Football Predictions For The Week

| October 2, 2011

Predicting how football matches will go is arguably among the hardest endeavours, although it is tempting to believe that with just three results possible, one should be able to make an intelligent guess, more often than not.

Take a look at bookmakers’ odds, for instance. With money riding on the result of a sporting encounter, professional bookies use mathematical algorithms to work out odds on teams to ensure that their risks are hedged. These odds change as a match progresses; a goal by either side would tilt the odds in favour of said team.

The general assumption is that because “bookies put their money where their mouth is”, gambling information and statistics represent a fair approximation of the relative strengths of teams in the fray.

If you are looking for predictions on the results of this week’s football matches featuring your favourite teams, take a look at the following table. (Note: These predictions do not include matches in the English Premier League; to read our predictions on these matches, click here.)

Important: To find the information you seek, even more quickly, enter the names of your teams, in the search bar above the table.

DateEventHomeAwayPredicted winner
15/2/2012Italian Serie ACesenaCataniaCesena
15/2/2012Italian Serie AParmaJuventusJuventus
15/2/2012Italian Serie AAtalantaGenoaAtalanta
15/2/2012UEFA Champions LeagueZenit St PetersburgBenficaZenit St Petersburg
15/2/2012UEFA Champions LeagueAC MilanArsenalAC Milan
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeaguePlzenSchalke 04Schalke 04
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueWisla KrakowStandard LiegeWisla Krakow
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueSteaua BucharestTwenteTwente
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueUdinesePAOK SalonikaUdinese
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueLazioAtletico MadridLazio
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueTranbzonsporPSV EindhovenPSV Eindhoven
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueAZ AlkmaarAnderlechtAZ Alkmaar
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueLokomotovAthletic BilbaoLokomotov
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueSalzburgKharkivDraw
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueHannoverClub BruggeHannover
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueLegia WarsawSporting LisbonSporting Lisbon
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueAjaxMan UtdMan Utd
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeaguePortoMan CityMan City
16/2/2012UEFA Europa LeagueStokeValenciaValencia
17/2/2012English ChampionshipReadingBurnleyReading
17/2/2012English Blue Square PremierSouthportGrimsbySouthport
17/2/2012Italian Serie AInter MilanBolognaInter Milan
17/2/2012Italian Serie AFiorentinaNapoliFiorentina
17/2/2012German BundesligaHoffenheimMainzHoffenheim
17/2/2012Australian A-LeagueMelbourne HeartGold Coast UtdMelbourne Heart
17/2/2012Dutch ErediviseHeerenveenNAC BredaHeerenveen
18/2/2012English ChampionshipIpswichCardiffCardiff
18/2/2012English ChampionshipSouthamptonDerbySouthampton
18/2/2012English ChampionshipLeedsDoncasterLeeds
18/2/2012English ChampionshipCrystal PalaceWatfordCrystal Palace
18/2/2012English ChampionshipBarnsleyPortsmouthBarnsley
18/2/2012English ChampionshipPeterboroughBristol CityPeterborough
18/2/2012English ChampionshipNottingham ForestCoventryNottingham Forest
18/2/2012English League 1ChesterfieldSheff WedSheff Wed
18/2/2012English League 1HartlepoolNotts CountyHartlepool
18/2/2012English League 1MK DonsOldhamMK Dons
18/2/2012English League 1RochdaleBournemouthRochdale
18/2/2012English League 1ExeterBuryExeter
18/2/2012English League 1Sheff UtdPrestonSheff Utd
18/2/2012English League 1TranmereCharltonCharlton
18/2/2012English League 1YeovilColchesterYeovil
18/2/2012English League 1WalsallWycombeWalsall
18/2/2012English League 1Leyton OrientScunthorpeLeyton Orient
18/2/2012English League 2HerefordSwindonSwindon
18/2/2012English League 2BarnetShrewsburyShrewsbury
18/2/2012English League 2Dag & RedCheltenhamCheltenham
18/2/2012English League 2Bristol RoversOxfordBristol Rovers
18/2/2012English League 2AccringtonPlymouthAccrington
18/2/2012English League 2MacclesfieldAldershotMacclesfield
18/2/2012English League 2WimbledonMorecambeWimbledon
18/2/2012English League 2Port ValeGillinghamPort Vale
18/2/2012English League 2SouthendCreweSouthend
18/2/2012English League 2BurtonRotherhamBurton
18/2/2012English League 2TorquayBradfordTorquay
18/2/2012English FA CupChelseaBirminghamChelsea
18/2/2012English FA CupMillwallBoltonMillwall
18/2/2012English FA CupNorwichLeicesterNorwich
18/2/2012English FA CupEvertonBlackpoolEverton
18/2/2012English FA CupSunderlandArsenalArsenal
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierFleetwoodCambridge Utd
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierWrexhamHayes andYeading
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierYorkStockportYork
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierLutonTamworthLuton
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierBathEbbsfleetBath
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierKidderminsterLincolnKidderminster
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierNewportMansfieldNewport
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierForest GreenGatesheadForest Green
18/2/2012English Blue Square PremierTelfordBraintreeTelford
18/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueRangersKilmarnockRangers
18/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueDundee UtdSt MirrenDundee Utd
18/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueMotherwellHeartsMotherwell
18/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueDunfermlineInvernessInverness
18/2/2012La LigaGetafeEspanyolGetafe
18/2/2012La LigaReal MadridRacing SantanderReal Madrid
18/2/2012La LigaSevillaOsasunaSevilla
18/2/2012Italian Serie AJuventusCataniaJuventus
18/2/2012German BundesligaHertha BerlinBorussia DortmundBorussia Dortmund
18/2/2012German BundesligaBayer LeverkusenAugsburgBayer Leverkusen
18/2/2012German BundesligaHamburgWerder BremenHamburg
18/2/2012German BundesligaKaiserslauternBorussia M'gladbachBorussia M'gladbach
18/2/2012German BundesligaNurnbergFC KolnNurnberg
18/2/2012German BundesligaFreiburgBayern MunichBayern Munich
18/2/2012French Ligue 1DijonNiceDijon
18/2/2012French Ligue 1SochauxAuxerreSochaux
18/2/2012French Ligue 1LorientLilleLille
18/2/2012French Ligue 1NancyToulouseNancy
18/2/2012French Ligue 1AjaccioBrestAjaccio
18/2/2012French Ligue 1CaenEvian Thonon Gaillard
18/2/2012French Ligue 1MarseilleValenciennesMarseille
18/2/2012Australian A-LeagueCentral CoastWellingtonCentral Coast
18/2/2012Australian A-LeagueBrisbane RoarMelbourne Victory
18/2/2012Australian A-LeaguePerth GloryNewcastle Jets
19/2/2012English FA CupCrawleyStokeStoke
19/2/2012English FA CupStevenageTottenhamTottenham
19/2/2012English FA CupLiverpoolBrightonLiverpool
19/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueAberdeenSt JohnstoneAberdeen
19/2/2012Scottish Premier LeagueHibernianCelticCeltic
19/2/2012La LigaSevillaOsasunaSevilla
19/2/2012La LigaGranadaReal SociedadGranada
19/2/2012La LigaAthletic BilbaoMalagaAthletic Bilbao
19/2/2012La LigaSporting GijonAtletico MadridAtletico Madrid
19/2/2012La LigaMallorcaVillarrealMallorca
19/2/2012La LigaLevanteRayo VallecanoLevante
19/2/2012La LigaBarcelonaValenciaBarcelona
19/2/2012Italian Serie ALecceSienaLecce
19/2/2012Italian Serie ANovaraAtalantaNovara
19/2/2012Italian Serie ACesenaAC MilanAC Milan
19/2/2012Italian Serie AGenoaChievoGenoa
19/2/2012Italian Serie ARomaParmaRoma
19/2/2012Italian Serie AUdineseCagliariUdinese
19/2/2012Italian Serie APalermoLazioPalermo
19/2/2012German BundesligaSchalke 04WolfsburgSchalke 04
19/2/2012German BundesligaHannoverStuttgartHannover
19/2/2012French Ligue 1St EtienneRennesSt Etienne
19/2/2012French Ligue 1BordeauxLyonBordeaux
19/2/2012French Ligue 1Paris Saint GermainMontpellierParis Saint Germain
19/2/2012Australian A-LeagueAdelaide UnitedSydney FCAdelaide United
20/2/2012English League 1BrentfordCarlisleBrentford
20/2/2012La LigaZaragozaReal BetisDraw
21/2/2012UEFA Champions LeagueCSKA MoscowReal MadridReal Madrid
21/2/2012UEFA Champions LeagueNapoliChelseaNapoli

But these statistics also get skewed a little when on the weight of their own information they attract bets for a particular team. In direct proportion to the number of bets placed, the odds on a particular team get skewed in said team’s favour to the extent that it no longer resembles the odds compiled by the original algorithm.

Thus crowd favourites such as, for instance, Barcelona FC, are likely to attract odds that are more favourable to them than their current form would suggest, and these odds in their turn are likely to persuade impartial bettors to wager their money on the team.

Bookmakers are not unduly perturbed by such skewing; in fact, they stand to earn more if bets placed show a disproportionate bias in favour of a player or team that is unlikely to win, on a particular day.

At the end of the day, nothing prevents every bookie site from assuring you that the algorithm they use is better than any competitor’s. Typically, such sites run down competitors’ sites with words of wisdom on the following lines:

“When it comes to making football picks most pro football handicappers & sports betting experts get stuffed at the goal line, because they use XYZ gambling info & ABC betting stats already factored into DEF pro football lines when determining their XYZ football picks & predictions each week…”

Disclaimer: At Sportingattitude.com, we do not make any claim as to the accuracy of our predictions. We advocate responsible betting; if you chose to gamble on the basis of these predictions, you would be doing so at your sole risk and responsibility.

Tags: , , ,

Category: Football, Predictions

About the Author (Author Profile)

Jinxatious is the Chief Editor of SportingAttitude.com
An avid writer, on an eclectic range of subjects, he brings to bear editorial experience garnered with a national newspaper in South-East Asia. He also has sportscasting experience, as a cricket commentator, and his passion for sport extends beyond Cricket, to Football, Tennis, and Olympic Sports.