Offshore sportsbooks are prepared to take Serena Williams on in the Australian Open, easing her price to 2/1. Meanwhile, Justine Henin may well move into favouritism with bookies following the defeat of Kim Clijsters. Much has been made of her exit, and she did play poorly, but if you look at rankings for this tournament, she was seeded 15 while her opponent was seeded 19. Whichever way you look at it, she is gone and now it’s down to just the two of them – at least when it comes to betting markets it is.

There have been some good contests in the women’s Open so far. Venus Williams has been fairly clinical. Serena Williams is in cruise control; Justine Henin is having to play good tennis every match; and Dinara Safina is cruising behind the lot of them. She could be a dark horse in this event. If you follow the money, she has more than halved her opening quote and is now in to 9/1 on some markets (you can get as much as 15/1 if you shop around a bit).

Venus Williams has moved into third favouritism at 7/1 and is looking good. Henin still looks the one to beat in my books. She is getting plenty of match time which will help to sharpen her game. While the Williams sisters are cruising through their games, the lack of any serious competition may not toughen them enough for the finals. We are in for a top second week tennis in the Australian Open – tomorrow we will review the men’s side of the draw.

I know we are the visitors and that taking on South Africa in South Africa is a tough ask, however, after a strong showing over the first three days of the second test, I would have thought we were entitled to a little respect from the offshore sportsbooks. It’s not to be, it seems, but that’s okay since we get to reap the benefits.

Offshore sportsbooks are quoting England at 21/10 to win the second test, South Africa 25/1 and the draw 1/2. Those odds around England are pretty tempting. England go into day four in the box seat with a 43 run lead and the opportunity to go for broke. Runs, and quick runs at that, will be the order of the day. If they can put together a quick 200 in the first two sessions they will then have four sessions to bowl the South Africans out.

Four sessions is a long time and there is a good chance the home side could chalk up 300-350 leaving England 100-120 to chase in the last session. With ten wickets and the power of Pietersen, that should be an easy task. Of course, this is test cricket and we are talking about England – nothing goes according to script. However, it is achievable, it is do-able and with odds of 21/10 – that looks like a fairly realistic bet to me.

Series betting, of course, is another matter. The betting here is pretty close with offshore sportsbooks quoting fairly guarded cricket betting odds. England are at 9/5 to win the series; South Africa at 11/8 with a tied series at 9/4. If England get the upper hand on day four, watch their odds tumble. If you think England can win the series then the 21/10 currently on offer for this test must look like a bargain – grab it while you can.

I know we are the visitors and that taking on South Africa in South Africa is a tough ask. However, after a strong showing over the first three days of the second test, I would have thought we were entitled to a little respect from the offshore sportsbooks. It’s not to be, it seems, but that’s okay since we get to reap the benefits.

Offshore sportsbooks are quoting England at 21/10 to win the second test, South Africa 25/1 and the draw 1/2. Those odds around England are pretty tempting. England go into day four in the box seat with a 43 run lead and the opportunity to go for broke. Runs, and quick runs at that, will be the order of the day. If they can put together a quick 200 in the first two sessions they will then have four sessions to bowl the South Africans out.

Four sessions is a long time and there is a good chance the home side could chalk up 300-350, leaving England 100-120 to chase in the last session. With ten wickets and the power of Pietersen, that should be an easy task. Of course, this is test cricket and we are talking about England – nothing goes according script. However, it is achievable; it is do-able and with odds of 21/10 – that looks like a fairly realistic bet to me.

Series betting of course is another matter. The betting here is pretty close with offshore sportsbooks quoting fairly guarded cricket betting odds. England are at 9/5 to win the series; South Africa at 11/8 with a tied series at 9/4. If England get the upper hand on day four, watch their odds tumble. If you think England can win the series then the 21/10 currently on offer for this test must look like a bargain – grab it while you can.

With test cricket matches currently underway in both South Africa and Australia it’s not surprising that offshore sportsbooks have made the home sides favourites. England were full of hope coming into the test series against South Africa having successfully taken the Ashes from Australia in the summer. Things are not so rosy at present with opportunities squandered on the first day’s play.

The test match at Centurion Park is probably more in the balance than many realise. With a lowly score of 262 for 4 there are still plenty of opportunities to at least save the game, if not win. It will depend on how well the bowling attack gets its act together and then whether or not the batsmen can duplicate the South African innings.

South Africa are fairly good value at 11/8 given they are in control at present. The draw at evens seems to be the popular bet at present with an English win quoted at a generous 13/2. It’s almost worth having a small wager on England at that price.

In Australia, it was another case of squandered opportunities with batsmen poised to make hundreds only to lose their wickets at the last gasp. Australia are definitely in control of this test match and only need a draw to secure the series 1-0.

However, they are playing the West Indies who are ranked second last on the international rankings table. It is probably a mark of how far Australia have slipped in world standards following a decade of total dominance. Offshore sportsbooks have Australia at 1/4 to win. The West Indies are at great odds with quotes ranging from 20/1 to 33/1. The draw is probably the best value at 4/1. The West Indies have shown they have great skill with the bat and given Australia’s weak bowling lineup – the draw is almost a special bet.

England host Australia this afternoon in what will be a keenly fought game of international rugby. Despite Australia’s nemesis, Johnny Wilkinson being back in the home side international sportsbook have England at 2/1 to win. The Australians are still smarting from yet another loss to the Kiwi’s in Japan last weekend and have been posted as 4/7 favourites to win.

If you’re contemplating a bet in this game I suggest you weight things up carefully. Australia are in a rebuilding phase with a relatively new captain and a new centre pairing. There is a distinct lack of continuity with the ball at times which sees them either going backwards or constantly trying to kick their way out of trouble. They are also coming to town with their regular season having finished several months ago.

England on the other hand are playing at home on their favourite ground (Twickenham) and have one of their favourite sons back in action in the form of Johnny Wilkinson. He effectively took the World Cup out of Australia’s hands single handedly several years ago. Sure, his older, but he has won his place in the side on merit and older may just mean wiser too.

At 2/1 England look to be a good bet on this occasion. You can watch the game on SkySports2 at 2:30 this afternoon and catch all the in-play betting through UK Betting Central.

Wales take on New Zealand later this afternoon in a game that will be spirited but a little one sided. The Kiwis have taken all but the South Africans on and won in recent months and another victory is on the cards here. The Kiwis are 1/4 to win with Wales out to 9/2.

Watch this game live on BBC2 at 5:15 this afternoon. Keep an eye on the first 15 minutes. There has been a lot of doubt on the Kiwis style of play so if the referees jump on them early, we may see an upset on the cards at good prices. One of the benefits of betting in play – you can quickly capitalize on odds in your favour when teams start to struggle – especially with offshore sportsbooks that can be a little slow to react.

The offshore sportsbooks may have the New York Yankees as favourites to win the MLB World Series, but there are a lot of shirt tuggers around touting the Philadelphia Phillies to win in seven games. It’s not just the shirt tuggers either, I notice a few US sports journalists also giving them a good chance.

I am going with the shirt tuggers too. The Yankees are 1/2 favourites to win the series with the Phillies at 6/5. However, home ground advantage can be a big plus in baseball, especially in the major leagues. The Phillies get four home games, the first two and the last two, with the Yankees hosting the middle three.

The Phillies got off to a good start in game one with two unanswered runs on the board by the end of the sixth. They added another two in both the top of the eighth and ninth to set up a 6-1 victory. The Yankees’ only answer coming in the bottom of the ninth when everything was over. If the Phillies can maintain that form and perhaps win today’s game, they will head off to Yankee stadium with a full head of steam.

The Yankees have to find a way to take one of the home games away from the Phillies and for most coaches and players, one of the first two games is the preference. Take one of those games and win the three at home and the series is theirs. Fail to take one of these first two games and they know they will be back in Philly for at least one more game.

As usual, the World Series creates a lot of interest around the world. New York are the early favourites but at 6/5, I think there maybe more value in backing the underdogs. It’s only a two horse race but the World Series betting odds on offshore sportsbooks are pretty good this year and well worth a closer look.

Offshore sportsbooks have installed New South Wales as firm 9/4 favourites to take out the Champions League T20 competition. They have also installed Victoria as joint second favourite with Trinidad and Tobago at 11/4. The Cape Cobras from South Africa round out the final four at the surprisingly good betting odds of 15/4.

It will be an interesting round of semi finals with the two Australian teams pitted against one another. Both sides have had patchy runs into the semis and have relied on other results for their final placings.

At one stage it looked a chance that both sides would make the finals, however, a spirited win by the Delhi Daredevils brought the Cobras’ unbeaten run to a finish, leaving them in second place on run rates.

Trinidad and Tobago are the only unbeaten side left in the competition which has surprised many punters. They were 20/1 outsiders at the start of the competition but so far have played with the gusto of Caribbean sides of old – to good effect.

Looking at the four sides going into these finals, the Cape Cobras are probably better than the 15/4 suggest. However, they have to get past Caribbeans first and that could be a tough ask. It is certainly the stronger semi final of the two. Trinidad & Tobago are 8/11 to win with the South Africans at 5/4. Expect a good show from the Cobras and at 5/4 to win this semi – and 15/4 to win the final, look to be good value.

New South Wales are the better team in the other semi final. Their strength is in their batting being able to hit large scores quickly. If the Victorian bowlers can get on top then they could earn a surprise victory. New South Wales are 5/6 with the Victorians at 6/5. I would back the Victorians given the odds and their general all around abilities. If New South Wales can be bowled out cheaply, which they can, their bowling has looked fairly fragile. Victoria to win.

Online sportsbooks don’t have much faith in Tom Watson’s golfing ability these days. Despite leading the Open Championships for three days and coming within a whisker of winning, they have again ignored him in the Seniors Open – an event he has already won three times in the past.

As they head into day two of the tournament, the favourite is overnight leader Fred Funk at 4/1. He carded a brilliant round of 64, six under par, and considering he didn’t play the front nine well, should be well pleased with his result.

Tom Watson is equal fourth favourite at 14/1 after returning a three under 67, three shots of the lead. He to had a mixed bag on the front nine but played much better on the back nine.

Four player shared second on 66: Des Smyth, Loren Roberts, Christopher Williams and Jay Haas. Roberts is third favourite in the tournament at 11/1 behind Funk and Haas (10/1).

With Watson on 67 are some former greats including Sam Torrance, Tom Kite, and Greg Norman. Torrance lives close to this course and plays on a regular basis – he could be a smokey just waiting to pounce. He is good value at 20/1 with online bookmakers. I would certainly include him in my top 10 and top 5 betting coupons.

Greg Norman is another who could surprise. He is playing steady golf and is no stranger to these tournaments. Like Watson in this year’s Open, he almost pulled off a surprise win in last years Open.

Bernhard Langer was the early tournament favourite but a terrible start has seen his odds drift right out to 25/1 with online sportsbooks. He is eight shots of the lead and would need a great three days to get back into this contest – I wouldn’t put it past him either.

It’s only day two, but Norman, Watson, Torrence and Funk all look strong – I wouldn’t be surprised to see the winner coming from that group.

Bookmakers are betting the Kiwis can take a fifth consecutive Tri Nations trophy despite their rusty start to the season. I am not so sure and if their first game against Australia is any indication, they may struggle in this year’s tournament.

The Kiwis have been made equal favourites with South Africa at 6/4, the third nation, Australia are unwanted at 3/1. New Zealand were defending an unbeaten record against Australia in Auckland and were lucky to win. They trailed 13-3 at half time and only some sloppy defending by the Australians let them back in to win – against the South Africans they won’t be so fortunate.

South Africa hosts New Zealand in the second Tri Nations game and, at home, have been almost impossible to beat. Bookmakers have the home side at 1/2 with the visitors 2/1. The draw, given the extra time now played to try and break a tie, is at 20/1.

This year’s tournament is going to hinge on two things: how well South Africa play in New Zealand – if they can win the reverse game on New Zealand turf then the trophy is theirs – and how well both New Zealand and South Africa play in their Australian legs of the competition. The Aussies had the measure of the Kiwis and on home soil will be hard to beat.

With that in mind, the South Africans stand out as good bets at 6/4. They have a good record against the Australians in Australia and could conceivably finish the series with a clean sheet – four games for four wins. New Zealand and Australia look to share the remaining games at one win each.

One interesting bet that online bookmakers are running is who will finish last. If my predictions are right, it will be between Australia and New Zealand, who will both finish with one victory each – against each other at that. If Australia can beat New Zealand by more than six points they will relegate the Kiwis to last place. The Aussies are 6/5 to finish last – the Kiwis 2/1. Back the Kiwis at 2/1 – there is good value there.

Get in now before the South African – New Zealand game. Once the South Africans defeat the Kiwis those odds will all change dramatically with South Africans, probably becoming odds on favourites. The Tri Nations has become the premier rugby event on the international calendar – this year it looks to be a South African whitewash.

Offshore sportsbooks can at times be poor options when placing bets. However, you are online and keep a close watch on events, there are times when you can capitalize on the fact they are offshore.

Generally speaking, bookmakers, both here at home and those overseas, keep a close watch on events themselves. At least, major events. There are still times when you can get in quick and place a bet that proves to be of real value.

The first Ashes test concluded yesterday and if you have any interest in sport at all, you will know how thrilling a finish it was. At one stage, local bookmakers had the draw and the Aussie victory swapping roles as favourites.

For those wanting to have a bet, the offshore sportsbooks were much slower to act. With three overs remaining it was becoming clear that a draw was the only possible result. If the Australians had dismissed the home side, they would have had, at most, two overs to score 12 runs.

Local bookmakers slashed the price of draw to 1/10 at this point. Offshore sportsbooks still had the draw at 1/3 with an Aussie victory at evens. I am sure a bet at 1/3 is much better value than 1/10!

There are many situations where you can capitalize on these price differences although it does depend on the location and nature of the event. Wimbledon seemed to be well covered by offshore sportsbooks with price updates occurring almost immediately.

Events with lesser international significance such as cricket, rugby league and rugby union don’t seem to get the same attention to detail – even for bets in running. If you’re a smart punter and can be online watching as events unfurl, you may be able to profit from these slower updates. Online bookmakers at home are not so slow – in fact, sometimes it seems they can pre-empt outcomes – I wish I could!

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…