FIFA Club World Cup Preview on the Top Games of the Group stage
This Saturday, we will see the start of the new FIFA Club World Cup. This time around, we have 32 teams from all over the world taking part in a month-long competition.
To open things up, we will have the group stage, where the 32 teams will be split into 8 groups of 4 teams.
There are what appear to be some obvious mismatches in there, but we also have some mouthwatering matchups that we cannot wait to see.
FIFA Club World Cup Preview on the Top Games of the Group Stage
Which date is the FIFA Club World Cup? Saturday, June 14, 2025 – Sunday, July 13, 2025
Group A
This is an interesting one, with Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, and Inter Miami taking part.
All eyes here will be on Lionel Messi and his Miami team, but can he lead them out of what is a very tough group? The game against Porto is the one that looks to be the most intriguing.
There is a very obvious matchup that we love in this group, which is Champions League winners PSG going against Atletico Madrid.
These two teams should make it out of Group B without too much of an issue, but Botafogo and the Seattle Sounders will have something to say about that.
Another fantastic group that could potentially throw out some very entertaining games. Chelsea is arguably the team to beat in this group, but Flamengo, LAFC, and Esperance de Tunisie will give it their best.
For me, the matchup between Chelsea and Flamengo is the one that calls to me the most.
In this group, you would have to say that the Urawa Red Diamonds are set to become the whipping boys, as they are in tough against River Plate, Monterrey, and Inter.
The Italians are the favorite to come out of this group, but they are not going to have it easy against River or Monterrey.
This is another group that would appear to have a couple of clear favorites, so the matchup between Fluminese and Borussia Dortmund is going to be the one to watch.
Both Ulsan and the Malemodi Sundowns are a bit of an unknown commodity, but they also cannot be totally counted out.
We close the groups out with Real Madrid topping the lot in Group H.
They should cruise to victory against Al Hilal, Pachuca, and Salzburg, but the concern here, as with all the other top teams, is just how strong the team will be that the field.
It is the offseason for these players, so expect to see some heavy rotation.
The penultimate fight of the night also serves as the co-main event and is the first of 2 title fights.
Pena comes in as the current Bantamweight champion and a record of 11-5, but you do wonder how long she is going to be able to hold onto that belt, as this looks to be an ominous challenge.
Harrison has spent the last few years racking up wins in the PFL, taking her record to 18-1, and she now looks set to dominate here with a convincing win.
Blanchfield vs. Barber Betting Odds & UFC Fight Night Prediction this Weekend
There is a lot to break down here, so let’s dive in with the Blanchfield vs. Barber betting Odds and predictions for UFC Fight night, which arrives this Saturday at 6 PM EST.
While there are no title fights on tap this weekend in the UFC, we still have a very good Fight Night card to look forward to.
Bet UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs Barber Betting Odds, Prediction and Preview
The main card is home to 5 big fights, all of which look to be very openly matched. We have a lady’s bout at the top of the card, with the winner of that one potentially getting closer to a title shot.
Ketlen Vieira (-104) vs Macy Chiasson (-118)
We get the main card started with a Bantamweight bout that I think has the potential to go the distance.
Vieira is in need of a win, as she has struggled of late, losing 2 of her last 3 fights, seeing her record drop to 14-4 in the process.
On the flipside, we have Chiasson coming into this one having won 2 in a row to take her overall record to 10-3.
I don’t think we will get a KO winner here, so I am taking Chiasson to win by decision.
We have the Light Heavyweights up next, and again, it looks like another tight one.
Jacoby is the more experienced of the 2 fights, going 20-9-1 as a pro, but he has also struggled lately, losing 3 of his last 5 bouts, although he is coming in on the heels of a win.
Lopes has been very good in his time as a pro, going 14-1 overall. He comes into this one on a very good run of form, winning 3 in a row.
The co-main event features a Lightweight bout between Gamrot, holding a strong 24-3 record but with 2 recent losses, and Klein, who is on a four-fight winning streak, improving his record to 23-4-1.
This is another one that I think we will see go the distance, and I like Gamrot to get the decision win.
Chase the Victory in the Europa League Final Game: Tottenham vs Manchester United Odds, Preview and Prediction
We are now just a day away from the Europa League Final Game between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the game taking place at a neutral venue in Bilbao.
United will enjoy taking a trip back to that stadium after getting a food result there versus Athletic Club in the semifinal.
Both teams are having something of a nightmare season in the English Premier League, but a win here could make the season a lot better, especially since the prize is a spot in the Champions League next season, which would mean tens of millions of dollars in the pocket of the winning team.
Betting Europa League Final Game Odds & Preview
Before you bet on the Europa League Final, let’s take a look at how both teams got there.
United took a minute to get going in this tournament, but they quickly found their form, making it through the group stage without losing a game.
They went 5-3-0 in the 8-game league, scoring 16 goals and surrendering 9 along the way. That was enough to give United the 3rd place spot in the table and an automatic spot in the Eound of 16. In the first stage of the knockouts, United faced Real Sociedad, winning 5-2 over the 2 legs, but the real drama came in the quarterfinals.
After drawing 2-2 in Leg 1in Lyon, United went 2-0 up at home and looked to be cruising before going down 4-2, which included giving up a pair of goals in extra time. United found a way back, though, scoring 3 times in a 7-minute stretch to nab the win.
They then faced Bilbao in the semifinal and made it look easy with a 7-1 win in aggregate. While United has struggled to score in the EPL, they have been offensively solid in this tournament, making them a very good Europa League bet.
If you look at the path to the Europa Leage Final for Tottenham, you see a very similar road to the one that United followed. Spurs finished the league stage 1with 17 points, which was good enough for 4th and an automatic spot in the Round of 16.
They went 5-2-1 over the 8 league games, scoring 17 and surrendering 9. In the Round of 16, they went down 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar in Leg 1, before winning 3-1 in the home leg to move on. It was similarly tight in the quarterfinal, with Spurs winning 2-1 over the 2 legs.
It was a much easier time of things for them in the semifinal, though, where they faced Bodo Glimt, who was very much a surprise team in this tournament.
Tottenham won 5-1 over the 2 games to book their passage into the final. They have also struggled in the EPL this season and need this game to rescue something from what has been a nightmare season.
In head-to-head meetings, Tottenham are unbeaten in the last 6, which includes a pair of wins over United this season.
Both teams are coming in on the heels of back-to-back losses where they failed to score, but both were also resting players ahead of this game, so take that with a pinch of salt.
United remain unbeaten in this tournament, and I think they keep that streak alive in a close one.
The UEFA Europa League semifinals are down to the second leg on Thursday. Bayer Leverkusen hosts AS Roma in one of the semifinals, looking for revenge from a eyar ago, when they lost to the same team in the same round. Roma had sent Leverkusen out after a scoreless draw in the second leg, falling 1-0 on aggregate.
Leverkusen has turned things around in historic fashion, shedding their “Neverkusen” moniker for good.
They currently have a 48-match unbeaten streak and took the Bundesliga title, ending the 11-year run that Bayern Munich had posted.
They could complete a treble as they are also in the German Cup final, set to face Kaiserslautern. In the other Europa League semifinal, Atalanta is vying for its first European final, but Marseille will provide a stiff test.
The teams drew in France, and Atalanta snagged a key away goal that would help them advance even in the case of a scoreless draw in their own stadium. Let’s look at the Europa League betting odds and predictions for each match.
Europa League Betting Preview: Can Anyone Stop the Favorites?
Bayer Leverkusen Odds +105 vs AS Roma Odds +230
Leverkusen leads aggregate, 2-0 When: May 9, 3:00 pm ET Europa League Lines: Draw +240, O/U 2.5
This is the second year in a row that these two sides have squared off in the Europa League semifinal, but Leverkusen has an excellent chance to come out on top this time around.
They took a huge 2-0 win at Stadio Olimpico in the first leg, although Roma could easily have scored first as Romelu Lukaku pounded a ball off the crossbar in the early minutes.
However, Leverkusen righted the ship and generated multiple chances before Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scored. Leverkusen has nine wins in 11 Europa League fixtures in this campaign.
In their last action, they routed Eintracht Frankfurt, 5-1, on Sunday. Roma would make it three straight Europa League finals with a win.
They won the title in 2022 and fell to Sevilla in the championship a year ago. Daniele De Rossi took the helm from Jose Mourinho in the middle of the season; since he took over, Roma has lost just four times in 22 matches.
They got off to a quick start under De Rossi, but they now have scored just 11 goals in their last 11 matches and have fallen to sixth place in Serie A. Can they get what would be a major upset on Thursday?
UEFA Europa League Pick: Leverkusen to win
Atalanta Odds -138 vs Marseille Odds +350
Aggregate tied, 1-1 When: May 9, 3:00 pm ET Europa League Lines: Draw +275, O/U 2.5
Atalanta took the early lead at Stade Velodrome in the first leg as Gianluca Scamacca made it six goals in six matches with his 11th-minute tally. However, Chancel Mbemba found the back of the net from outside the box to get to four Europa League goals on the season.
Atalanta now has an 11-match unbeaten streak away from home, including a 3-0 result at Anfield. At home, Atalanta has won 11 of 14. In Europa League play (as well as its predecessor, the UEFA Cup), Atalanta has only lost twice in 17 home matches with 10 victories and eight clean sheets.
They are also set to meet Juventus in the Coppa Italia final and are likely to advance to the Champions League next year thanks to their performance in Serie A.
They are fifth in the table with four matches left, and the top five in Serie A will go to the Champions League. Marseille has a much more robust tradition in continental tournaments.
They won the European championship in 1993 and also advanced to the UEFA Cup / Europa League final in 1999, 2004 and 2018. They have won three straight semi-final ties in Europa League play. However, they have only won once in six tries in away games in the Europa League. In Ligue 1 play, they have only picked up 11 points away from home.
That’s tied for the worst point total in away matches in Ligue 1, although they are just five points back of Lens for sixth place. Marseille has its third manager of the season in Jean-Louis Gassett, and his shot at removing the “itnerim” label from his title would improve with a win here.
Burns vs Morales Odds & UFC Fight Night Prediction for Top Fights this Weekend
On Saturday night, Gilbert Burns enters a main event bout at UFC Fight Night in an unfamiliar roles. Burns is a +500 underdog versus undefeated Michael Morales. Before Morales and Burns throw down in the headliner, Sodiq Yusuff takes on Mairon Santos in what should be one of the most competitive bouts of the night. Check out UFC odds, analysis, and picks for the main card at this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.
Bet UFC on ESPN: Burns vs Morales Odds, Prediction and Preview
ESPN/ESPN+ will carry the whole night’s action. Don’t miss our sports betting predictions on the top two fights on the card.
UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales
Also Known: UFC Fight Night 256 / UFC Vegas 106 / UFC on ESPN+ 114
The underdog has some physical advantages that should make him tough against the favored Melquizael Costa. Julian Erosa is 6’ 1” compared to Costa a 5’ 10. Also, Erosa has a 3.5 inches reach advantage.
In addition, Erosa has won three straight: two via submission over Ricardo Ramos and Christian Rodriguez and a knockout victory in his last against Darren Elkins. Costa has also won three straight. But the chalk decisioned Rodriguez. The odds make the dog more than playable.
It could be a long night for underdog Dustin Stoltzfus. Stoltzfus gives up a massive 5 inches in height to Ruziboev.
Not only does Stoltzfus give up the height advantage, but Ruziboev has won 4-of-5. This is going to be an interesting fight because Stoltzfus lists himself as a Muay Thai kickboxer while Ruziboev lists himself as a kickboxer, meaning the fave most likely adheres to the Danish school of kickboxing. Kickboxers like the chalk know how to use their physical advantages. Expect an early Stoltzfus exit.
Expect a great bout when Yusuff and Santos throw down in the Octagon. Santos, the favorite, is on a 4-match winning streak. Mairon is just 24 years old, which means he’s got tremendous upside.
Yusuff has much more UFC experience than Santos. Still, the young mixed martial artist took home the Ultimate Fighter title against Kaan Ofli a few bouts ago. I thought Yusuff had a shot, and he offers some value, but it’s hard to go against the favorite considering how hungry he is.
This sets up as a bout to make Rodolfo Bellato look good. Paul Craig hasn’t been the same for a while. He’s lost 4-of-5 and the defeats have come via submission, knockout, and decision. So whatever Craig has tried to do in recent bouts, it hasn’t worked.
Bellato drew in his last but before the draw, he had been on a tear when winning 4 straight. The massive favorite is 12-2-1 overall, 7-2 via knockout, and 4-0 via submission. Craig shouldn’t make it to the third round.
It would be nice to pick Burns to upset Morales. The odds are fantastic and Burns can still throw, but this is a mismatch. The dog has lost three straight. The losses to Jack Della Maddalena and Belal Muhammed, who just fought for the title that went to Maddalen, we can forgive. But the loss to Sean Brady was a lackluster performance.
Michael Morales is undefeated with a 17-0 record. He’s 12-0 via TKO/KO. So consider a knockout prop on the chalk before backing him on the moneyline.
Review & Betting Odds of the Next UEFA Champions League Leg 2 Semifinal Games
With just 2 games to come before we get to the Champions League Final, we are getting ever closer to finding out which team will become the King of Europe, so it’s time for Betting Champions League semifinals.
The second leg of the semi-final games are coming this week, with both matchups hanging in the balance.
Neither of the Leg 1 games went as we expected, so should we expect more surprises in the second leg?
Let’s take a look at the current odds for both games, and the odds for the final 4 teams and their chances of winning the Champions League.
Betting Champions League Semifinals Second Leg
Oftentimes, the outcome of the first leg of a matchup pretty much determines how things will play out, but that is certainly not the case with the semi-finals.
Inter +186 vs Barcelona +117 – Draw +285
When: Tuesday, May 6, 3:00 pm ET Champions Pick: Inter 1-3 Barcelona
This game is set for Tuesday afternoon, and you might well say that Inter has a slight edge heading home for Leg 2. They went to Spain and registered an impressive 3-3 draw in the opener, which was not what we expected at all. The result was all the more surprising when you consider that Inter had been on a 3-game losing skid, during which their quest to win Serie A took a serious hit. The draw with Barça seemed to help, as they went out and won over the weekend. The Inter odds of making the final have definitely improved.
Breaking down a tight Inter defense and scoring 3 goals was an excellent showing from Barcelona, but I don’t think anyone expected them to surrender 3 against Inter at home. They have been in great form, though, with the tie against Inter the only blemish over their last 5 games. Barcelona is looking to win the league and cup double, but they are going to need to be very special in this one to keep their Champions League hopes alive. We will talk about the Barcelona odds to win it all a little later in this piece.
I think we can expect goals here, which is why I like the OVER.
When: Wednesday, May 7, 3:00 pm ET Champions Pick: PSG 0-2 Arsenal
When you play the opening game of a semi-final on the road, the goal is to keep things close heading home. PSG picked up a fantastic result on their visit to London, winning 1-0 on the road. With that win, the PSG lines improved greatly, but they still have work to do to get to the final. They have actually lost their last 2 league games, so they are not in the best form ahead of this one.
It is much the same story for Arsenal, who feel to defeat in the EPL this past weekend. With the league already decided and the Champions League being the last chance for silverware for the Gunners this season, you could excuse them for putting all their eggs in this basket and not really caring too much about the league, but that loss will have had an impact on the Arsenal odds, although I like them to pull this one out.
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 3, 2025
2025 Semifinals Leg 1 Schedule and Preview
This is the phase where every UEFA Team wants to be, because they are close to the Final Game. But before that, check out the Champions League odds on the Semifinals, consider that they could be influenced by different factors, such as the injuries.
For example, Arsenal has Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel listed as injured players, also Barcelona’s best striker Robert Lewandowski won’t be in the game against Inter.
The same goes for Inter, without Marcus Thuram or Valentín Carboni, key players in the coach’s strategy.
Champions League Odds: Semifinals Leg 1 Schedule and Preview
We have sports betting previews of the first leg, as well as some thoughts on the eventual winner.
Arsenal (+115) vs Paris Saint-Germain (+232) (Draw +230)
When: Tuesday, April 29, 3:00 pm ET Champions Pick: Gunners to win
Arsenal have a 17-match home unbeaten streak in UEFA competitions. They haven’t made a Champions League semifinal in 16 years – but they’ve already beaten PSG at home in this contest, as they stopped them 2-0 in the league phase. Also, PSG have never beaten Arsenal in five competitive matches (three draws, two losses). However, they’ve already sent two other English Premier League teams home in the last two rounds, dispatching Liverpool (who have since gone on to clinch the 2024-25 EPL championship) in the round of 16 and then upstarts Aston Villa in the quarterfinals. They also had a four-match away winning streak in Champions League play before falling at Villa Park in the second leg. They also have made it to four UCL semifinals in the last six seasons.
A lot has changed since Arsenal beat PSG in the league phase, of course. Paris seemed on the verge of missing the knockout round playoff altogether at that point. Since then, they’ve turned them things around dramatically, developing a chemistry and cohesiveness to go along with their talent. However, Arsenal have also amped up their confidence with each round. How about that 5-1 aggregate stomping of Real Madrid in the quarterfinal? I believe the Gunners can not only prevail at home – I think they can get through to the final at this point.
Barcelona (-159) vs Inter Milan (+380) (Draw +310)
When: Wednesday, April 30, 3:00 pm ET Champions Pick: Barcelona to in.
Yes, Barcelona are one of the twin titans of Spanish first-division soccer. However, they had made it to six straight UCL quarterfinal rounds coming into this campaign but only advanced further one time. So this matchup with Borussia Dortmund seemed like a real test. However, they rolled over the Bundesliga side, 4-0, in the first leg. Now they move on to face an Inter team that they have beaten six times in 12 UCL meetings (four draws, two losses). They have Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in the front line, and all of them scored in that home match with Dortmund. They have combined for 27 of the side’s 37 goals in this season of Champions League.
Inter have a stout defense
Their eight clean sheets in this Champions League are two more than what any other team has managed. They did allow three goals in their quarterfinal tie with Bayern Munich, but they still got the win. Likewise, they’ve only lost twice in their last 20 UCL matches (13 wins, five draws). Furthermore, they also have a dangerous scorer of their own in Lautaro Martinez, who tallied in both legs against Bayern and has now found the back of the net in five straight Champions League contests. However, while I don’t think Barcelona will pull off a rout, they definitely have what it takes to get this home win.
Check out our NASCAR Odds Today from Texas Motor Speedway!
How are the NASCAR Odds Today? Texas Motor Speedway welcomes NASCAR for a potentially wet weekend of racing. This intermediate superspeedway runs 1.5 miles and has developed a reputation for being one of the faster tracks that NASCAR visits.
As with many super speedways, you see a lot of pack racing – and a lot of crashes that end up bringing chaos near the end of the race.
NASCAR Odds Today: Weekend Preview
Don’t miss our sports betting preview for this weekend’s events.
Cup Series: Wuerth 400
Sunday, May 4, 3:30 pm ET
Last week, Austin Cindric paid off on long odds as he roared to victory at the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. He took advantage of one of those opportunities in the last lap to snag victory, edging out another long-shot, Ryan Preece, at the line, winning by 0.022 seconds.
Preece’s car and that of Joey Logano, who crossed the line in fifth, were eventually disqualified because of spoiler violations. That moved up Kyle Larson and William Byron into the official second and third place slots. With Cindric’s win, Talladega has seen 10 different winners in the last 10 races here.
Let’s look at the odds for this week’s Cup Series race.
Kyle Larson +475
William Byron +600
Tyler Reddick +700
Ryan Blaney +700
Denny Hamlin +800
Christopher Bell +1000
Chase Elliott +1600
Bubba Wallace +1600
Joey Logano +1800
Ty Gibbs +1800
Kyle Larson
He isn’t at his best on super speedways, but his runner-up finish a week ago is a promising time. He’s done better than that historically on super speedways. At his Texas Motor Speedway debut in 2020, he came in second, and he got to win here in 2022. He should be right there at the end again.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin only came in 21st last week at Talladega, following up a disappointing result in the fall or 2024. He will now race for the 37th time at Texas Motor Speedway, looking for his fourth win. However, he has not taken the checkered flag here since the spring of 2019.
Austin Hill won last week’s Xfinity Series race – the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega – edging out Jeb Burton and Jesse Love in a three-man photo finish. Hill now has nine career wins on superspeedways, more than any other driver in Xfinity Series history.
Justin Allgaier and Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top five. Katherine Legge became just the fourth woman ever to lead a Xfinity Series race and the second to do so at Talladega.
It’s been two weeks since NASCAR’s trucks last ran, back on Good Friday at Rockingham Speedway. Tyler Ankrum won the Black’s Tire 200 to end a 130-race winless streak. He won by an emphatic 6.657 seconds over pole-winner Jake Garcia. His last win was so long ago that it came on a track that NASCAR doesn’t even use anymore – Kentucky Speedway.
He had an accident on Lap 2 and ended up a lap down, but he got a break under caution during the Stage 2 break and then made his way to the front. Daniel Hemric, Rajah Caruth and Grant Enfinger comprised the rest of the top five.
Want some interesting dark horses here? There’s Stewart Friesen (+5500). His last Truck Series win came at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022, and in 2021 he finished third here. He came in second in Atlanta and sixth in Las Vegas, so he’s sniffing the front of the back. Kaden Honeycutt (+2400) has had top-ten average running positions at Homestead, Charlotte, and Kansas twice.
All of those are 1.5-mile tracks similar to Texas Motor Speedway. Want a really long shot? There’s Giovanni Ruggiero (+11000). He’s been fast in his rookie campaign, with top-ten finishes at Dayton, Bristol and Rockingham. He qualified in the top eight at both Las Vegas and Homestead.
Bet UFC Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Odds: Xbet’s Expert Prediction for Main and Preliminary Card
Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Odds: UFC makes just its second visit ever to Iowa this weekend, as UFC on ESPN 67 is set for Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Saturday night.
It’s been almost 25 years since the promotion visited The Hawkeye State for UFC 26 in the summer of 2000.
Former interim UFC Bantamweight challenger Cory Sandhagen will meet former two-time UFC Flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo in a bantamweight tilt for the main event.
The co-headliner pits Bo Nickal against Reinier de Ridder in a middleweight showdown.
Bet UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Odds, Prediction and Preview
ESPN2 will carry the whole night’s action. Don’t miss our sports betting predictions on the top two fights on the card.
Main Card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Cory Sandhagen vs Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight)
Reinier de Ridder vs Bo Nickal (Middleweight)
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Daniel Rodriguez (Welterweight)
Could be Sandhagen’s last hope for a title shot. When he entered the UFC in 2018, he was a last-minute replacement for a couple of other fighters who had to cancel, but he was a pleasant surprise, using his range and height to his advantage.
He learned to add wrestling to a strong striking volume, but when he tore his triceps early in a 2023 victory over Rob Font, he had to take a step away from fighting at a time that may have closed the window on him. Instead, Marlon Vera got a shot at the bantamweight title early in 2024.
Sandhagen came back in August 2024 but lost to Umar Nurmagomedov when the Russian took the early initiative and sapped Sandhagen’s energy. He needs not just a win, but an emphatic win, but Figueiredo is not a simple out here.
As a flyweight, Figueiredo had an elite level of striking power – he used a backhand to knock out a regional opponent, and he remained just as dangerous in UFC. He demolished Joseph Benavidez and Alex Perez and ended up with the belt.
Brandon Moreno challenged him and the fight ended in a draw, the first in a four-bout series that saw Moreno win the rivalry at the end. He moved up to 135 pounds, and that elite power came with him. He’s added more wrestling and used that to finish Cody Garbrandt. Likewise, he dropped his first fight as a bantamweight in November against Petr Yan, losing on the cards.
Can Sandhagen get his striking volume back? If so, then he should get the points. If he tries to slow down again, though, Figueiredo will have more than a chance. I like Sandhagen to win via decision, but I’m not sure if there’s enough value to make this risk worth it.
Bo Nickal (7-0, 4-0 UFC, -350) vs Reinier de Ridder (19-2, 2-0 UFC, +270)
It is frankly, both fighters’ next step toward the higher levels of the middleweight division. Nickal was an outstanding college wrestler; when he moved to MMA, he knocked out his first opponent in only 33 seconds.
The UFC slung him into Dana White’s Contender Series, where he got a pair of fast victories. He has knockout power and decent wrestling technique when he needs it. He finished Cody Brundage in the second round despite eating some damage, but when he beat Paul Craig on the cards in November, some questions emerged. Furthermore, he did land some damage, but he didn’t do much else, not even trying much to get Craig on the mat.
De Ridder did his early work in ONE, doing well as a light heavyweight before coming to UFC and dropping to middleweight. He’s tall for the middleweight, and so his striking game has range and power. His wrestling is creative, but it’s often high-risk.
He submitted Gerald Meerschaert in the third round of his UFC debut after both men were clearly low on gas. Nickal should be able to ride things out, both on his feet and on the mat, until de Ridder wears out, and then he should be able to get the finish. Nickal to win via stoppage.
EPL Matchday 35 Odds for Top Betting Games this Week: Man City vs Wolves, Aston Villa vs Fulham
EPL Matchday 35 Odds: Four matchdays remain in the 2024-25 English Premier League season, but Liverpool have already salted away the title as they are 15 points clear of Arsenal.
The Gunners have a reasonably strong hold on second, five points clear of Newcastle.
After that, things get interesting as only two points separate Newcastle from sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who have slid out of the top three thanks to a recent two-game skid and now would need a playoff to get into the Champions League next season.
They are even with Chelsea at 60 points but trail the Blues in goal differential, 19-14.
EPL Matchday 35 Odds: English Premier League Top Bets for the Week
Going into the weekend, let’s look at some promising sports betting opportunities from the league.
Manchester City -295 vs Wolves +660 (Draw +420)
EPL Bet: City to win When: Friday, May 2, 3:00 pm ET
Two hot teams will clash on Friday night as Wolves have a six-game winning streak while the Citizens have won three straight and would love to grab a top-five finish and get a Champions League berth. Wolves have gone almost 80 years without a seven-game winning streak in the top division, but they’re coming in with all pistons firing after stopping relegation-bound Leicester City last week, 3-0.
It hasn’t been that long since Wolves were on the brink of relegation themselves, but this streak has saved their season. They did sweep Man City back in 2019-20, but they haven’t done well since. Even so, they’ve won four straight away matches. Can they make it five?
City lost some momentum over the weekend as Liverpool clinched the league title, but they still have an FA Cup final on tap against Crystal Palace. City have gotten 14 points out of their last six matches, and a win would move them to third, at least temporarily. That would make their first four-game winning streak in EPL play since the first four matches of the season. Injuries have taken their toll this year, but they still have the chance to finish in solid form. They come in having won eight of nine at home over Wolves.
Seventh-place Aston Villa host eighth-place Fulham on Saturday. Villa just reached the dizzying heights of a Champions League quarterfinal, but now must make up some ground in order to get even a shot at a play-in. Fulham are six points back of Villa but would love to play the spoilers. Fulham won on Saturday at Southampton, 2-1.
The hosts jumped out to an early lead behind a 14th-minute tally from Jack Stephens, but then Fulham poured on the pressure. They outshot Southampton, 26-7 (5-3 on target) and possessed for 65% of the match. The barrage finally worked as Emile Smith Rowe brought Fulham level in the 72nd minute, and then Ryan Sessegnon brought all the points to the visitors with an extra-time goal.
Aston Villa went to Manchester City last week and lost a heartbreaker, 2-1. City got on the board early with a seventh-minute tally from Bernardo Silva. Villa have also gotten drilled, 3-0, by Crystal Palace in their FA Cup semifinal, as their fall from Champions League glory has dimmed their hopes elsewhere as well. I do think they can bounce back at home.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Odds for Semifinals Leg 2 Games to Watch & Bet: Inter vs Vancouver, Cruz Azul vs Tigres
Check out our CONCACAF Champions Cup Betting Odds! In the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal fixtures, Cruz Azul did what they needed to do on the road, locking up Tigres UANL in a 1-1 draw.
If they can force a scoreless draw at home, they would advance on the strength of that away goal. Given their propensity for offense – and the desperation that Tigres will bring on the road, with that away goal tiebreaker hanging over them, though, expect to see some offense.
In the other semifinal, the Vancouver Whitecaps may have blinked in earlier home leg opportunities, leaving themselves with way much work to do on the road, but that was not the case against Inter Miami as they rolled over the Herons, 2-0, in front of their fans.
Now Inter have a massive hole to climb out of just to force a potential shootout, let alone make it to the final.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Betting Odds: Semifinal Leg 2 Preview & Schedule
We have sports betting previews for each of these showdowns, so read on before you lock in any wagers.
Inter Miami (-200) vs Vancouver Whitecaps (+490) (Draw +350)
Vancouver lead on aggregate, 2-0 When: Wednesday, April 30, 8:00 pm ET
FC Dallas had only scored 10 goals in nine MLS matches going into their weekend tilt in Miami, but they pushed that total to 14 in a 4-3 shocker over the Herons, whose defense turned ridiculous over the course of the night.
That followed the 2-0 loss up in Vancouver in Champions Cup play and suggests that there is some serious work to do on the Inter back line.
Inter Miami have also won all three of the Cup games they have hosted this season. But can they overcome a stretch of just two wins in seven matches across all competitions?
They have a fairly rested and healthy Lionel Messi (who you can get on +300 odds to score the first goal of the match) and Luis Suarez.
Those two have the talent to get the Herons not just on the board but also through to the Cup final, if they can break through Vancouver.
Vancouver continued their MLS-leading ways this past weekend, rolling over Minnesota, 3-1, thanks to tallies from substitutes Sebastian Berhalter and Pedro Vite. Berhalter also scored in the first-leg win over Inter, along with Brian White.
The Whitecaps’ clean sheet in the first leg was a bit of a departure, as no team in the Cup had allowed more than the eight goals that they have. Inter Miami, have managed 11 goals in the tournament, second only to the 14 that Cruz Azul have scored.
However, the Whitecaps have an eight-match unbeaten streak with four wins, across all competitions. Even if they lose 3-1 here, they would advance on the away goal tiebreaker.
So I like Vancouver to employ a more conservative approach and for Inter to get the result in the leg – but the Whitecaps to advance. Inter Miami to win.
Cruz Azul (-101) vs Tigres UANL (+270) (Draw +250)
Tied on aggregate, 1-1 When: Thursday, May 1, 10:00 pm ET
The hosts welcome Tigres while riding a 15-match unbeaten streak (8 wins) across all competitions. In their last four games, three have ended in draws, but they also beat Liga MX rival Club America, 2-1, in the Cup quarterfinals last month.
Cruz Azul have just one loss in their last 13 Champions Cup matches. Cruz have struggled historically against Tigres, winning just once in their last six tries, but that win did come at home in February 2024.
Tigres arrive on the momentum of a seven-match unbeaten streak across all competitions (3 wins).
Interestingly, three of those matches have ended in scoreless draws. In the quarterfinals, they sent LAFC home, 3-2 on aggregate.
However, they have a seven-match winless streak on the road in Champions Cup play (2 losses).
The road has been a hard place for them to score, as they have not tallied a goal in four of their last five away matches across all competitions. Cruz Azul to win.
Read if you want the Semifinals Prediction for Leg 1
Historically, Liga MX has dominated the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but this year’s semifinal round includes just two teams from Mexico’s first division and two teams from Major League Soccer.
We have three nations represented in the last four for the first time in five years, when Honduran club C.D. Olimpia made it this far.
MLS has had two other teams win this trophy – LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders. Canadian sides CF Montreal and Toronto FC have made it to the final.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Betting Odds: Semifinal Leg 1 Preview & Schedule
So who will navigate their way to the trophy this time? First, we have a two-leg semifinal tie to sort out. We have sports betting previews of the first leg, as well as some thoughts on the eventual winner.
Tigres UANL (+116) vs Cruz Azul (+244) (Draw +228)
When: Wednesday, April 23, 10:00 pm ET
Vancouver Whitecaps (+123) vs Inter Miami (+199) (Draw +248)
When: Thursday, April 24, 10:30 pm ET
Rundown of the Tournament: Favorites? Upsets? Surprises?
Tigres
They have the most experience in this tournament of the remaining four. They are also coming out of a reasonably successful Liga MX Clausura campaign, where they finished fourth and will advance to the playoffs. They’ve also dealt with the most recent change in leadership – it’s barely been a month since Guido Pizzaro was promoted from player to manager. Another veteran, André-Pierre Gignac, almost 40 years old, is the top scorer for Tigres in Liga MX with seven tallies. They also beat Cruz Azul in the Clausura campaign, 2-1. They’ve also beaten Miami recently (2-1, back in August 2024) and Vancouver, winning four of five showdowns over the last eight years. But are they the favorites? Actually, they would be a surprise to win if they can push through, based on the other teams.
Vancouver
Whitecaps lead the MLS standings as well as some key statistical categories. This is a team that focuses on possession. Getting by Inter Miami will be another gauntlet, but the Whitecaps are led by Brian White’s nine tallies in 14 goals in all competition this year, as well as defensive midfielder Andres Cubas, who is one of the few players in the world that has managed to keep Lionel Messi in check. But until they beat Inter Miami, they won’t be the favorite.
Cruz Azul
Mexican team has a strong chance to get this trophy. They won the Liga MX Apertura season before struggling in the early part of the Clausura. However, they finished with three wins in their last five contests and came in third ahead of the playoffs. Their offense has a lot of contributors – in a 17-match Clausura season, five different players had at least five goals. Angel Sepulveda led the way with nine. They’ve already stopped Seattle Sounders and the tournament favorites, Club America, in the quarterfinal. They’re a hot team right now – the hottest of the four.
On paper, Inter Miami are the favorites
They have four players who have won UEFA Champions League titles – Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. Changing to Javier Mascherano as head coach has led to a bit of a drop in 2025 – they drew in MLS play against Toronto FC and Chicago Fire FC, and they barely beat the Columbus Crew. However, this is a team that has stayed focus in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. They are the favorites on paper, but I’m leaning toward Cruz Azul at this point.
Leg 2 Schedule
Inter Miami vs Vancouver Whitecaps
When: Wednesday, April 30, 8:00 pm ET
Cruz Azul vs Tigres UANL
When: Thursday, May 1, 10:00 pm ET
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CONCACAF Champions Cup Betting Odds, Semifinals Leg 2
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