JUST four teams remain in contention for the 2017-18 Big Bash League title and importantly, followers of our Punting Stars suggested bets sit in a strong position with both semis and the final to come.
Thursday night’s first semi final features the all-conquering Perth Scorchers, who host the Hobart Hurricanes after charging to top spot on the ladder. The Scorchers have two minor negatives to overcome heading into this one – the loss of the impressive Ashton Agar to Australian duties and the switch from ‘The Furnace’ at the WACA to the new Optus Stadium. These are negated by the return of both Marsh brothers to the fray and the capacity for a home crowd nearly triple the size to fill the new venue.
SCROLL DOWN FOR OUR MATCH-BY-MATCH BETS & FULL RESULTS LEDGER
Hobart were the surprise packets of this season but face a seriously uphill battle to qualify for the decider. They won five in a row through the middle of the tournament before peaking on their run. Incredibly in all five matches, record-breaking D’Arcy Short top scored – he is also missing here with the national squad. They are $2.47 with TopBetta at time of writing and we believe that still to be unders.
Followers of our suggested futures bets will be delighted that at least one of our all-in tournament winner selections is guaranteed to contest the final, with the Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades going head-to-head in the second semi. Both sides are missing key personnel – Alex Carey and Billy Stanlake for the hosts, Aaron Finch and Kane Richardson for the visitors. The Strikers have won four-from-four at the Adelaide Oval this term and defeated the Renegades in their meeting this year, but there is little between them in head-to-head markets.
But at the very least, the pre-tournament $6.50 secured for the Renegades and $4.50 locked in mid-season for the Strikers means one side will enter Sunday’s decider an over-the-odds result. Of our other three futures bets, a small 0.5 unit profit on a lay of Brisbane Heat (7th/8) on the ladder) was eaten away by an 0.75 unit loss on the Melbourne Stars as tournament winners and 0.3 units on Joe Burns as leading run scorer (futures betting results to be added to ledger post-tournament). But punters following the match-by-match selections and staking would be up to 17.44 units in profit at this stage, with the only max bet (two units) of the entire season coming off in our most recent play, on the Scorchers in match 38.
Check out our plays for the three finals series matches below and thanks for following throughout the BBL07 season!
Semi Final 1: Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes at Optus Stadium (1/2/18)
Bet: Perth Scorchers win – 1 unit @ $1.58
Semi Final 2: Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades at Adelaide Oval (2/2/18)
Bet: Adelaide Strikers win – 1 unit @ $1.91 (various)
Final: Adelaide Strikers v Hobart Hurricanes at Adelaide Oval (4/1/18)
No bets – we have a LIVE futures ticket on the Strikers, lets cheer them home!
RESULTS (inc futures):
75.05 units outlay, 94.35 units return, 19.30 units profit, 25.72% POT
Click here for full results ledger
Futures bets:
Melbourne Renegades tournament winners – 1 unit @ $6.50 – LOSS
Melbourne Stars tournament winners – 0.75 units @ $6.50 – LOSS
Adelaide Strikers tournament winners (posted 8/1/18) – 1 unit @ $4.50 (Bet 365) – WIN
Joe Burns most tournament runs – 0.15 units each-way @ $101 (UBET) – LOSS
Lay Brisbane Heat tournament winners @ $7.00 to win 0.5 units (Betfair) – WIN