Cross-Sport Multiple: Back Britannia stalemate

6Apr 2013

Betfair

Andrew Hughes thinks Villa can grab a point in Staffordshire and help land a Saturday cross-sport multiple in the process.

Betfair now gives you the facility to mix and match your multiples across a huge range of sports and markets with the easy-to-use betslip and so each weekend I've been putting together a cross-sport treble with the aim of showing the way to maximise your profits.

Bet 1: Back Stoke to draw with Aston Villa at 3.25

Stoke are in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle. No team has earned fewer Premier League points in 2013 than the Potters and they have won just one of their last twelve. Scoring goals is the main problem. They are finding the net at a rate of less than one a game, and have only scored once in their last five.

The visit of Aston Villa gives Stoke the chance to pull away a little further from the fringes of the relegation zone. Villa haven't kept a clean sheet since early December, and have a nasty habit of surrendering winning positions.

But they are scoring goals and have found some momentum in recent weeks, winning three out of their last six. They are capable of breaching a stubborn Stoke defence, but are likely to give the goal-shy home side a few chances at the other end. This is likely to be a nervy, scrappy affair, and given that six of the last eight meetings between these teams have finished all square, that's the likeliest outcome on Saturday.

Bet 2: Back Saracens to beat Ulster at 1.5

Saturday's second Heineken Cup quarter-final is a home game for Saracens, but will be played at Twickenham; a venue that will probably suit Ulster more than the plastic surface and narrow confines of Sarries' usual home venue Allianz Park.

Both teams are rising forces in European rugby and both currently fighting on two fronts. Saracens are leading the Aviva Premiership and whilst Ulster had a poor run in the spring, they beat Leinster at the weekend to stay second in the Pro 12.

Both teams are powerful up front and strong in defence. Ulster may have the edge in creativity but in what will be a bruising, close encounter, Saracen's greater strength in depth gives them the edge. Ulster's injury list has shortened in recent weeks, but they are still missing several players, whereas the return of Jacques Burger to Saracens ranks means they are at full-strength. Back Sarries to reach the last four.

Bet 3: Back Chennai to beat Mumbai at 1.66

Chennai's IPL6 campaign gets underway on Saturday and they are strong favourites to start with a victory against the team they beat in last year's Elimination Play-Off, and in the final of IPL3.

That single final appearance in 2011 is all Mumbai have to show for their massive investment. Despite having a star-studded roster to choose from, they have regularly failed to get the best out of their squad, as shown by their defeat to Bangalore on Thursday, when Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting batted too slowly at the top of the innings, leaving Keiron Pollard just two balls to win the game.

Chennai are the most consistent team in the IPL. They've won it twice, appeared in four out of five finals, and have a settled team full of in-form Indian players. With Mumbai yet to sort out their best line-up and adjusting to Ponting's captaincy, it makes sense to stick with Chennai.

Total Odds for this multiple: 8.09 Remember, multiple prices are based on our Fixed

Odds product, so any winnings are exempt from commission.