What happened in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg between Chelsea and Spurs?

Chelsea will take a 2-0 lead into the second leg at Tottenham next week, but such was their dominance last night, they’ll be disappointed they didn’t put the tie to bed already. Kai Havertz and a Ben Davies own goal put Thomas Tuchel’s team in charge of the tie, but chance after chance went begging as the Blues missed the opportunity to kill it off.

1^st Match Goal (settled at 5)

Two legged affairs can often be cagey, almost like both sides are happy with a 0-0 first leg, with the away side happy to go home just needing a win, and the home side prioritising not conceding. This game was not like that however, as Chelsea showed their determination to get ahead from the off. Really, they should have put the tie to bed with the number of chances created, but for sellers of the 1^st Match Goal spread, set at 35-38, Kai Havertz converting Marco Alonso’s 5^th minute through ball was all they needed to see, winning them 30 times their bet.

Are Great Britain still in with a chance of making the ATP Cup final four?

Going into the final games, any of the four countries in Group C could make it through, all having the same won 1, lost 1 record. Team GB did their bit, edging out USA in a thriller, though they still missed out as Canada beat Germany. Dan Evans beat John Isner 6-4 7-6 but Cameron Norrie went down in three sets to Taylor Fritz. It was looking bleak when Evans and Jamie Murray were a set and a break down to the American pair in the doubles, but they battled back to win 6-7 7-5 10-8 to send GB top of the group.

Norrie v Fritz Set 1 Cross-Points (settled at 1880)

British number 1 Cameron Norrie has been a bit of a passenger in this ATP Cup run, and so it proved again, as he went down to US number 2 Taylor Fritz. Just like we reported in yesterday’s blog, buying Set 1 Cross Points was the most lucrative play on Norrie’s match, as he again took it to tie break. Norrie won 40 to Fritz’s 47 points in the opener, giving a Cross-Points make up of 1880. The spread had been set at 1015-1090, meaning buyers won 790 times their bet. Norrie eventually succumbed to a 7-6 3-6 6-1 defeat to set up that doubles decider.

Did Real Madrid avoid a repeat of their Copa del Rey embarrassment from last year?

Madrid lost to third-tier Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey last 32 last season but gained some semblance of revenge by beating them 3-1 at the same stage last night. Things looks to be going to plan when Eder Militao headed Madrid ahead in the 39^th minute, but they started to get that deja vu feeling when Dani Vega equalised in the 66^th minute. However, 10 minutes later Marco Asensio put Madrid ahead again, and an own goal from keeper Juan Jose sealed the victory.

Goal Minutes x Corners (settled at 2600)

Our biggest winning football bet on Wednesday came in this game, with a buy in the Goal Minutes x Corners market. The spread was set at 1625-1800, so buyers won 800 times their initial stake. On the face of it, it may have been a surprised to see minnows Alcoyano make a game of it, and ultimately help bump up those goal minutes by forcing Madrid to attack. Digging a bit deeper though, Alcoyano proved a problem for Madrid last season, holding them to a 1-1 draw in regular time before completing the 2-1 victory in extra time at the same stage of this competition, so maybe it wasn’t such a surprise to see them put up a fight last night.