Best Bets From Blue Square

The 2008 renewal of the Ryder Cup takes place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, and the USA will be hoping that the return to American soil can bring a change of luck for them as they aim to deny Europe a fourth straight victory.

Nick Faldo captains the Europeans, and Blue Square makes them the 5/6 favourites to continue their domination of the tournament, with Paul Azinger's Americans 11/10 to win their first Ryder Cup this century. It was very close the last time the USA won in 1999, with Ben Crenshaw's team coming out on top 14½ -13½, and we make the tie a 10/1 shot, which won't go unbacked.

The Americans have been soundly beaten in the last two contests, and Faldo will want to carry on the good work done by Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, and Sam Torrance when the competition tees off later on this year.

Meanwhile, on the football front, whilst the English Premier League may get the majority of the focus in the countdown to the new season, a place in the Football League is at stake in the Blue Square Premier. Formerly known as the Conference, the league kicks off this year's season, with the first match on Friday, Aug. 8.

The early title favourites this year are Stevenage Borough, who narrowly missed out on a playoff place last season and are available at 11/2. Among those also fancied are Torquay United at 6/1, and new boys Wrexham at 7/1. A good bet may be last year's losing playoff finalists, Cambridge United, who, at 11/1, seem good value to take the top spot.

The outsiders are, unsurprisingly, Lewes at 125/1. Following a title-winning campaign last year, they now have a new manager and new-look team. Could they surprise everyone and make it consecutive promotions?

Down at the bottom, with Lewes odds-on to return to the Blue Square South, it is perennial strugglers Altrincham, who are favourites to follow them through the trapdoor priced at evens. They have been "relegated" for each of the last three seasons, but a reprieve due to other clubs' financial circumstances has seen them return on each occasion. As always, the newly promoted clubs are those most vulnerable, and the best value may be Kettering Town, who are 10/3 to avoid an instant return to the Blue Square North.

Remember to check out www.bluesq.com/cpe for more prices and in-running odds for all Blue Square Premier matches broadcast live on Setanta Sports.

Check http://www.bluesq.com/cpebet for the best bets.

English Premier League

Manchester United: 13/10
Chelsea: 15/8
Arsenal: 9/2
Liverpool: 7/1

Spanish Primera Liga

Real Madrid: evens
Barcelona: 6/5
Sevilla: 16/1

Italian Serie A

Inter Milan: 10/11
AC Milan: 10/3
Roma: 4/1
Juventus: 5/1

French Ligue 1

Lyon: 4/6
Marseille: 7/2
Bordeaux: 9/2

German Bundesliga

Bayern Munich: 4/9
Werder Bremen: 6/1
Schalke 04: 7/1