Welcome back to our weekly selection of sports bets as we look for the best betting opportunities of the week. We are in late March, which means international football is back. Top national teams around the world will be in action in the coming days. We have selected three of them to bring some enticing betting prospects.
For our remaining tips, we have gone for darts, boxing, UFC, and rugby league wagers. Join us and explore the best betting deals of the week, with odds sourced from bookmaker Pinnacle.
Best Darts Prediction This Week
We will have to wait till May 29th to find out who will become the new Premier League Darts champion. However, only a few days remain to put in outright bets for the competition. So, here’s who we think will become the new Premier League king of darts.
Luke Littler to Win @ 2.050
The Premier League Darts spectacle rolls into Cardiff this week. The highlight in the Welsh capital will be the clash between world number one Luke Humphries and third-ranked Michael van Gerwen. The Utilita Arena will also see exciting battles like Luke Littler vs. Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price vs. Rob Cross, and Stephen Bunting vs. Chris Dobey.
Premier League Darts brings Thursday night events to our screens across 17 UK and European venues. The champion will be crowned at the arena on May 29th at the O2 Arena after the play-offs. Although the crowning moment is still over two months away, bookmaker Pinnacle’s deadline for outright bets is Thursday night.
The top four in the points table will progress to the play-offs in London. After two semi-finals and the final, the 2025 Premier League Darts champion will hoist the trophy. Before the start of this week’s events, Littler tops the standings with two night wins. Humphries, Price, and Van Gerwen make up the rest of the play-off zone at the moment.
Of course, there could well be plenty of reshuffling in this list, since the play-offs are still far away. But we won’t be surprised to see the top four remain unchanged. Rankings say Humphries is currently the best player in the world, Price is fresh off a week six win in Nottingham, and Van Gerwen has seven Premier League titles to his name.
With that said, our money is on Littler defending his title. The 18-year-old thoroughly silenced the critics who doubted his ‘premature’ Premier League Darts selection a year ago. The ‘Nuke’ dominated the group stage and finished four points ahead of his namesake with a different surname, Humphries.
Littler carried on the momentum and claimed the title on finals night. He posted three-figure averages in wins over Michael Smith and Luke Humphries last season and appears to have picked up right where he left off. So, we can’t think of anyone else other than Littler taking home the trophy again.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Littler and Humphries are at the top of the winner’s odds list at bookmaker Pinnacle. While both have near-identical chances of winning, we’re tipping the shortest option to come through.
Best Boxing Predictions This Week
We’ve selected two bouts from opposite sides of the globe for this week’s betting picks. First up, in the land down under, Jake Wyllie takes on former world champion George Kambosos Jr. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Sebastian Fundora will defend his WBC and WBO titles against Chordale Booker.
Jake Wyllie vs. George Kambosos Jr – Over 8.5 @ 1.917
A late change in opposition sees George Kambosos taking on Australian super lightweight champion Jake Wyllie in Sydney on Saturday. The original match-up paired Daud Yordan with ‘Ferocious’, but the Indonesian had to withdraw because of a medical situation. The organisers then scheduled a replacement bout with Wyllie.
The 24-year-old orthodox had initially bought tickets to watch the fight, but in an unexpected shake-up, he will now fight Kambosos himself. The fight comes on incredibly short notice for Wyllie. But, the young Aussie couldn’t resist the allure of a real-life Rocky Balboa story and agreed to step in.
Wyllie brings a perfect 16-0 record to the ring, with 15 KO wins. He will be fighting for the first time since his fight with Allan Villanueva in late February. The bout ended without a result as Villanueva sustained a head injury that rendered him ineligible to finish.
The Queenslander won the vacant Australian super lightweight title last November by beating Dylan Emery. He is an excellent fighter, but he did not face an opponent of Kambosos’ stature before. Wyllie lacks the experience, so bookies have pegged him as a massive underdog in this fight.
Kambosos has previously held the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and IBO straps. After suffering three losses in his last four outings, however, he will be entering the ring without a belt. He wants to return to the championship conversation soon and a win on Saturday will set him up against IBF junior-welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Wyllie should produce a spirited display against Kambosos, but he did not get enough to prepare for a fight of this magnitude. We see Kambosos picking up a late stoppage in this one or winning via decision. So, expect the fight to go more than eight rounds.
Chordale Booker vs. Sebastian Fundora – Under 9.5 @ 1.840
Chordale Booker and Sebastian Fundora will headline a Premier Boxing Champions card on Saturday night. Fundora will defend his WBO and WBC light middleweight titles for the first time. He won both straps by beating Tim Tszyu in a bloody affair last year.
Standing at over six feet five inches with an 80-inch reach, Fundora is a physical marvel. He holds an eight-inch height advantage and a 10-inch reach advantage over Booker. ‘The Towering Inferno’ will be aware, however, that similar advantages did not help him against Brian Mendoza two years ago.
The loss to Mendoza remains the only defeat in Fundora’s 23-fight career. He has won 21 and shared the bragging rights with Jamontay Clark in 2019. Fundora has impressive power and a sturdy chin. 62% of his wins have come via stoppage, but he managed to knock out only one of his last five opponents.
Aside from his victory over Tszyu, Fundora also has wins over Carlos Ocampo, Erickson Lubin, Donnie Marshall, Nathaniel Gallimore, Habib Ahmed, Jorge Cota, and Sergio Garcia in his catalog.
Booker is a southpaw like Fundora and also has a decent record. He is currently at 23-1 and has enjoyed 11 KO wins. The Stamford, Connecticut-native has shown more power in his recent fights, however. He has won four of his last five via stoppage and will be hoping to settle the bout early against Fundora as well.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Fundora will be entering the ring a year later, but he should be able to get the better of Booker. He has fought against more illustrious fighters in his career and has significant physical advantages over his opponent. That’s why we believe the fight could end early.
Best MMA Prediction This Week
The UFC comes to London for the 16th time on Saturday night. Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady will be the main event, but we will look at one of the preliminary match-ups for our MMA pick of the week.
Chris Padilla vs. Jai Herbert – Herbert to Win @ 1.909
Wolverhampton-native Jai Herbert will enjoy local support against Chris Padilla in a lightweight battle at O2 Arena. Herbert doesn’t have a great record in the English capital. That said, he will be confident of adding a win to his 1-2-1 record in London after an excellent victory against Rolando Bedoya in Dubai last year.
Herbert headed into his UFC debut in 2020 with significant hype. He had enjoyed considerable success on the regional scene under the ‘The Black Country Banger’ moniker. Still, there were hints that the Englishman might struggle with the jump in competition.
A fighter with the speed and size to be a clinical sniper, Herbert often got too caught up in close-quarters exchanges, which limited his ability to capitalise on his natural attributes.
Herbert’s UFC career got off to a rocky start, with three losses in four bouts, though one of those was a near-knockout of Ilia Topuria. But now, he seems to have hit his stride. Shifting to a more methodical approach, Herbert finally looked comfortable as a range striker in his recent win over Bedoya.
While his potential may be capped, Herbert should continue to be a dependable, solid lightweight in the middle of the rankings.
Padilla’s early UFC experience has been entirely different, however. His pre-UFC career was 10 years long but his CV didn’t stand out, with losses to regional fighters and struggles against any notable step up in competition. A win over UFC veteran Justin Jaynes was a glaring exception, which earned him his shot in the promotion.
While it’s unclear how far Padilla can go, he has exceeded expectations in the UFC so far. He demonstrated remarkable composure with wins over James Llontop and Rongzhu, with a swift submission of Llontop and a brutal standing elbow that led to an injury stoppage against Rongzhu.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Odds from Pinnacle suggest that it’s going to be a close contest. Herbert is the marginal favourite and we think he has the quality to grind out another victory against a relatively inexperienced Padilla.
Best Rugby League Predictions This Week
There are some big matchups in the NRL this week with lucrative betting opportunities. Here are three bets you can consider laying in round three:
New Zealand Warriors vs. Sydney Roosters – Roosters -1.5 @ 2.160
New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters did not have the ideal starts to their campaigns. But both have restored confidence with vital second round wins, however. Now the Kiwis will welcome the Roosters at Go Media Stadium on Friday as each look to build further momentum.
After Tom Trbojevic scored within the first three minutes at Go Media Stadium on Friday night, it seemed the Warriors were on track for another tough evening following their opening day loss to Canberra.
However, they quickly turned things around, with Luke Metcalf and Wayde Egan running riot against the Sea Eagles to secure a 36-16 victory. With their attacking flair back in full force, they’ll now set their sights on exploiting a Roosters team that has conceded 14 tries in two matches this season.
Coming off what Roosters boss Trent Robinson has hailed as one of his team’s greatest victories, Sydney will be eager to build on their remarkable upset of Penrith. Although their pack was overrun in round one, they rose to the occasion in round two, led by Naufahu Whyte.
This shift allowed Sandon Smith and Chad Townsend to execute more attacking kicks, which paid off handsomely. With a few more attacking options set to return for the trip to Go Media Stadium, the Roosters can hope to trouble the Warriors defence on Friday.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
The Warriors have not enjoyed hosting the Roosters in recent years, failing to win against the Sydney outfit at home since 2017. We’re backing the Roosters to cover a -1.5 spread in this game.
Brisbane Broncos vs. North Queensland Cowboys – Over 50.5 @ 1.925
Brisbane and North Queensland, two of Queensland’s most storied clubs, are set for another fierce battle at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. With a history of epic encounters, including the iconic 2015 grand final, these two teams have produced countless memorable moments. In recent times, however, the Broncos have largely dominated their head-to-head encounters.
After a dominant win over the Sydney Roosters in round one, the Broncos were humbled by the Canberra Raiders last week. Michael Maguire has kept the same team in place as he looks to spark a return to their strong early-season form on Friday.
With tough losses to the Manly Sea Eagles and Cronulla Sharks in the opening rounds, the Cowboys are still chasing their first win of the season. To get that much-needed victory on Friday, they’ll need to snap a four-match losing streak against the Brisbane Broncos. Each of those losses has been by a margin of 12 points or more.
The Cowboys have given up 138 points across their last four matches with the Broncos. Based on their defensive performances so far in 2025, they could be facing another challenging evening against the six-time Premiership winners.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
A powerful attack vs. a struggling defence. This match seems to be the perfect recipe for a high scoring affair. Bookmaker Pinnacle has set the over/under market for this match at 50.5 points. This threshold was crossed in three of the four matches involving the two sides this season, and feels like a great bet to us.
Cronulla Sharks vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs – Rabbitohs to Win @ 5.060
The Sharks will look to break the Rabbitohs’ undefeated start to the season at Shark Park on Saturday afternoon. Under the guidance of master coach Wayne Bennett, the Bunnies have overcome the absences of Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray to secure consecutive wins over the Dolphins and Dragons. However, the test in Woolooware will be a far greater one.
Cronulla will be relieved to play at home after consecutive weeks on the road. Their travels to Las Vegas and Townsville, though, proved successful. They were competitive in the 28-22 loss to Penrith in Vegas, trailing just 12-10 at half-time.
After a weekend off, the Sharks returned to beat North Queensland 36-12 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, with Kayal Iro and Samuel Stonestreet both scoring doubles.
Bennett’s second spell at the Rabbitohs has been a dream start so far. With a win at Shark Park, they can go 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Bennett was at the helm of the club back then too, guiding them to 10 wins in their first 11 matches.
Tyrone Munro bagged a brace as Souths narrowly beat the Dolphins 16-14. They followed that with a stunning comeback against St. George Illawarra, overturning a 12-point deficit to win 25-24, with Jamie Humphreys’ perfect kicking display and match-winning field goal.
Souths have demonstrated a newfound grit after Bennett’s return, but Cronulla will be their first significant challenge of the 2025 season. The Sharks won both of their meetings with Souths last season. They won 34-22 in round six and 20-6 in round 22. Overall, they lead Souths 22-18 in their head-to-head record since 1998.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
That said, it would be unfair to rule out the tremendous spirit this Rabbitohs team has shown under Bennett so far.
If this were a close call, we would have backed the Sharks without hesitation. However, with the Rabbitohs offering such a lucrative return, we believe the bookmakers are significantly undervaluing them. We’re tipping the Rabbitohs to come out on top and deliver a strong return to their backers.
Best Football Predictions This Week
There will be no Premier League or other club football action this week as we enter the lull this time of year. However, we do have some mouthwatering international fixtures to look forward to. Let’s find out how they can serve us from a punter’s perspective.
Italy vs. Germany – Italy to Win @ 2.740
Italy and Germany meet at San Siro on Thursday in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, with a semi-final berth at stake. Germany progressed through League A group three without a loss, while the Italians finished behind France in group two.
Italy, seeking redemption after a disappointing Euro 2024, started their Nations League group stage with renewed vigour. Their momentum halted after suffering a home defeat to France, a team they had previously upset 3-1 in Paris.
This meant the Azzurri had to settle for second place, yet it was still enough to book their spot in the first-ever quarter-finals of UEFA’s latest international competition.
Before their defeat to Les Bleus in Milan, Italy had won four of five matches. Spalletti’s Italy has shown a clear upturn in form, thanks to their revised tactical strategy and some new faces in the squad.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany has remained undefeated in six games since their loss to Spain in the European Championship quarter-finals last summer. They have recorded four wins and two draws to comfortably outpace nearest rivals, the Netherlands in their Nations League group.
Germany’s attack has been firing at an average of three goals per game this Nations League. As Nagelsmann prepares to stand on the dugout for the 20th time as the Die Mannschaft boss, the confidence in the German camp will be soaring high.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Germany will be without some key members as they fly to Milan for this blockbuster match. Benjamin Henrichs, Kai Havertz, Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Florian Wirtz are all unavailable for selection.
Italy will be hoping to exploit this weakened German side on home soil and secure a valuable first-leg lead. They have a formidable forward line that should be able to outscore Germany in San Siro on Thursday evening.
Paraguay vs. Chile – Paraguay 0-0 Chile @ 7.100
The dream of a World Cup return since 2010 burns brightly for Paraguay as they welcome Chile to Asuncion on Thursday night for a crucial CONMEBOL qualifier. Currently in sixth place, La Albirroja are in the final automatic qualifying spot as the campaign resumes after a four-month break. Chile, meanwhile, hope to mount a late push following a poor start.
Following a series of lacklustre performances at the start of qualifying, Paraguay have redefined themselves in recent matches. They have been playing far more entertaining football, and more importantly, the results are also coming their way. Gustavo Alfaro’s men have scored 15 goals in their first 12 matches, but 10 of those have come in their last three outings.
At one point, all hopes seemed lost for Chile. But a 4-2 win against Venezuela has brought them out of the bottom position. Now, they sit only four points away from a play-off position. As a result, La Roja’s World Cup ambitions are still alive.
Ricardo Gareca has named an experienced squad to play Paraguay, making wholesale changes to the side that beat Panama 6-1 in a friendly. The likes of Arturo Vidal, Eduardo Vargas, Alexis Sanchez, and Charles Aranguiz will report for duty as Chile travel to Paraguay for their next World Cup qualifier.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Predicting a 0-0 draw is often tempting when Paraguay are involved. They have been more prolific lately, but breaking down a resurgent Chile side could be problematic for them.
A draw would be a positive result for both teams: it would keep Paraguay comfortably in the top six, while any point on the road would be a valuable boost for Chile as they look to maximise points in their remaining home games.
So, we are leaning towards a goalless stalemate in this match. Bookmaker Pinnacle is offering a sweet seven-fold return on this too.
Brazil vs. Colombia – Brazil Over 1.5 @ 2.080
Thursday night’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying schedule features a highly anticipated meeting between Brazil and Colombia in matchday one. Both teams had a frustrating November window, dropping points and losing ground on their rivals. That said, they still look set to qualify for next summer’s finals without too much trouble.
South American teams have greatly benefited from the 48-team World Cup format. Brazil, who are sitting fifth, would have faced serious elimination risks under the 32-team structure. It would have only guaranteed a play-off position previously, but now the first six teams will all qualify for the finals in North America.
Colombia’s early form under manager Nestor Lorenzo was exceptional. Los Cafeteros were unbeaten in his first 25 matches, but they have now lost four of their last seven. Although their defeat in the Copa America final might explain part of their slump in qualifying, some alarming results suggest there are deeper issues at play.
Colombia have fallen from a secure second place to fourth in just two months. Yet, they still enjoy a comfortable six-point buffer within the top six. Even if they face another loss in Brazil, their next match at home to Paraguay offers a great opportunity for recovery.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 19th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
An away match at Brazil doesn’t seem as daunting as it used to do once, but it seems likely that the Colombians will return empty-handed from their mid-week trip. Colombia have been defensively vulnerable lately, and we expect the hosts to find the back of the net more than once.
The Best Bets to Make This Week
Don’t forget to revisit our picks of the week so you don’t miss out on anything. Here are they are:
- Luke Littler to win Premier League Darts @ 2.050
- Jake Wyllie vs. George Kambosos Jr – over 8.5 @ 1.917
- Chordale Booker vs. Sebastian Fundora – under 9.5 @ 1.840
- Chris Padilla vs. Jai Herbert – Herbert to win @ 1.909
- New Zealand Warriors vs. Sydney Roosters – Roosters -1.5 @ 2.160
- Brisbane Broncos vs. North Queensland Cowboys – over 50.5 @ 1.925
- Cronulla Sharks vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs – Rabbitohs to win @ 5.060
- Italy vs. Germany – Italy to win @ 2.740
- Paraguay vs.Chile – Paraguay 0-0 Chile @ 7.100
- Brazil vs. Colombia – Brazil over 1.5 @ 2.080
The CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier between Paraguay and Chile could very well end in a scoreless draw. Both teams have reasons to play conservative football, and if that happens, it could present a fantastic opportunity for a seven-fold profit.
