HOW TO BET ON GAELIC GAMES. Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly.

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1 HOW TO BET ON GAELIC GAMES Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly.

2 Gaelic Games are Ireland s number one sport in terms of participation and fanbase. They are amateur sports that are na9ve to Ireland and comprise of two different codes: Gaelic football and hurling. They are very different games but both are played on the same sized pitch, with the same number of players and scoring. A goal is worth three points and a shot that is over the crossbar is worth one point. INTRODUCTION Both football and hurling games are 70 minutes long at inter-county level. The main difference between football and hurling is the ball used. In football a large round ball, larger and heavier than a soccer ball, is used. In hurling the ball is similar in size to a tennis ball but is heavier. In hurling the ball must be struck with a hurling stick. The formations are similar for both codes with teams lining out with a goalkeeper, six backs, two midfielders and six forwards. Football is the most commonly played Gaelic game. Hurling is the higher scoring and faster of the two sports, with draws and tight games less common. 2

3 There are two main tournaments in both football and hurling: the League and the Championship. The Football League is run between February and mid-april, with the Hurling League running from late February to early May. The Football League is split into four divisions with two teams promoted and two relegated after each season. There are finals contested by the top two sides in each division. TOURNAMENTS The main divisions in hurling for bettng purposes are Division 1 (split into two groups: A and B). The top three teams in 1A and the top team in Division 1B contest the league semi-finals. The All-Ireland Championships are the primary competition in both codes. Both Championships start in May and run to the All-Ireland finals in September. There are four provincial championships in football, with the winner going through to the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland series. London and New York join the Irish counties, with the exception of Kilkenny who choose not to participate, in contesting the All-Ireland Championship. All 33 counties that contest the football championship (with the exception of New York) get a second chance up to the conclusion of the provincial stages. If beaten, a county then enters the Qualifiers where an open draw system can provide novel pairings. In Hurling, 14 counties contest the All-Ireland series. There are only three provincial championships, with winning finalists going through to the All-Ireland semi-finals. Again, teams get a second chance through the Qualifiers. 3

4 The most popular markets in Gaelic Games are: MOST POPULAR MARKETS Match odds Handicap bettng Total Points Half-time/Full-time Provincial winners All-Ireland winners League Division winners The handicap market is intended to level the playing field in terms of odds. For example the bookmakers may decide that team A is 4 points beaer than team B and so will make team A minus 4 points at close to even money and team B +4 points also close to evens. 4

5 Weather is a crucial factor in Gaelic Games. Wet and windy conditions usually lead to lower scores, as it makes it difficult for free-takers in both codes. Adverse weather conditions can also impact on the handicap market, making large handicaps difficult to cover. Securing possession and completing passes becomes more difficult. GENERAL RULES Dry, calm conditions are conducive to fast flowing and high-scoring games. A strong wind should be taken account of as it is easier to score points from long range in both codes when playing with the wind. Take note of squad strength: In football and hurling sides can make five substitutions. Games where sides have evenly balanced starting fifteens can often be decided by the strength of their benches. Knowing the substitutes available to a team in the last quarter when starting players are tiring can make for astute in-running bets late on, especially if the substitutes are good attacking players. Home advantage is a major factor, especially in the league. Certain counties have remarkable home records e.g. Tyrone and Cork in football. Do your research: In League, teams are often priced based on reputation and the previous year s championship results rather than recent form, so knowledge of injuries (especially to free-takers or scoring forwards) or absentees due to club commitments can prove profitable. Following websites such as rte.ie, hoganstand.com and sportsnewsireland.com can provide fast team news that markets can be slow to take into account. 5

6 If it s wet and windy expect a tighter game. TRADING STRATEGIES Consider backing against favourites covering large handicaps in adverse weather conditions. Differences in skill levels in both codes are minimised in poor weather. Backing under the set points totals is also recommended if conditions are poor. Lay the side that scores an early goal 70 minutes is a long time in football and hurling. An early lead is welcome but momentum can change many times in a game. In the 2009 football championship there were 20 games where goals were scored in the opening ten minutes. 85% of those sides went on to win, but 65% failed to cover the inrunning handicap. The side who scores the early goal will often trade higher in the match betting too when the other side takes a foothold. Check half-time and full-time markets. Acting quickly on information in markets such as half-time/full-time is important. Work out who has the wind and as the teams line up you should have time to place your bet. In last year s Connacht football final Mayo were 1/3 favourites. Sligo to lead at half-time and Mayo at full-time was 4/1. Sligo played with a gale force wind in the first half and led before Mayo made the wind advantage count in the second half. 6

7 Back the underdog at home. Home advantage is a major bonus in Gaelic games. Westmeath won only three games out of seven in football s Division 2 in Those three games were at home and they were outsiders for all three. TRADING STRATEGIES Home advantage is also a major factor in the All-Ireland Football Qualifiers. Last season un-fancied outsiders made home venue count with Longford beating Derry, Roscommon beating Armagh and 7/2 shots Antrim beating Galway. Home advantage also had a major bearing on the handicap results. Of the ten favourites that played away in the Qualifiers, only two covered the handicap. Hurling can provide in-running drama. The fastest field game in the world makes for major swings in momentum. Kilkenny trailed Galway by seven points in this year s All-Ireland hurling final after 30 minutes; after 50 minutes the sides were level. Back the teams with an easy fixture list. Sides with an easy start in the Championship are often overpriced. Backing these sides can put you in a strong trading position. Last season Donegal were 11/2 to win Ulster on the eve of their opener against Cavan, and were cut to 11/4 after beating a hapless Derry. Identifying sides with an easy provincial path can pay dividends. In choosing potential league winners, take note of sides that have four home games and three away games rather than vice versa. 7

8 The draw offers good trade-out possibilities. Odds of up to 10/1 on the draw in football and even beaer on hurling can offer good trading positions. Games that are close entering the closing stages often trade as low as 3/1. TRADING STRATEGIES Back teams with the stronger bench after 50 minutes. The last twenty minutes is when fresh legs can really change a game. A side with strength in depth can spring quality substitutes when starting players start to fade. If those substitutes are attacking players, their impact can be telling. In this summer s hurling clash between Limerick and Tipperary, Limerick led by seven with twenty minutes to go. Tipperary s stronger substitutes were the driving force behind Tipperary winning. Act on last minute news: If it s announced immediately prior to throw-in that a key player can t start, act on it. This is especially true if that player is a scoring forward or free-taker. If a key player has to go off injured early on, then his side should also be layed. A calf injury to Kerry s free-taker, Bryan Sheehan, jeopardised his football sides chances against Cork and Donegal last season was full of such examples with injuries to Joe Canning and James Skehill for the Galway hurlers prior to the hurling final replay, and to Dublin footballers Alan Brogan prior to their semi-final loss. 8