The LFW betting challenge returns with two pundits battling it out to finish in profit over the course of the season. Brian actually managed it last season and he is joined this week by new pundit Andy Hillman.

Brian Power

Welcome back one and all and I trust you all enjoyed your summer break from football, that includes any England players having this read out to them. Now I thought I was a really good judge of things in general until recently. It all changed when I saw the trailer for James Corden's World Cup live and I thought now that sounds like a good idea and should be a decent watch. I realise that I know got that wrong – very wrong, Like betting I went chasing my loses and after show one I thought hang on I will give this another go as it can’t get worse. I was wrong - very wrong. I learnt things during this period that can relate to betting at this time of the year.

1. Don’t believe the hype (ITV made out this was great watching. Vernon Kay even referred to it as the highlight of the world cup- get back to what you know best Vern texting page 3 girls).

2. It may look like a good thing but it probably isn’t (Abbey Clancy – Every time she opens her mouth I want to rip my ears off and throw them at her and she is now up there with Joss Stone on my hit list)

Both these points relate to football betting as teams often get hyped up at the start of the season and fall flat on their backsides (us over the past few years). And things that look decent but don’t deliver – Southampton who are short priced favourites to go up as are Luton .

I have been looking at the markets for this year and trying to spot a little bit of value. In League 2 I think Rotherham will do well with Ronnie Moore who knows how to get out this division and Adam Le Fondre a decent striker at this level.

League 1 is done and dusted as far as the bookies are concerned. I mentioned the Saints earlier and I could not back them at that price. I fancy Sheff Wed to do well and they have Tudgay and now Clinton Morrison to fire them to promotion but my cash is going on Huddersfield . Lee Clark is a good young manager and if they can retain his services and that of Jordan Rhodes up front then they could be up as champs next may.

The Premier League looks a two horse race with four or five challenging for the other two Champions League spots however I can’t back anything at that level.

The championship is wide open and any one of ten teams can win it. I think we are missing that 20 goal a season man still and my betting head is saying I can’t back us at 12/1. However my heart says have a flutter just incase the miracle happens.

York who missed out in the play offs last year at 12/1 make sense for the Conference leaving 2/1 favourites Luton to scrap it out with the rest.

As for today's game if we want to be taken seriously these are the games we have to win. Akos has had a good pre-season and we will look at him to open the season with the first goal at 9/1 and go for a 3-1 win at 14/1 with Skybet and double it up for a small stake.

For the notebook:

£2 Lucky 15 and £2e/w acca

QPR to win Championship at 12/1

Huddersfield to win league 1 at 8/1

Rotherham to win League 2 at 12/1

York to win conference at 12/1

For the weekend:

£10 1st scorer Akos at 9/1

£5 QPR to beat Barnsley 3-1

£1 double on the above.

Andy Hillman

With no Premiership action this weekend, the betting market looks towards the Championship and The Community Shield (why do they still bother with this?) – there are odds available for the England midweek match, but as it’s so early there’s very little to choose from.

My first bet is on our game against Barnsley – I’m positive that we are going to win this game, so I’m lumping £20 on a home win, at 1.73 or 11/8 on Betfair. That should return about £35, or £15 profit. I'm also sticking a cheeky fiver on Taarabt to score first @ 13/2 on Bet365 – the same price as Patrick Agyemang (!)… Also, Leeds are better than evens at home against Derby – a fiver there at 11/10 on Victor Chandler just over doubles your money. I’ve also gone for a 5 fold accumulator on Betfair, with QPR, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Weds and Reading all to win. £10 nets £144.58 on that one.

The Community Shield is also almost nailed on to be a draw in 90 minutes, in fact the last three have all been draws at 90 minutes:

2007 - Chelsea 1 – 1 Manchester United

2008 - Manchester United 0 – 0 Portsmouth

2009 - Chelsea 2 – 2 Manchester United

So I’m sticking £10 on a draw at 90 minutes on that one as well, available at around 3.35 or 12/5 – that should return £33.50, or £23 profit off a £10 stake.

For the weekend:

£20 QPR to beat Barnsley 11/8

£5 on Taarabt to score first at 13/2

£5 Leeds to beat Derby at 11/10

Five fold acca, £10 stake, QPR, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Weds and Reading all to win

£10 Community Shield draw after 90 mins, 12/5

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

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