Hayes played club hurling with Portumna right up till lat year. He played with Galway from 2001 to 2014, scoring 20-85 in 52 appearances. He would win 1 Connacht title, 2 National Leagues and 3 all-stars. With his club he would win 4 All-Ireland titles, 3 Connacht titles and 6 county titles. A remarkable player.

8. Paul Flynn (Waterford) – The Ballygunner man would go on to play for Waterford from 1993 to 2008. He would win 3 Munster titles, 1 National and 1 all-star award. With Ballygunner Flynn would claim 8 county titles and 1 Munster title.

That completes my list of the top 8 hurlers never to win an All-Ireland.

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