Punters Panel: Weekend football betting advice from our experts

Another busy weekend of football action is almost upon us – and we’ve re-assembled a series of sharp minds to help mark your card in the form of our brand new Punters Panel here at Odds Now!

Introducing the Odds Now Football Punters Panel

Before we get stuck in, here’s a little bit more on the five men answering our key questions:

Matt Hill - Head of Content at Odds Now and an experienced football bettor with over a decade in the betting industry. Follow Matt on X HERE.

Felix Morson-Pate - Football trader at a leading bookmaker and our resident data expert – check out Felix’s latest weekly column HERE.

Gab Sutton - Leading EFL journalist, lower league expert and co-host of Odds Now’s EFL Betting Show – watch this week’s episode HERE.

Adam Drury - Odds Now’s primary football tipster, who is enjoying a stellar 2024-25 campaign. Check out Adam's Friday night fancies HERE.

Scott Redfearn - Veteran football punter and renowned value hunter. Follow Scott on X HERE.

Now, onto the fun stuff!

Can you give us your best bet of the football weekend?

MH - The National League South will deliver the bonkers finish it deserves on Saturday with SIX teams still able to win the title on the final day. South West duo Truro and Torquay hold the aces, joint-top on 86 points with the latter trailing by two in the goal difference stakes. A heavy win is therefore required for the Gulls and 13/10 about them beating mid-table Hemel Hempstead by more than a goal – available with numerous outlets – looks worth snaffling.

FMP - I’ll go for Dortmund to beat Hoffenheim at 3/4. They’ll want to end the season on somewhat of a high if possible, having failed to mount any kind of serious challenge this term.

GS - I fancy the Walsall win to nil at 6/4 against Accrington with Betway. They've actually not been threatened very much in either of their last two games, and shipping two against Harrogate was a bit of a fluke. They've definitely had periods where you can see the confidence is fragile, but they've also had periods where they're all over their opponents and they're just looking for a rub of the green that could swing things back in their favour.

AD - Exeter draw no bet at home to Huddersfield at 7/5 with Betfair. The visitors are managerless, sacked their director of football last week and – most pressingly – have lost four in a row. They’re in dreadful shape and I’m amazed we can get the Grecians on side with the money-back insurance at odds-against.

SF - Crawley at EVS to beat Northampton this weekend amongst many books stands out. The Cobblers have achieved their status in the third tier for next term, while Crawley under Scott Lindsay will be up for this one knowing three points will give them a chance to stay up. A loss or a draw and it’s basically all over for them.

Which short-priced favourite would you be most keen to oppose?

MH - I’d steer clear of Chelsea at 8/13 at home to Everton in Saturday’s early kick-off. Enzo Maresca’s hosts haven’t convinced me for a couple of months and can’t be trusted to overcome a stubborn Toffees outfit who, since losing David Moyes’ first game back in mid-January, have only been turned over by Liverpool and Manchester City. That equates to avoiding defeat in 12 of 14 outings.

FMP - I wouldn’t rush to back Ajax at 9/20 at home to Sparta Rotterdam. The title’s not quite wrapped up, so nerves could come into play and Sparta have been my ones to watch all season long in the Eredivisie.

GS - Middlesbrough. Conventional wisdom says you factor in the permutations at this stage of the season, and who 'needs' the points most, which would be Boro, but I've never felt this side have the minerals to deliver at the crucial points of a season. I think there's a chance Jack Wilshere can be a refreshing voice for Norwich for these last two games – and bearing in mind that these teams have been competing in a similar vicinity of the table for large swathes of this season, I think the Canaries could damage their play-off bid. I actually make the 11/2 on Norwich a bet.

AD - I picked out Walsall last week and they duly drew 2-2 with Harrogate, so there’s no need to overthink this. The Saddlers are 12 without a win – with just two victories in 19 – yet can be backed as short as 8/13 to beat Accrington Stanley. Bad runs are there to be ended but that’s a smelly price.

SF - It’s hard to get excited about Walsall. Despite no win in 12, they still have a chance for automatic promotion with Doncaster playing Bradford this weekend. But needing to win to keep their top three dream alive, I can’t trust them at 8/13 and would avoid – especially with recent dropped points vs Newport and Harrogate.

The end of the season normally throws up high-scoring affairs. Can you find us a goal-fest from the Saturday slate?

MH - York City look nailed on to occupy that unfortunate second spot in the National League table this term, sitting six points behind leaders Barnet with just two games to go. Although the play-offs surely lie in wait, I see no reason why their recent free-scoring won’t continue against Solihull this weekend. The hosts have netted 21 times in their last six outings, while Moors sit fourth in the division’s BTTS rankings. Over 3.5 goals appeals at 13/8.

FMP - The Yorkshire derby that doubles as a promotion battle, Doncaster vs Bradford could well come alive in the early kick-off. Over 3.5 goals is 11/4 in that one.

GS - I think Chesterfield could rack up a cricket-score. Morecambe have made a great effort at survival this season, odd as that sounds for a team on 36 points, with a squad that's nowhere near this level on paper. They've been in a lot of games and often suffered narrow defeats, just falling on the wrong side. I think that takes a mental toll and after relegation, it wouldn't surprise me if they had one or two games that just feel like a bridge too far, and the team might just have a dip in energy levels. The Spireites have quality, only losing one of their last 11, and they have Will Grigg up top – I see a world where this finishes something like 5-0 with a Grigg hat-trick. Could be one for the handicap market.

AD - In the Bundesliga, Holsten Kiel have conceded twice in seven consecutive home games. They host Borussia Monchengladbach, who have scored 14 in their last six on the road. With both teams in need of a win, that one could escalate, and over 3.5 is generally available at 6/5.

SF - I’m expecting goals again at Hillsborough this weekend, After recent heavy criticism, Sheffield Wednesday were involved in an entertaining game vs Middlesbrough last weekend with over 40 shots in total. I’m expecting another end to end contest against a Portsmouth side who have secured safety and can play with freedom. Over 2.5 is EVS with 365 and over 3.5 is 12/5.

Any goalscorer or prop bets that take your eye this weekend?

MH - What a run 33-year-old forward Simon Murray is having at Dundee. Seven goals in as many SPL outings means the experienced operator now finds himself just one behind Celtic’s Daizen Maeda in the most unlikely of Golden Boot races. I’m more than happy to take 7/2 on him finding the net again when the Dark Blues travel to Hearts on Saturday afternoon – particularly given he’s on penalties too.

FMP - Keito Nakamura to score/assist against Montpellier at 10/11. The Japanese star has 13 goal contributions in 28 starts and comes up against the worst Ligue 1 side I’ve seen for a while.

GS - As above, Grigg is 33/1 to score a hat-trick. I think he'll get lots of chances in this game. He's scored two in his last four and we've seen over the years that he's an outstanding finisher.

AD - Youri Tielemans and Ilkay Gundogan have been piquing my interest in the shots market in recent weeks and I’m going to take them in a double to have one each across the two FA Cup semi-finals. It’s hardly a thrill-a-minute punt – a shade longer than EVS with Unibet – but has also been winning regularly.

SF - Jonathan Leko started his first game last week for MK Dons after over 12 months out injured, He’s had several cameos off the bench as he regains fitness but if new manager Paul Warne keeps faith with the starting 11 that won last week, then he’ll be eager to put on a show. He’s out of contract in the summer and I’m taking the 7/2 with 365 (Super Sub included) for an anytime goal scorer punt.

With plenty of outright markets reaching boiling point, does anything catch your eye right now as a value price?

MH - I plugged them last week at 7/1 for a top-seven finish and 50/1 for promotion, but if you missed that, I’d get Chesterfield on side in the League Two markets at 9/2 and 40/1 respectively. Entering the weekend in tenth, they should have no issues beating already relegated Morecambe and with eighth and ninth-placed Colchester and Salford facing each other, I expect the Spireites to have a live chance of sneaking in on the final day thanks to their strong goal difference.

FMP - I like the prices around AFC Wimbledon for League 2 promotion. They are a very well drilled outfit in my opinion and 11/4 is worth having on side.

GS - In League Two, Grimsby to finish in the top 7 can be backed at 5/4 with Betfair. Their fate is in their own hands going into the last two games, and if they win at MK Dons this weekend they take a huge step towards sealing things. See my column for more details!

AD - I made a case for Salford last week (who have indeed shortened since). But on a similar line, if Chesterfield win both of their final two matches, against Morecambe and Accrington Stanley, they also have a great chance of finishing in League Two’s top seven. I like the 9/2 available with Bet365 on them making it and it could be worth a dabble on them winning promotion at 40/1 with LiveScore Bet too.

SF - I’m already on them - but I’m happy to have one more play. Southend top seven finish is still a play at 9/4 for me in the National League. Wealdstone are fighting for their life but you have to fancy the Shrimpers at home to pick up three points – if they don’t, they won’t make the play offs. I’d also back them to get a result at a Gateshead side on the last day who have only won two out their last 12 games.

Give us your two FA Cup semi-final winners – and any betting fancies if you have them!

MH - Crystal Palace and Aston Villa is a proper semi-final, isn’t it? You’d give Villa the edge on raw talent but given their hectic campaign, I have a feeling a slightly fresher Palace might be able to sneak that one. The FA Cup is now a bigger deal than usual for Manchester City and I think they’ll find a way past Nottingham Forest. Both Palace and City to win in regular time could be worth a tickle at 5/1 with Betfair.

FMP - Manchester City will face Crystal Palace in the final. I like both Palace to qualify at 6/5 and for them to progress in ET at a chunky 14/1.

GS - Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. Aston Villa and Manchester City have had draining Champions League campaigns, whereas those two can go into it with fresh energy and a real opportunity to try and make history. Palace have never won a major trophy in their entire history, while the FA Cup was the one that the late, great Brian Clough missed out on at Forest, who were runners-up to Tottenham in 1991.

AD - Aside from the shot double above, I’ll have a small wager on a 0-0 draw between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City on Sunday at 12/1 with AK Bets. Pep Guardiola’s solution to a poor season seems to have been to pack the midfield and make games stodgy, with the 0-0 at Manchester United, 2-0 win at Everton and 2-1 win over Villa all proving a difficult watch. We know Forest don’t open up much either and the league game between these two in March was goalless until the 83rd minute. All four finals are possible, but I’ll side with Villa and City progressing.

SF - I’ll keep this very simple. We’ve seen two penalty shoot outs in the last two seasons at the FA Cup semi final stage. With just 10 league positions separating the four remaining teams, I’m going to back both games to be decided on penalties. It’s 5/1 for the Villa/Palace game and 11/2 for the City/Forest game. And heck, I’ll even stick 0.5 units on the double at 38/1 with 365.

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