The Super Bowl is here! While the biggest event on the American sports calendar doesn’t enjoy the same level of attention on this side of the Atlantic, it still brings along a lot of exciting sports betting opportunities. For this reason, we’ve strongly focused on this blockbuster event in this week’s sports betting preview.
The rest is business as usual. We have covered the Derek Chisora vs. Otto Wallin bout in Manchester, the PGA WM Phoenix Open, UFC 312, and some exciting football fixtures at home and abroad.
This week, we’re partnering again with bookmaker Pinnacle to find the best betting options for these upcoming events.
Best Boxing Prediction This Week
Boxing fans will get to enjoy some exciting bouts this weekend, but the heavyweight fight between Derek Chisora and Otto Wallins is the only one that sparked our interest. Here’s our betting prediction for the fight.
Derek Chisora vs. Otto Wallin – Chisora to Win @ 2.800
Chisora and Wallin will trade punches in a 10-round heavyweight fight on Saturday at Co-op Live arena in Manchester. It will be the 49th fight in Chisora’s career, who is expected to drop the curtain on his eventful career soon. Wallin, on the other hand, will be stepping inside the ring for the 30th time.
Chisora is nowhere near his best right now even though he challenged and defeated several major names throughout the years. Over his career, the 41-year-old wore British, Commonwealth, and European belts, but a world title was beyond his reach. As he approaches the conclusion of his boxing life, he is likely to live with that regret forever.
February 2012 saw Chisora’s maiden attempt at a world title as he pushed Vitali Klitschko the whole distance but fell short. In his following bout, David Haye stopped him in the fifth round. Still unconcerned, he rebounded with a five-fight winning run over the following year and set up the stage for another world title challenge.
Tyson Fury ended his winning streak in 2014, but Chisora picked up where he had left off and responded with five more wins. He lost to Kubrat Pulev and struggled to find consistency afterwards. However, a redemption win over Pulev granted the Zimbabwean one more chance to become the world champion.
Chisora faced Fury again in his next clash, knowing a win would make him the rightful owner of the WBC world heavyweight belt. But he fell to the Gypsy King once again, squandering what may have been the final world title opportunity of his career. He has won back-to-back fights afterward and currently holds a 35-13 record.
Wallin is still waiting for his first world title challenge, but the Swede is not far away from one. He currently has a 27-2 record, and a win against Chisora would significantly strengthen his path to a title fight. Wallin has an excellent all-round game, but he lost both times he faced top-tier opponents.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Bookmaker Pinnacle is treating Wallin as the favourite in this fight, and we understand why. Physically, Wallin has a big advantage over Chisora. He is seven years younger and has a bigger height and reach advantage. If he can control the distance, he should be able to win this fight.
But we still back a Chisora win. He beat Joe Joyce only six months ago, who, unlike Wallin, is a former interim WBO champion. Chisora still packs significant power in his punches, and if he can make this bout a slug-fest, which we believe he will, he should win this one.
Best Golf Prediction This Week
The WM Phoenix Open brings the action back to TPC Scottsdale, which has some of the loudest galleries you would see in golf. Have a look at our golf prediction for this week to find out who we believe will become the champion in Arizona.
Billy Horschel to Win PGA WM Phoenix Open @ 67.230
Top golfers from across the world are scheduled to gather on TPC Scottsdale this week for the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, where the famous Stadium Course—home of the legendary 16th hole, “The Coliseum”—offers an exciting environment with fans surrounding the whole fairway and green.
The WM Phoenix Open is one of the liveliest events on the PGA Tour calendar, if not the liveliest of all. However, last year’s tournament was plagued by bad weather, muddy course conditions, and a temporary fan lockout brought on by crowding and disorderly behaviour. Thankfully, the organisers have taken steps to avoid another chaotic experience.
So, we are hopeful that we will only talk about what’s happening on the course this week. TPC Scottsdale has been a happy hunting ground for world number one Scottie Scheffler. He won his first PGA Tour silverware here in 2022 and defended his crown the following year. Scheffler enters the fray as the only competitor with single digit odds to win the competition.
That makes us inclined to look elsewhere for greater value bets. Scheffler had to settle for a T3 finish here last year. Nick Taylor saw off Charley Hoffman in a playoff battle to win the competition. The Canadian was only the third non-US champion the tournament has seen in its past 17 editions.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Billy Horschel is our pick as the potential WM Phoenix Open winner this year. Horschel comes at a mouth-watering price of 67.320 on bookmaker Pinnacle. It does appear a long-shot at this moment, but we have reasons to believe the Florida man can thrive in the middle of the Arizona desert this weekend.
Horschel boasts an excellent record at the 16th, one of the toughest holes to play due to its close proximity to the fans. He is an extrovert who can stay focused in the rowdy atmosphere of the TPC Scottsdale. He has made the cut in his last 10 appearances at this event, with a sixth and a ninth place finish in the past five years.
Horschel showed more promise last week at Pebble Beach, when he finished tied for ninth, having won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September. We expect him to build on that performance and mount a successful title charge in Phoenix.
Best American Football Predictions This Week
On February 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Super Bowl LIX is set to be a historic battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. This game is a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where the Chiefs defeated the Eagles 38-35. The Chiefs are chasing a historic three-peat, but will the Eagles fly too high for them this time around? Here are our betting picks for the mega event.
Eagles to Win @ 2.010
The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have gotten to the stage where their success feels nearly certain. Just behind the early 2000s New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, who won 10 in a row, they have won nine consecutive playoff games including back-to-back Super Bowls, matching the second-longest streak in NFL history.
They have exhibited certain flaws in the Super Bowl, despite their supremacy. Mahomes has thrown seven touchdowns and five interceptions in his four Super Bowl appearances. But, his performance in earlier postseason rounds has been significantly more effective—36 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
Remarkably, Kansas City has managed to win three of their four Super Bowls during the Mahomes era, yet they have trailed by 10 or more points in each one. Given that all other quarterbacks are 4-48 when down by 10 or more points in the Super Bowl, this is practically unheard of.
The Chiefs will drop to the Eagles should the trend hold for Super Bowl LIX. Thanks in part to their approach of allowing Saquon Barkley and their offensive line to take control, Philadelphia topped the NFL in both average time of possession (32:22) and time of possession margin (4:45) this season.
Philadelphia’s success might depend on continuously pounding the Chiefs’ front with Barkley since it has shown to be successful. With an average of 147.3 rushing yards per game in the postseason, the Eagles running back has exceeded 100 yards in 14 of their 19 games this season, including five straight ones.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Should Kansas City turn the ball over even once, the earlier discussion about the Eagles’ superior run game against the Chiefs’ run defence could be the decisive element, favouring Philadelphia. Just behind the 1998 Super Bowl winner Denver Broncos, who forced nine turnovers without committing any before their triumph, the Eagles have an 8-0 turnover differential in playoffs, the second-best in Super Bowl history.
When the Eagles last faced the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Miles Sanders’ performance hurt their cause, rushing for only 16 yards on seven carries and fumbling. Barkley is a significant upgrade who can lead them to a Super Bowl LIX victory. We are betting on the underdog here, but not without rationale.
Saquon Barkley to Rush for 150 or More Yards – Yes @ 3.750
One of the standout stories of the season has been Barkley. The Eagles’ dynamic dual-threat running back is set to claim the Offensive Player of the Year award at the NFL Honors later this week, having become the ninth player in history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in his debut season with Philadelphia.
Over his first three playoff games with the Eagles, Barkley has picked up 442 running yards and averages 6.7 yards per carry (YPC). However, this could change if the game script doesn’t go in their favour, particularly if the Eagles fall behind or struggle to get their offence moving against a strong Chiefs’ defence.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Almost every team up until now has failed to contain Barkley, and we expect him to go past the 150-yard mark and set a new record, guiding the Eagles to revenge and a victory over the Chiefs in their second Super Bowl meeting.
Both Teams to Score in the First Quarter – Yes @ 2.170
When these two teams last faced in the Super Bowl, Philadelphia led 24-14 at the break and the Eagles and Chiefs combined for an amazing 38-point first half. It was a high-scoring contest right from the off.
With each team scoring more than 10 points in the first half of their five combined playoff games entering Super Bowl 59, Philadelphia and Kansas City have been explosive at scoring points on the board early this playoffs.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
We don’t think, however, that we are going to get another 73-point finale to the season. Both look to be in better defensive shape than they were two seasons back. So, the final total might be well below that mark.
But, we do believe that both teams will be eager to get a strong start. So, we are expecting to see both teams to score within the first 15 minutes of the game. Bookmaker Pinnacle is offering odds of 2.170 for this outcome.
Best MMA Predictions This Week
The UFC flies to Australia this weekend for UFC 312. Let’s find out which fights we recommend betting on in our weekly preview.
Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis 2 – Strickland to Win @ 2.700
Now with the middleweight title on the line, Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland reprise their rivalry one year and 20 days following their first fight in Toronto at UFC 297. The duo will feature in the headline act at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday night.
Aiming to maintain his unbeaten record intact and extend his victory streak to 11 as he defends his belt for the second time, Du Plessis goes to the Octagon for his second consecutive fight in Australia. Following his January belt claim, “Stillknocks” met Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth last August, turning in “The Last Stylebender” to confirm his position at the top of the division.
Strickland defeated Adesanya in this very arena to gain the title, then lost the belt at the beginning of last year. He recovered with a strong performance against UFC 302’s Paulo Costa, a split decision fight. Now, seeking retribution over Du Plessis this weekend, he will strive to join Adesanya as only the second boxer to hold the middleweight belt twice.
The first meeting between these two was a battle of the closest possible margins: a five-round clash where each round could have gone either way, with a strong case for both fighters claiming victory. Both fighters drained the tank, so it will be interesting to watch whether the sequel is equally fiercely disputed or if one of them can exert control to the point where nobody questions who walks away with the title.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
We were a bit surprised to see that bookmaker Pinnacle has assigned such short odds to Du Plessis. Yes, the South African deserves to go into this fight as the favourite, but we think the pricing severely undervalues Strickland’s potential to win this bout.
If the odds were closer, we would have explored other markets. But a Strickland win at 2.700 seems like a risk worth taking. The Californian was not far away from a victory last time, and he might be able to nick one here. So, we will bet on Strickland making amends for Toronto.
Tatiana Suarez vs. Weili Zhang – Zhang to Win @ 1.990
The strawweight champion Weili Zhang will defend her title against the undefeated Tatiana Suarez in what looks to be a fascinating co-main event before Du Plessis and Strickland square off for the second time inside the Octagon.
Zhang’s only fight in 2024 was one for the books; the two-time champion rallied to overcome fellow Chinese fighter Yan Xiaonan in a riveting UFC 300 clash. Having four straight victories and strong title defences since recovering the belt at the close of 2023, Zhang will attempt to keep her rule atop the division and inflict Suarez her first professional loss in Sydney this weekend.
Often regarded as a future champion, Suarez now gets her long-awaited shot at UFC gold. The 34-year-old earned her first UFC contract following a successful Ultimate Fighter stint. Since then, she has put together a six-fight winning run. A win this weekend will make her the sixth woman in UFC history to claim the strawweight belt.
Starting with the stylistic difference between the two fighters, this fight presents intrigue on several levels. While Suarez is a top-notch wrestler and grappler who has not yet been tested or surpassed on the mat, Zhang has leaned more on her grappling and toughness in recent outings to dominate her opponent.
There are also questions surrounding age and health, with Zhang now 35 and nearing 30 professional bouts, while Suarez has faced injury struggles and hasn’t fought since submitting Jessica Andrade in August 2023.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Bookmaker Pinnacle surprised us once again by naming Suarez the favourite for this tie. However, it presents an excellent opportunity. Zhang has a near-perfect game and has been more active than Suarez. The American fighter should struggle to overcome a fighter of Zhang’s calibre after such a lengthy layoff. Taking all that into consideration, Zhang is our pick for the fight.
Tallison Teixeira vs. Justin Tafa – Teixeira to Win @ 1.763
Power-punching heavyweights Justin Tafa and Tallison Teixeira go head-to-head in the final non-title contest of UFC 312 this weekend. Teixeira has an unblemished 7-0 MMA record to defend, while Tafa will look to add one more win to his 7-4-1 record.
After his only bout in 2024 came with a unanimous decision loss against Karl Williams, Tafa seeks to recover. Having previously dispatched Austen Lane at UFC 293 when the UFC last visited Sydney, the heavy-handed slugger will be hungry to deliver another knockout in Sydney after securing all of his wins via stoppage.
Heading to Australia for his UFC debut this weekend, Teixeira is part of the Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) Class of 24. The towering Brazilian secured his contract with a first-round stoppage victory, extending his unbeaten record to 7-0, and now looks to keep his perfect finishing rate intact as he enters the Octagon for the first time.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Teixeira may have only a handful of fights under his belt, but he certainly made an impression with his first-round knockout of Arthur Lopes in a Contender Series bout last September. Standing at 6’7” and weighing 258 pounds, the Brazilian has showcased relentless aggression and raw power throughout his career. In his victory over Lopes, he unleashed an astonishing 14 significant strikes per minute.
Tafa has shown in the past that his performance declines as the fight progresses. Unless he knocks out Teixeira early in the fight, he will have a hard time coping with the young Brazilian. We believe Teixeira can survive the early onslaught and grow into the fight, eventually winning it.
Best Football Predictions This Week
We will sign off with two football predictions. One for the EFL Cup semi-final clash between Liverpool and Spurs and the other for the Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.
Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur – Over 3.75 Goals @ 1.840
Liverpool welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield for the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final. Spurs travel to Merseyside with a slender 1-0 lead, but Ange Postecoglou’s men still face a daunting task of surviving a frenetic 90 minutes at the den of the Premier League leaders.
Nearly a month has gone by since Lucas Bergvall struck late to hand Spurs victory in the first leg of this semi-final, a match overshadowed by controversy. Moments before clinching the goal, Bergvall avoided what could have been a second yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Kostas Tsimikas.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot made no attempt to hide his discontent about the incident, but he could hardly agree that the Reds deserved more. It was an uncharacteristically quiet night for Liverpool and they barely threatened the Spurs goalkeeper throughout the match.
Slot saw his team dismantling the Lilywhites 6-3 in December at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in the Premier League. His team have been in excellent form in the league as well. In their latest match, they picked up an impressive win against a resilient Bournemouth side to stay six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Tottenham have had a terrible league campaign this season. They are currently 14th in the league and trail fourth-placed Chelsea by 16 points. Tottenham did manage to arrest the slump on the weekend with a 2-0 victory over Brentford. The win came after Spurs sealed their place in the Europa League last 16 with an effortless win against Elfsborg.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
On paper, the pressure should be on Liverpool ahead of this tie. Tottenham go through if they can keep Liverpool from scoring, but their defensive record this season makes it hard to believe that they will be able to return from Anfield with a clean sheet.
Liverpool should start the match with more urgency since there are no Premier League commitments on the weekend. We think the Reds will be able to pick the lock of a shaky Spurs defence and deliver another goal-fest. So, we’ll take bookmaker Pinnacle’s offer of 1.840 on over 3.75 goals being scored in this match.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco – Over 3.5 Goals @ 1.961
Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco will treat French football fans to another marquee match-up on Friday evening. The Ligue 1 powerhouses will meet for the third time in the span of one and a half months. The league authority rescheduled this match so that both teams can have enough time to prepare for their European commitments.
After a commanding 5-2 away at Brest, who they will shortly encounter in the Champions League, PSG’s unrelenting pursuit of another Ligue 1 crown shows no signs of slowing down. That victory lifted them to 50 points for the campaign, a milestone reached only six times in history after 20 games. Unbeaten in French football this season, they comfortably clear Marseille by ten points at the summit.
Luis Enrique’s men now focus on Monaco, a side they have already beaten twice in recent weeks—first in Ligue 1 before Christmas and then in the Trophée des Champions in early January.
Monaco are third in Ligue 1 standings, but they have struggled against their top-five peers this season. Adi Hutter’s men only have one point to show for their four matches against Nice, Marseille, PSG, and Lille. As a result, the Red and Whites will not travel to Paris with a lot of confidence.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 5th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Both of these teams love playing free flowing football, so we believe this will be a high-scoring affair. Therefore, we recommend betting over 3.5 goals to be scored in this match.
The Best Bets to Make This Week
Don’t forget to have a look at our betting picks for the week before you leave. Here they are at a glance:
- Derek Chisora vs. Otto Wallin – Chisora to win @ 2.800
- Billy Horschel to win PGA WM Phoenix Open @ 67.230
- Eagles to win Super Bowl LIX @ 2.010
- Saquon Barkley to rush for 150 or more yards – yes @ 3.750
- Both Teams to score in the first quarter – yes @ 2.170
- Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis 2 – Strickland to win @ 2.700
- Tatiana Suarez vs. Weili Zhang – Zhang to win @ 1.990
- Tallison Teixeira vs. Justin Tafa – Teixeira to win @ 1.763
- Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur – over 3.75 goals @ 1.840
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco – over 3.5 goals @ 1.961
We’ve backed the underdogs multiple times this week. The betting odds, along with the available markets, indicate plenty of opportunities to find value in the events discussed above. If you’re feeling adventurous, these picks could be worth a punt – particularly Horschel pulling off an upset in Phoenix.
