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13th Jun 2014

JOE v Ladbrokes Betting Challenge: World Cup edition

Ladbrokes' Hayley O'Connor kicked our asses over the course of the Premier League, but undaunted, we are back to try and win this punting competition over the next five weeks.

JOE

Ladbrokes’ Hayley O’Connor kicked our asses over the course of the Premier League, but undaunted, we are back to try and win this punting competition over the next five weeks.

Ladbrokes World Cup banner

They say, well, the folks on the comfy studios on TV say, that the best team always wins the league. The vagaries of luck, stupid referees, injuries and a million other factors all even out over a season, leaving the best team at the top come season end.

If that is true – which it probably is – then we will have to hold our hands up and acknowledge the superior punting ability of Hayley O’Connor. After a fairly neck-and-neck race all season, Hayley streaked away from us like Manchester United used to do under Fergie in the second half of the season, racking up massive 8/1 and 9/1 accumulators week after week to build up an unbeatable pile of cash come season end.

But if the season is all about consistency, cups are built for upsets so we are much more optimistic about our chances in this five week, World Cup test.

Each Friday, Hayley and ourselves will pick a wincast that we think will net us some sweet cash. Whoever has the most moolah left after the final wins. Simple.

So without further ado, here are the first week’s picks.

Hayley:

Diego Costa to score and Spain to win, 11/5

Yes I know he is probably not 100 per cent and yes I know he has yet to score for his adopted country and, yes, I also know that the crowd in Salvador will be very hostile to the Brazilian native but I just have a feeling he will prove all the doubters wrong tonight.

As he showed all year at Atletico, he knows where the goal is and he will be supported tonight by an array of the world’s most talented assist merchants. The Dutch are decent going forward, but I still think Spain will edge this World Cup final rematch.

JOE:

Arturo Vidal to score and Chile to win, 11/4

We love Chile here in JOE Towers. Okay, we don’t love them as much as JOEpan, but it is close. And we expect La Roja  to have a very good run in Brazil, making then genuine contenders for the top spot in the ultra-competitive Group B. First up they face the expected whipping boys, Australia, and we think Chile should blitz them with their all-action style.

Central to that will be Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal. The talented Vidal plays a bit further forward for his national team than he does for his club and he was joint top scorer with Eduardo Vargas in qualifying. In a game where Chile could get three or more, we reckon Vidal will make his mark.