Adams, a three-time All-Pro in his first season with the Rams, has been targeted 55 times. He has 26 catches for 396 yards and three touchdowns.
Adams and quarterback Matthew Stafford have connected on several dynamic plays, but their timing remains a work in progress.
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Gary Klein reports from Rams practice at Camden Yards in Baltimore as the team prepares for its London game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It’s not how I drew it up as far as efficiency goes,” Adams said. “I think we both would’ve liked to be a little bit more efficient, but I know for myself over the last few [games], just based off how we started, [there’s been] a little bit of pressing.”
Stafford put the onus on himself.
“There’s been some good ones,” he said. “There’s been some missed ones. I would take the majority of the blame on a lot of those and just give him a better chance on a couple.”
Adams rose to stardom while playing eight seasons with Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers. But that connection also took time, Adams said.
“It definitely didn’t start off the first couple years, let alone the first couple of games the way that we got going,” Adams said. “Not that we have another 10 years to go, but it takes time. It’s not easy.
“Puka and Matthew have been playing together for years now and they have a little better understanding of where one another is going to be, what to expect, and just making it work. It’s been a few where there’s really no excuse for me or him. We just have to put it together.”
Atwell will be back after sitting out last Sunday’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens because of a hamstring injury. Atwell has four catches on nine targets, including one for a long touchdown.
But he said he was not concerned about targets as much as affecting the game in other ways. The speedy threat opens opportunities for Nacua, Adams and others.
“Every opportunity we’ve given him, he’s seized it,” Stafford said. “I don’t see anything different happening. If he gets more opportunities in this game, I have a ton of trust in him.”
The Rams are playing an opponent on Sunday that will be without its star quarterback and other noteworthy starters.
Sound familiar?
A week after the Rams lost to the seemingly undermanned San Francisco 49ers, they will travel to play the Lamar Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens and M&T Bank Stadium. It’s the start of an extended road trip that will see the Rams remain in Baltimore to prepare for their Oct. 19 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
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Gary Klein breaks down what to expect from the Rams as they prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday before flying to London ahead of their Week 7 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“You can never go into a game and be like, ‘Oh man, we’re about to walk over somebody,’” Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner said. “It’s all NFL guys. You don’t bring your A-game for one time and you’re going to get cooked.”
The Rams found the hard way in a 26-23 overtime defeat by the 49ers. Backup quarterback Mac Jones carved up the defense with quick passes that staved off the pass rush and challenged linebackers and defensive backs.
Jackson is out because of a hamstring injury, so Cooper Rush is expected to start.
“You have to remind yourself it’s any given Sunday,” safety Quentin Lake said. “You’re sometimes like, ‘Oh man, Lamar’s out or whoever their top-tier players are.’ But now the guys coming in are even more hungry because they have to prove themselves. They’re going to give it their all and they have nothing to lose.”
The last time the Rams visited M&T Bank Stadium, they lost when the Ravens returned a punt for a walk-off touchdown.
Special teams are once again an issue for the Rams.
They have had four kicks blocked this season, including an extra-point attempt in the loss to the 49ers.
“This level of gambling advertising during the Premier League’s first weekend is frankly astonishing,” said Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, chair of the Gambling Reform All Party Parliamentary Group.
“The industry claimed it was taking steps to self-regulate and reduce advertising, but yet again they have not kept to their word. The whistle-to-whistle ban is far too limited and is ineffective.”
Overall, there were 27,440 gambling messages measured across the entire opening weekend, a slight decrease from last year but still more than triple the tally from 2023.
The total is found by adding together every individual instance of gambling messaging from live match coverage, plus output on TalkSport, Sky Sports News and some social media channels.
There have been growing calls for a ban on gambling advertising, akin to the 2002 ban on tobacco promotion, and in 2023 the Gambling Commission recommended the government should limit the amount and frequency of gambling ads promoted within elite sports venues.
Lord Foster of Bath, chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, said: “The government must simply step in to reduce people’s and particularly children’s exposure to gambling advertising that we know can lead to harm. The government has all the powers it needs to protect people and it must do so now.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport told the BBC: “The government recognises that more work needs to be done to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm.
“We are consulting a wide range of evidence to inform our next steps in this space and working with industry to further raise standards.”
OSMAN FOYO has been handed a five-month suspension for 252 breaches of betting rules.
The AFC Wimbledon star admitted to the breaches and has also been handed a cash fine.
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Osman Foyo has been punished for breaching betting rulesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Foyo, 21, made the bets on matches between October 2023 and March 2025
The FA confirmed his ban with a statement on social media.
It read: “An independent Regulatory Commission has sanctioned AFC Wimbledon’s Osman Foyo for breaches of The FA’s betting rules.
“It was alleged that the player breached FA Rule E8 252 times by placing bets on football matches between 29 October 2023 and 28 March 2025, and Osman Foyo subsequently admitted the charge.
“The Regulatory Commission imposed a £1,000 fine and five-month suspension from all football and football-related activity following a hearing.
“One month will be served immediately, with the suspension running up to and including 2 November 2025, and four months are suspended until 2 April 2027 pending any further breaches of The FA’s betting rules.
“The Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”
More to follow…
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
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On Thursday night, the Rams’ defense gets another opportunity to prove it should be regarded among the NFL’s best when the San Francisco 49ers and their multidimensional star running back visit SoFi Stadium.
The injury-riddled 49ers (3-1), with victories over the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) and Arizona Cardinals (2-2), are in first place in the NFC West. The Rams (3-1) can move into first place with a victory in the division opener.
A key will be giving McCaffrey the same treatment Barkley received in a crushing defeat by the Philadelphia Eagles, and that Taylor endured during the Rams’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday.
Barkley, the reigning NFL offensive player of the year, gained only 46 yards in 18 carries. Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, gained 76 yards in 17 carries.
McCaffrey is averaging 56.3 yards rushing and 76.3 yards receiving per game. But the Rams are well-acquainted with his breakaway threat.
“He’s a fast dude who can bounce it outside,” Rams edge rusher Jared Verse said. “He can run downhill, he can make you pay if you leave even the smallest crease just like we faced the past two weeks.
“I think the biggest threat that he adds is his ability to receive, like he’s leading them in receptions for a reason. He’s leading them in yards for a reason. He’s a dangerous back when you get to it.”
Since the 49ers outbid the Rams to acquire McCaffrey at the trade deadline in 2022, McCaffrey has played against the Rams twice.
In 2022, he rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown, caught eight passes — including one for a touchdown — and passed for a touchdown in the 49ers’ 31-14 victory.
In 2023, he rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 30-23 victory for the 49ers.
“We know they’re going to target him,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “He’s going to be the focal point of their offense and it’s just a huge challenge.”
McCaffrey, however, will be operating in an offense that will be without key several players because of injuries.
Quarterback Brock Purdy and receivers Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Jordan Watkins will not play. Star tight end George Kittle remains on injured reserve for at least one more game.
Four of Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes will be in action at this week’s Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, headed by defending champion and three-time winner Tyrrell Hatton.
And you can bet your life they will get a much better reception from the fans than they did from the loud-mouthed yobs who hurled abuse at them at Bethpage Black.
Luke Donald’s team were certainly heroes as far as this column is concerned.
Tommy Fleetwood, another of the players teeing it up this week, was a 12-1 winner in the top points scorer market, and the 15-13 scoreline was also tipped here at 12-1
Justin Rose going out first in the singles, having been highlighted at 18-1, was the icing on the cake. Cameron Young also finished joint top in the USA points list with Xander Schauffele, having been advised at 25-1.
So the big question now is where do we “reinvest” the winnings, to try to keep the mood of celebration going?
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2025 betting tips
Hatton seems an obvious starting point, given his incredible record in this event.
In his last seven starts here, he has posted a couple of runner-ups as well as his three victories. And his worst finish was a share of 15th. So 7-1 looks reasonable.
Hatton is second favourite behind world No 7 Fleetwood, who has finished second here twice, and was third 12 months ago.
He is a general 6-1, with European team-mates Matt Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre next on the list at around 10-1 and 12-1 respectively.
But the Ryder Cup was such a draining experience that I am reluctant to side with any of that quartet at short prices. They have earned a bit of down time, and may not be quite as focused on this event as usual.
Marco Penge, who was a bit unlucky not to get a wild card for Bethpage after winning twice this year, looks attractively priced at 20-1.
Penge missed the cut here last year – but that was largely due to a calamitous opening round of 75 at Carnoustie, where he had a NINE and a seven on the back nine.
That can happen at the toughest course on the planet. And the big-hitting Englishman bounced back well with rounds of 69 and 70 at Kingsbarns and St Andrews.
He is a much more accomplished player now, and is second only to Rory McIlroy on the current DP World Tour money list. He could easily go one better than his runner-up finish at the hotly-contested Scottish Open three months ago.
I also like the chances of another monster hitter, Rasmus Neergard-Petersen, who is a best priced 25-1. He seemed to thrive on the links when finishing joint fourth last year.
Previous form in this event is invaluable, so 40-1 shot Haotong Li also comes into the reckoning. His share of seventh last year was his second top ten here, and a tie for fourth at this year’s Open confirmed his love of links golf.
Among the longshots, the 80-1 about Laurie Canter and Peter Uhlein deserves a second look, while improving Frenchman Tom Vaillant looks over-priced at 150-1. The same thing applies to 200-1 shot Brandon Robinson-Thompson.
The only Ryder Cup golfer playing in the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi is another European, Rasmus Hojgaard.
He had a tough debut at Bethpage, losing both his matches. So despite a couple of runner-up finishes in his last four starts, I’m not tempted by the 33-1 on offer.
But I am keen on the 33-1 available for Mackenzie Hughes. The Canadian won here in 2022, finished top ten last year, and arrives on the back of a share of seventh in the Procore, where ten of the US Ryder Cup team were in action.
Emilian Grillo did even better at the Procore, finishing tied fourth. He also also played well in Jackson in the past. So he is another 33-1 shot on the shortlist.
Michael Thorbjornsen is starting to justify the hype after a stellar college career, and 25-1 looks fair. Do not get him confused with Thorbjorn Olesen – but 50-1 for the former Ryder Cup man means he might be worth backing too!
Beau Hossler is another 50-1 chance worth considering, and I haven’t lost faith completely in USPGA runner-up Davis Riley despite a bunch of missed cuts.
At 150-1 he could be worth a small interest. David Lipsky was a big disappointment at the Procore, but two third places in his previous five starts suggests he is another 150-1 shot to think about.
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A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chase their losses
Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk
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Blake Snell did not sound bitter. Somehow, he was not racked with regret.
Rather, when asked at his introductory Dodgers news conference this past offseason about the most infamous moment of his career, he took a brief moment to think. Then, unexpectedly, he expressed gratitude instead.
Five years ago, Snell was pitching the game of his life in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. With his Tampa Bay Rays facing elimination against the Dodgers, he had answered the bell with five one-hit, nine-strikeout, virtually flawless Fall Classic innings.
What happened next remains controversial to this day. Snell gave up a one-out single in the sixth inning to Austin Barnes. Rays manager Kevin Cash came to the mound with a stunningly quick hook. The Dodgers went on to mount a rally against the Tampa Bay bullpen, ending a three-decade title drought while the left-handed ace watched from the bench. And in the aftermath, the second-guessing of the decision was as immediate as it was decisive.
Almost everyone else in the baseball world thought Snell should have stayed in.
Over time, however, the pitcher himself came to view it as a valuable lesson.
“It was a moment in my life that I’m very appreciative of,” Snell said last winter, donning a Dodger blue jersey for the first time after signing with the club for $182 million as a free agent.
“If I wanted to stay out there longer, I should have done a better job before that game to make that decision easier on Kevin. It’s ultimately up to me to be a better pitcher there in that moment.”
Five years later, he’s about to get his chance for postseason redemption.
Snell’s debut season in Los Angeles did not go as planned this year. He made two underwhelming starts at the beginning of the campaign while quietly battling shoulder soreness. He spent the next four months sidelined on the injured list, returning in time to make only nine more starts down the stretch.
Although his final numbers were strong (a 2.35 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 61⅓ innings, and Dodgers wins in seven of the 11 games he did pitch), his injury left his overall impact limited.
To Snell and the team, though, none of that matters now. Their union was always rooted in postseason success. And on Tuesday night, when the Dodgers open a best-of-three wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds, it is Snell who will take the bump for Game 1 at Dodger Stadium.
“That’s why I came here,” Snell said amid the Dodgers’ division-clinching clubhouse celebration last week. “Get to the postseason, and see how good I can be.”
It’s an opportunity that’s been half a decade in the making.
Ever since breaking into the majors in 2016, and winning his first Cy Young Award with an immaculate 21-win, 1.89-ERA season two years later, Snell’s raw talent has never been in question. No starting pitcher in the history of the sport (minimum 1,000 career innings) has averaged more strikeouts per nine innings than his 11.2 mark. Even in the game’s modern era, few have possessed such a wicked arsenal, with Snell’s slider and curveball alone boasting a whopping career whiff rate of roughly 50%.
What Snell hasn’t done, however, is prove himself to be a workhorse. He has never had a 200-inning season. He has never gone six full frames in any of his 10 playoff starts. Through the years, he has been dogged by high walk rates and inefficient outings and a tendency to simply waste too many pitches. When Cash came to the mound in that sixth inning of the 2020 World Series, it only reinforced his five-and-dive reputation.
That’s why, when Snell looks back on that moment now, he views it through a lens of valuable perspective.
“I just learned, the manager’s job is to do whatever he thinks is gonna help the team win, and my job is to make him believe I’m the best option for us to win,” Snell said this past weekend, when asked about that ignominious Game 6 again. “And I didn’t do a good job of that, because he took me out.”
Thus, Snell has been on a different mission over the five years since. He not only wants to get back to the World Series and win his first championship. But he wants to do so as a bona fide October ace, the kind of anchor of a pitching staff that can get deeper into outings.
“[The playoffs are] where you want to see: What kind of player are you? How do you handle pressure situations? When everything is on the line,” Snell said. “That’s why I like it. It really allows you to understand who you are as a pitcher, where you’re at, and where you need to grow … How to find advantages to push yourself deeper in the game.”
The last time Snell pitched in the playoffs, such goals remained a work in progress. As a member of the San Diego Padres in 2022, he amassed just 13⅔ innings over three postseason starts, recording a 4.61 ERA while walking nine total batters.
Over the three seasons since then, however, he feels he has made more tangible strides. In 2023, he won another Cy Young by going 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA, averaging close to six innings per start despite a major-league-leading 99 walks. Last year might have been even more transformational, even as he battled injuries with the San Francisco Giants.
During his lone season in the Bay, Snell picked the brain of Giants ace Logan Webb, who has led the National League in innings pitched over each of the last three seasons. Their talks centered on the value of short at-bats, the importance of “dominating the inside part of the plate,” and the significance of executing competitive misses on throws around the edge of the zone.
“That was probably one of my biggest years of growth and development, in the sense of how to go deeper into games,” Snell said.
The results certainly backed that up, with Snell rebounding from an injury-plagued first half to post a 1.23 ERA over his final 14 starts. In an early August trip to Cincinnati (his last time facing the Reds ahead of this week’s playoff series), he threw his first career no-hitter on just 114 pitches.
“That no-hitter was insane,” said current Dodgers outfielder and former Giants teammate Michael Conforto, who like Snell went from San Francisco to Los Angeles as a free agent last offseason. “He just had everything working. He was hitting every corner. He knew exactly where he wanted to put it, and he put it there every time.
“That’s the kind of performance he’s capable of every time he goes out,” Conforto added. “It’s just a very, very tough at-bat. Especially when he’s throwing strikes.”
This year, Snell’s evolution has continued around the Dodgers — where manager Dave Roberts has lauded him as a “next-level thinker” for the way he can read opponents’ swings, figure out their tendencies in the batter’s box, and adapt his plan of attack to what he feels a given matchup requires.
Since returning from his early-season shoulder injury, Snell has increasingly tapped into top form. He has cut down on walks and wasted pitches. He has posted a 2.41 ERA over his nine second-half starts. His last three outings in particular: 19 innings, one run, 28 strikeouts and only five free passes.
The most important development has been his relationship with Roberts, who left Snell in the game after late-inning mound visits in each of his last two starts, and watched him escape high-leverage jams.
Those moments could be invaluable as the Dodgers enter the playoffs, giving Roberts a level of confidence to push his Game 1 starter and cover for what has been an unreliable bullpen.
“He understands his role on this ball club,” Roberts said. “When you put a starter in a position where they know they have to go deeper, you’ve got to just naturally be more efficient.”
It’s a skill Snell has been honing ever since that fateful October night five years ago. Starting Tuesday night, it’s about to be tested again.
“That’s everything,” Snell said of pitching in the postseason again. “To face the best when the stakes are highest, that’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Now the Rams face something else completely unexpected: The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts.
When the schedule was announced last spring, the Colts looked like a relatively easy matchup for the Rams sandwiched between games against the Eagles and a Thursday night game against the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers.
But energized by quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor, the Colts will arrive at SoFi Stadium with one of the NFL’s top offenses and an unblemished record after victories over the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans.
Jones, 28, has been the biggest surprise.
After six seasons with the New York Giants and a short stint late last season with the Minnesota Vikings, Jones has been outstanding for the Colts.
He has passed for three touchdowns, with no interceptions, and has rushed for three touchdowns.
“Going from the Giants, where he did well for certain years and then kind of fell off and then came back,” Rams safety Quentin Lake said. “You’re looking at a quarterback that has nothing to lose because people already wrote him off.”
“When you go from tough challenge to tough challenge, from the Eagles to a team that is red-hot… you can still keep your intensity rather than going into a game where it’s like a team coming in 0-3 or 1-2,” Lake said.
The winless New York Giants used a first-round pick on Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart, and Sunday they’ll get a first regular-season glimpse at that investment.
It’s a rough way to start for the rookie, who will face a swarming defense and an undefeated opponent.
The 22-year-old Dart replaces the struggling Russell Wilson and takes over an offense that has scored fewer than 10 points in two of three games. Dart looked good in the preseason with three touchdowns and no interceptions but has played just six snaps in real games and has yet to attempt a pass.
The Chargers (3-0) are rolling, having won three consecutive AFC West games with outstanding play from Justin Herbert and six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen, who has caught a touchdown pass in all three of those games. Receiver Quentin Johnston, once plagued by drops, has emerged as a sure-handed deep threat.
Not since 2002 have the Chargers gotten off to a 4-0 start.
How the Chargers can win: Pile the game on the inexperienced shoulders of Dart. Put him in third-and-long situations and force him to throw (but watch for an early deep shot). The Giants struggle to stop the run, so cut loose Omarion Hampton and let Herbert scramble for a couple first downs. Take the crowd out of the game ASAP.
How the Giants can win: Herbert got beat up by Denver last week (five sacks), so something is going on with pass protection, especially if guard Mekhi Becton isn’t in there. The Giants (0-3) need their front four to create a rush so they can drop seven defenders. Don’t let Herbert beat them with his legs. Keep Dart in third-and-manageable.
The series kicked off this weekend with the highly anticipated launch show, with the celebrities meeting their professional partners for the first time
11:40, 21 Sep 2025Updated 11:40, 21 Sep 2025
Two Strictly Come Dancing stars have already secured a huge advantage(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens with a bang after an epic launch show which saw this year’s batch of famous faces paired up with their professional partners.
Viewers tuned in to see the 15 celebrities meet their dance partners as well as perform in a huge group dance for the very first time as the real competition begins next week.
However, before this year’s crop even shows off their dance moves or lack of, two celebrities have already secured a huge advantage. The bookies have declared which contestants are favourites to win and there’s two that are at the top of the list, according to Paddy Power.
Currently, Emmerdale star and late entrant, Lewis Cope is leading the pack with a bookies odds of 12/5 and just behind him is Love Island winner Dani Dyer, who is on 7/2 at the time of writing.
Rounding out the top five are model Ellie Goldstein with 6/1, social media sensation George Clarke at 9/1 and Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
Emmerdale star Lewis Cope is currently bookies favourite to win (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Love Island legend Dani Dyer could also win the show, according to bookies(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)
On the other end and currently the least favourites to win are former rugby ace Chris Robshaw and Lorraine showbiz correspondent Ross King, who have outside chances of winning at 100/1.
This makes these two contestants favourites to leave the show first, with Ross at 5/2 to exit the show first, with Chris at 3/1.
During the launch show, the first pairings unveiled were Lewis with Katya Jones, Dani with Nikita Kuzmin, Ross and Jowita Przystal, Chris and Nadiya Bychkova and Drag Race UK’s La Voix with Aljaz Skorjanec.
The next to be revealed were Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe, Ellie and Vito Coppola, Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon plus Karen Carney and Carlos Gu.
The final matches were confirmed as Harry and Karen Hauer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley, George and Alexis Warr, Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell as well as Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden.
Following the announcement, many fans sadly predicted Ross would be first out as one said: “Poor Jowita out first.” Another added: “Sorry Jowita, it’s an early exit for you this year.”
Eagle-eyed viewers also revealed they think they’ve spotted early signs of tensions between one celebrity and their dance partner. The Apprentice 2019 star Thomas was paired with Welsh beauty Amy but viewers are convinced the two will clash.
Eyebrows were raised when show hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly introduced the coupled up dancers and interviewed them about their early experiences together. Talking to Thomas and Amy in the green room, Claudia asked the former Apprentice hopeful what his dream Strictly breakfast would be.
Some Strictly viewers think they saw tension between partners Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden(Image: BBC)
He replied: “The best breakfast. We’re going down Deano’s cafe, nice and early, before we get started, get spicy Korean noodles, with chicken breasts and poached eggs and a little bit of Tabasco sauce.
He continued: “Or, if you don’t fancy that, we can have the sunshine chicken curry with the round chips.”
But fans noticed that Amy didn’t look convinced by Thomas’s suggestion, commented that they would beed to dance some of their routines close together, and remarked: “I really hope your food doesn’t repeat on you whilst you dance.”
Thomas then suggested he would be able to freshen his breath with chewing gum before they needed to dance closely. But viewers were convinced they could smell friction between the pair.
Taking to X, one shared a screenshot of Amy’s distressed expression that she pulled when Thomas was describing his dream breakfast. They wrote: “Oh Amy you poor thing getting put with skinner.”
And another shared a similar screenshot and wrote: “Amy Dowden’s face speaking for everybody at the same time… #Strictly #TomSkinner.”
A couple of former University of Oregon quarterbacks square off Sunday in a pivotal AFC West matchup. It’s Justin Herbert of the Chargers and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, both backed by talented defenses.
The Chargers are making their season debut at SoFi Stadium, and they already have two big pelts to hang on the wall. They’ve beaten Kansas City and Las Vegas, and against Denver are looking to sweep their first half of AFC West games. Last season, in the debut of Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton with their respective teams, the Chargers swept the Broncos.
“Obviously, his success speaks for itself both at the NFL level and college level,” Payton told reporters this week of Harbaugh. “I was excited that he got a job in our league, but not so much in our division.”
How the Chargers can win: Get another strong performance from Herbert. Spread the ball around to exploit soft spots in Denver’s secondary. Put the clamps on a Broncos ground game and in particular former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins. So far, the Chargers rank eighth in run defense.
How the Broncos can win: Win on early downs so they can avoid third-and-five (or longer) situations. Establish the run to set up the play-action passing game. Finish stronger — Denver has tended to fade late in games. Make the Chargers one-dimensional; they’ve had a hard time establishing the run.
Fresh off a toppling of Kansas City, the Chargers make their second stop on their whirlwind tour of the AFC West to face another familiar foe.
It’s Jim Harbaugh versus Pete Carroll, a coaching rivalry that began when Harbaugh was at Stanford and Carroll was at USC, and continued with Harbaugh at the San Francisco 49ers and Carroll at the Seattle Seahawks.
“You’d be friends,” Harbaugh said. “You’d be almost like brothers if it wasn’t for being on opposite sidelines. It’s the kind of guy you’d send a Christmas card to, but you don’t, because you’re too busy trying to scratch each other’s eyeballs out. Nature of the business. Dog-eat-dog.”
Like the Chargers, the Raiders opened with a win on the road, a 20-13 victory at New England.
The Las Vegas defense clamped down in that one, allowing the Patriots just 60 yards on the ground and a four-of-14 performance on third downs.
Geno Smith threw for 362 yards in his Raiders debut, and rookie Ashton Jeanty ran for his first NFL touchdown.
Tight end Brock Bowers had five catches for 103 yards before leaving the game with a banged-up knee.
How the Chargers can win: Get to Smith, who was sacked four times in the opener. Don’t allow him the time to complete those deep passes. Get a command performance from that array of receivers who put on a show in Brazil. Let Justin Herbert keep the Raiders’ defense honest by tearing off an off-schedule run or two.
How the Raiders can win: Put the ball in the hands of Bowers, providing he’s back up to full speed. Get a breakout game from Jeanty, who did score against the Patriots but only averaged two yards per carry. Take advantage of a reshuffled Chargers offensive line, something the Chiefs couldn’t do.
Left guard Steve Avila is doubtful because of an ankle injury and right guard Kevin Dotson will be playing through an ankle issue.
Not great news for a group that must contain Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons.
“He is really disruptive,” Stafford said of Simmons, who sacked Stafford three times in a Rams defeat in 2021, “gets off on the count, physical, fast and plays with a nasty streak.”
To reinforce the line and help establish the rushing attack, coach Sean McVay could deploy multiple tight ends.
The Rams’ defense faces quarterback Cam Ward, the top pick in the NFL draft.
Ward completed 12 of 28 passes for 112 yards in a 20-12 defeat by the Denver Broncos. He was sacked six times.
“He didn’t play bad last week,” Rams edge rusher Byron Young said. “He looked pretty comfortable back there even though he got sacked a few times. He was handling himself pretty well. … He knows what he’s doing. Even though he’s a rookie, he’s definitely somebody you can’t sleep on.”
Jockey Tom Marquand said he and wife Hollie Doyle, also a leading rider, could be forced to move abroad if the funding of British racing is hit.
“It seems pretty sad we might have to think about emigrating somewhere else to make a living out of the sport that we so enjoy,” he told BBC Sport.
“It’s an important day for racing and hopefully a step in the right direction. It’s a huge industry employing 85,000 people. The effect would be enormous.”
When the BBC filmed at Windsor races on Monday, many punters were supportive of the action.
“It’s a wonderful day out and we have a little flutter,” said racegoer Alan Mills.
“Bookmakers need the money to come in to keep the business going. The sport should be promoted, rather than taking people’s livelihoods away.”
But the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – which represents betting shops, online betting and gaming operators and casinos – says it was not consulted.
“Racing’s decision to reschedule fixtures was taken without consultation with betting operators, whose support for the funding of the sport is mission critical,” it said in a statement.
“We are concerned that futile political gestures will only antagonise the government and frustrate punters instead of delivering a solution to a shared challenge facing both racing and betting.”
The ban by India’s government of online betting games has ended the national cricket team’s sponsorship by Dream11.
Published On 2 Sep 20252 Sep 2025
India are looking for a new lead sponsor to replace Indian fantasy sports platform Dream11 after the government banned real-money online gaming last month, leaving the world’s richest cricket board scrambling to secure new revenue.
Dream11, which had signed a three-year contract worth about 3.6 billion rupees ($44m) running through 2026, can no longer sponsor the national team after the central government banned real-money online games as well as their promotion, including fantasy sports.
India’s upper house of parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 last month.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which commands some of the world’s most lucrative broadcast deals thanks to cricket’s popularity and India’s vast population, set a September 16 deadline for new bid submissions.
The auction is unlikely to remain unsold for long, but with the Asia Cup starting on September 9, India may take the field without a front-of-shirt sponsor in the opening week, which includes the marquee match against rivals Pakistan on September 14.
The Economic Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the board is seeking 35 million rupees ($397.6k) per match for bilaterals, and 15 million ($170.4k) per match for India’s fixtures in International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council tournaments in a three-year sponsorship cycle.
Over an estimated 140 games in the 2025-28 cycle, the BCCI expects to generate about 4.52 billion rupees ($51.3m), about 940 million ($10.7m) more than under Dream11’s deal, which was 3.58 billion ($40.7m) for the period July 2023 to March 2026 – an uplift of more than 20 percent.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST boss Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham’s Graham Potter are joint-favourites to be the first Premier League managerial casualties of the 2025/26 season.
That’s according to bookmaker talkSPORT BET, who’ve updated their betting markets after more twists and turns in the Premier League sack race.
Here, SunSport takes a closer look at the leading contenders – and who’s most likely to get the boot first.
Nuno Espirito Santo – 11/8
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo remains firmly in the frame to be the first Premier League manager axed this season, amid ongoing uncertainty at the City Ground.
The 51-year-old lit the fuse last week by admitting his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis has “changed” – and that they’re “not as close” as they once were.
Tensions are understood to stem from the club’s summer transfer dealings, now overseen by Edu, with Nuno reportedly frustrated at being sidelined from key recruitment decisions.
Forest have splashed more than £150million on seven new signings – including Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye, Arnaud Kalimuendo and James McAtee – but Nuno still wants more, including a new goalkeeper and two full-backs.
Despite the growing pressure, Nuno has insisted he won’t walk away – but notably refused to guarantee he’ll still be in charge by the end of the transfer window on September 1.
He had been as short as 1/2 to be the first top-flight boss shown the door, but has drifted to 11/8 following a crisis emerging at West Ham.
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Owner Evangelos Marinakis confronting Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch back in MayCredit: GETTY
Graham Potter – 11/8
West Ham’s Graham Potter is now level with Nuno at 11/8, having shortened from 3/1 earlier in the week after a horror run of results.
His miserable week hit a new low on Tuesday when the Hammers were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Wolves, conceding twice in the final eight minutes in a 3-2 defeat – with Jorgen Strand Larsen bagging a brace.
The full-time whistle saw tempers boil over, with captain Jarrod Bowen confronting a furious supporter during heated post-match scenes.
That came on the back of a 5-1 thrashing by Chelsea at the London Stadium and an opening-day defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland.
Potter’s numbers make grim reading – just five wins in 22 matches since replacing Julen Lopetegui in January, with 12 defeats and a return of 0.95 points per game – the worst record of any manager in West Ham’s history.
The Hammers must now pick themselves up ahead of a weekend trip to face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, before clashes against Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal.
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Jarrod Bowen is pulled away after clashing with West Ham supportersCredit: GETTY
What happened last season?
A total of eight Premier League managers were shown the door last season, with Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag the first to go in October.
Steve Cooper’s short-lived stint at Leicester came to a sudden end in November, before Wolves and Southampton parted ways with Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin on the same December afternoon.
Julen Lopetegui and Sean Dyche followed in January, their departures announced less than 24 hours apart. In April, Ivan Juric became the second Southampton manager to be sacked during the 2024–25 campaign.
Despite ending Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought, Ange Postecoglou was the final manager to leave his post, dismissed in June after overseeing the club’s worst-ever Premier League finish – 17th.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chase their losses
Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
About the author
James Anderson
James Anderson is a Betting & Gaming Writer at The Sun. He is an expert in sports betting and online casinos, and joined the company in November 2020 to work closely with leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to curate content in all areas of sports betting. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter and Head of Live Blogs/Events at the Daily Express and Daily Star, covering football, cricket, snooker, F1 and horse racing.
Players placing bets on games is taboo. Innumerable sports fans were educated on this point in 1989 when hits king Pete Rose received a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball for betting on games while he was a manager.
Or upon watching “Eight Men Out,” the 1988 film about MLB’s Black Sox Scandal in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox conspired with gamblers to lose the 1919 World Series.
Or from recent incidents, including Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s suspension in 2022 for a year for betting on NFL games and Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter’s lifetime ban in 2024 for betting on NBA games, giving gamblers confidential information and taking himself out of a game to affect bets.
Rose’s ban was rescinded this year, but not until after he died, with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reasoning that the lifetime part of the ban was no longer applicable.
Former Lakers guard Malik Beasley presumably can take solace in being alive Friday when he learned that he is no longer a target of the federal gambling investigation that his attorneys said harmed his reputation and cost him millions in potential earnings.
Attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter told ESPN that they were informed by the court conducting the investigation that Beasley is not suspected of gambling on NBA games during the 2023-24 season.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN. “An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
It was reported one day before the official start of free agency in June that Beasley was under investigation by the Eastern District of New York. And, yes, Beasley was a free agent after averaging 16.3 points a game with the Detroit Pistons and setting a franchise record with 319 three-pointers.
Result? The three-year, $42-million contract the Pistons had on the table to bring back the 28-year-old nine-year veteran was rescinded. Other suitors turned their backs as well.
Two months later, most teams have spent the money for free agents. The maximum Beasley can re-sign with the Pistons for is one year and $7.2 million. Several other teams can offer a similar or slightly more lucrative deal, but Beasley likely will sign a one-year deal.
Beasley posted a SnapChat story Aug. 6 before he had been exonerated, and he couldn’t help but sound bitter.
“People are judging me,” he said on the video. “Have I made some mistakes in my life? Yes. Am I proud of those mistakes? No. I’m human, but I know what I know… I just gotta stay positive, stay low key.
“I’ll tell you one thing, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. I’m ready to destroy anything in front of me to prove again that I belong in this league. For those who know me, I work too hard. I work every day. I put basketball before anything.”
Beasley pleaded guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence and was sentenced to 120 days in jail in 2020. The NBA suspended him for 12 games. The three-point-shooting expert played 24 games for the Lakers in the 2022-23 season, averaging 11.1 points a game.
Beasley drew the attention of the gambling investigation when a sportsbook detected heavy betting on his statistics beginning in January 2024, according to ESPN.
A Jan. 31 game involving the Milwaukee Bucks — the team Beasley played for at the time — raised suspicions, according to ESPN’s gambling industry source. The odds on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds shortened significantly at sportsbooks leading up to the game. Beasley, however, finished with six rebounds, and those suspicious bets lost.
Rob Furber, whose new book The Gambler tell his weird, wacky and wonderful betting exploits over the last two decades, discovered he had a talent for special bets after correctly guessing the winner of Strictly Come Dancing – but had no idea what was to come.
Rob Furber discovered he could make a good living on novelty bets
Rob Furber was one of millions sitting anxiously on their edge of their sofas on December 17, 2005, to find out who had won the third series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The struggling freelance writer wasn’t particularly a fan of ballroom, weekend TV or the recent surge in reality shows. But tonight he was particularly invested – because of the £20 bet he’d placed.
Weeks earlier, Rob had become convinced that rank outsider, Darren ‘Dazzler’ Gough, would win the show – not because the former cricketer could dance, but because he would appeal to the Strictly audience demographic at the time. And when Bruce Forsyth revealed the results of the final public vote, Rob’s 25-1 punt earned him a £500 win. It comes after a woman claimed ‘I regret marrying an older man, one part of our history has given me the ick’.
Rob’s first bet was on Darren Gough and partner Lilia Kopylova to win Strictly(Image: PA)
He recalls: “I punched the air with delight. It had been the only bet I’d made in the entire series. It was a lightbulb moment. I realised I could probably make more money betting on reality TV shows than I scratching around for freelance work or doing the odd shift.”
So began a nail-biting, exhilarating and unexpectedly romantic journey through the strange world of ‘special’ betting, which Rob describes in his new book, The Gambler.
He would go on to gamble on everything from Eurovision and royal baby names to even when a panda in Edinburgh Zoo would give birth.
Perhaps his riskiest bet of all, though, wasn’t made in a bookmakers, but a gamble on love that took him all the way to a remote part of Russia, still not entirely sure that the woman he’d met online wasn’t an elaborate scam by a kidnapping gang.
When, months after his Gough win, he correctly bet that Chantelle Houghton would win Celebrity Big Brother, earning him close to £1,500 profit, then successfully plumped for Matt Willis to win I’m a Celebrity, Rob realised he had a special gift.
When Strictly came around again, he once again picked out the winner, another test cricketer, Mark Ramprakash, even before the series had even started.
This time he gambled £250 on odds of 16/1, taking home a tidy £4,000 when Ramps was handed the glitter ball.
Rob (third from right) with fellow gamblers on the ‘trading table’ in Vienna during Eurovision 2015
Rob says it was a series of happy coincidences that turned him into a successful full-time gambler.
“I’d grown up near Newmarket, so flat racing was in my blood and I wasn’t averse to having a bet,” he says. “I was in my mid-20s, working in London on business titles, but I wasn’t enjoying it. I found the 9-5 of office life soul crushing, so decided to embark on a freelance life instead. I was a lot happier.”
Being at home also meant he could watch more television. “The early Noughties saw the advent of reality TV. I was watching the competitions and thinking, ‘I can work this out’.
“My media background helped. Just reading between the lines, knowing what the shows are trying to achieve and the power of the edit, as well as the profile of the audience who were voting, I was getting good at predicting who would end up winning.”
Rob began to spend hours researching reality show contestants and how they might be received by particular audiences.
One of Rob’s biggest jackpots was betting on Tara Palmer-Tomkinson to win Celebrity Fame Academy. He says: “Shaun Williamson, who played Barry from Eastenders, was odds on favourite. But while he could let out a song, I didn’t think he could pull heartstrings like Tara. She didn’t have a great voice, but it was really emotive watching her sing Coldplay songs at the piano.
Rob won big after discovering Coldplay’s set list for the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2016(Image: Getty)
“That’s where the skill likes, knowing what the audience is going to invest in. Those special ingredients. I found that I could identify them and know who was going to make a connection.”
He also predicted well before everyone else Jedward’s success on The X Factor.
“I knew what Simon Cowell was doing. He was being disparaging of Jedward knowing more people would vote for them to spite him. He wanted them to stay on the show.
“But the bookies were slow to catch on and always priced them very short, every week thinking they were able to get booted out.”
From TV, Rob discovered the world of ‘specials’ – novelty bets that bookies offer on everything from the Nobel Peace Prize and politics to Miss Universe and Royal baby names.
One big win was when he correctly predicted the opening and closing songs Coldplay were going to perform in the 2016 Super Bowl half-time show – and this time it wasn’t guesswork
He says: “A fellow special sleuth infiltrated some of the Coldplay online fan sites, and got the setlist from someone on there. We found out they were going to open with Yellow and end with Up&Up. When you get something like this is is absolutely gold-plated information. It ended up netting me around £1,500.”
Eurovision is a huge part of Rob’s year. He says: “It’s the biggest betting event of them all. It starts around Christmas, with the first country qualifiers. It’s five months of relentless study, every day you’ve got to be all over the news and tune in to all the qualifiers.
“One of my best wins was coming across Portugal’s Salvador Sobral, even before he was picked as the country’s entry. I found his song spellbinding. It was getting odds of 110-1 on Betfair at the time, but he went on to win. Another five-figure profit secured.”
Rob’s biggest gamble was finding love with Russian Anya
But Rob’s biggest bet of all was when he realised that his new career in betting was leaving him a virtual recluse at home, and facing the possibility of never finding a lifelong partner – so decided to join a dating site for Western men interested in Eastern European women.
Some were clearly sophisticated scams, which made Rob’s decision to go and meet one woman, Anya, in a provincial part of Russia, even riskier.
Rob says: “This was something with more jeopardy than anything else I’d bet on so far, with an unpredictability I couldn’t control or outsmart.
“I applied my gambler’s mindset and thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained, let’s go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Like many of his other wacky bets, this one paid off too, turning into a rollercoaster love affair that ended happily ever after.
Now happily married, Rob and Anya’s against-the-odds, long-distance romance ended up being the most enthralling story of his book, The Gambler.
“I’d like to think the book is an irreverent and laugh-out-loud funny look at risk, romance and what happens when you bet on love,” Rob says. “I hope it comes across as an authentic and honest portrayal and challenges the reader to think about what they are prepared to gamble on in life, and what matters most.”
The Gambler by Rob Furber, published by Mirror Books (£9.99), is on sale now from Amazon and all good bookshops.
With Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase under investigation for baseball betting, fans that bet a combined $315,000 on him could be at risk of losing some or all of that investment.
Clase is the star attraction at Finlete, a San Diego company that offers fans the chance to invest in an athlete in exchange for a share of his future earnings.
The future earnings of Clase, 27, a three-time All-Star, could be influenced by Monday’s announcement that Major League Baseball had placed him on paid leave as part of what the league called a “sports betting investigation.” The sport in question is baseball, according to an official familiar with the probe but unauthorized to discuss it publicly.
In its offering statement, Finlete noted that Clase’s current contract extends through 2026 and guarantees him at least $13.3 million, if the Guardians decline a 2027 buyout. The Guardians hold an option for $10 million in 2027 and another for $10 million in 2028. Clase would be eligible for free agency if the Guardians decline either option, or after the option years have been exercised.
However, if the league determines Clase had bet on any baseball game in which his team participated, he could be declared permanently ineligible. If the league determines he had bet on any other baseball games, he could be banned for one year.
On July 14, Finlete announced on Instagram that it had raised more than $315,000 from “hundreds of investors in Emmanuel Clase’s career.”
In its offering, beyond the boilerplate warning that investors should not invest money they could not afford to lose, Finlete cited injuries, illnesses and work stoppages among risks that could derail payments to investors.
Finlete also warned that players “suspended or banned” from the league “would not receive amounts under their existing player contract and may not be able to secure future playing contracts.”
In his Clase sales pitch, Finlete co-founder Rob Connolly last year told Sportico: “Mariano Rivera was the best ever. And this guy’s in that conversation. So he’s got a full career in front of him. How the hell did we land this deal? It’s incredible.”
Finlete spelled that out in its offering: If you really want to make the big bucks as investors, Clase needs to sign a lucrative extension, or hit free agency and strike gold.
“The profitability of the Clase Agreement is substantially dependent on Mr. Clase entering into additional high-value MLB player contracts,” the offering read.
On its homepage, Finlete highlights seven baseball players with which it has agreements, Clase included. The other six are in the minor leagues.
Connolly did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
WIMBLEDON 2025 is almost upon us! The third and most prestigious slam of the year as the tennis and sporting world centres around SW19.
It is the only Slam to be played on grass courts, and features timeless traditions.
Many clay court greats have struggled when moving onto the grass, although current men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz has mastered both surfaces – he won the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024 and will bid to complete another double this year.
He’ll look to become only the fifth player of the Open Era to win three titles in a row in SW19 after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the latest Wimbledon betting odds and make some Wimbledon predictions for 2025!
🎾 Wimbledon 2025 quick tips
Waiting for the match to start? 📺 Keep up the live action with bet365 live casino! 👇
Who’s in form ahead of Wimbledon?
Carlos Alcaraz laid down a marker ahead of his Wimbledon title defence by winning the big warm-up event at Queen’s Club.
He was quickly back at it following his French Open success but didn’t look jaded as he stretched his unbeaten streak to 18 matches.
In contrast, his big rival Jannik Sinner lost in the second round in Halle to Alexander Bublik, who went on to claim the title and could be a dark horse in SW19.
Briton Jack Draper made the semis at Queen’s before losing to Jiri Lehecka, who was a big eyecatcher in west London.
On the women’s side, world number one Aryna Sabalenka was beaten in the Berlin semi-finals by former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, who looked ready for another shot at the big one after winning the title in the German capital.
No stopping in-form Alcaraz
Time for some Wimbledon tips!
Carlos Alcaraz is undoubtedly the man they all have to beat at Wimbledon 2025.
The Spaniard arrives in SW19 on an 18-match winning streak, a run which included successfully defending his French Open title and winning at Queen’s Club on the grass.
Alcaraz has been there and done it in terms of Wimbledon too – as two-time reigning champion, he will bid for a hat-trick this year.
He served well and his forehand dictated many points at Queen’s so he looks a worthy favourite coming in here.
His price won’t suit everyone though and others will be tempted by Novak Djokovic’s odds of around 6/1.
The seven-time champion would love to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight titles at the All England Club and he’s been saving his best tennis for the biggest events at the latter end of his career – in the past 12 months, he’s won Olympic gold, reached the Wimbledon final and also two other Grand Slam semis.
The problem is he’s too often found someone just that bit better (usually Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner) so it might be worth looking at someone at longer odds.
Jiri Lehecka was very impressive at Queen’s and notably that tournament has a strong record of acting as a springboard for Wimbledon success of late.
In 2021, Matteo Berrettini won Queen’s and then made the final in SW19. The man he beat in the final, Cam Norrie, also made the semis of Wimbledon that year.
In 2023, Alcaraz won both events and last year, Lorenzo Musetti went from the Queen’s final to the Wimbledon last four.
The way Lehecka was playing last week, he could add to that trend. He’ll likely need a little luck in Friday’s draw but he could contend.
WTA world number one Aryna Sabalenka will go off as the title favourite at Wimbledon but she’s yet to reach the final in SW19 and has been beaten in both Grand Slam finals so far this season.
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek have also failed to make the final here so far, so arguably 2022 champion Elena Rybakina is best placed from those towards the top of the market.
She wasn’t far away from beating Sabalenka in Berlin recently, losing only in a final-set tie-break. If she is able to stay fully fit (which admittedly has been a problem in the past), the big-serving Kazakh will have a great chance.
However, with some big-priced winners emerging in the women’s singles in recent years, it may well be worth focusing your betting strategy on someone further down the Wimbledon tennis betting list.
Elina Svitolina has been a model of consistency in the Slams since returning to the WTA Tour following the birth of her daughter – a quarter-final run at the recent French Open was her fifth such appearance in nine Slams as a mother, none of which have seen her lose before round three.
At Wimbledon, she’s made two semi-finals in her last four visits – and played in the quarter-finals last year – and isn’t fazed by playing on a grass court.
Her ability to get down to low balls is among the best around – watch that low crouch she produces – and her counter-punching style has proved effective on courts that tend to bounce a bit higher than they once did.
A Briton has won the men’s doubles title in each of the past two years – Neal Skupski in 2023 and, last year, Henry Patten.
Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovarra added the Australian Open title to their CVs earlier this season and should challenge again.
However, it could be two British players who rise to the challenge in 2025, namely Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash. The pair, who both came through the US college system, have already won three titles on the ATP Tour this season, including the Queen’s crown on grass, and sit fourth in the calendar-year ‘Race to Turin’ heading into Wimbledon.
Away from the Brits, Marcelo Aravelo and Mate Pavic (a former champion with a different partner) look set to be the top seeds but the new Aussie pairing of Matt Ebden and John Peers could be a better-value bet.
The pair are something of a scratch pairing – Ebden had planned to play with Jordan Thompson – but they’ve played together before, notably at last year’s Olympics where they won gold.
The pair also won on grass at Eastbourne in 2024. A repeat could occur at Wimbledon 2025.
Hewitt can win again in SW19
Great Britain has been something of a superpower in wheelchair tennis over the past decade with Alfie Hewitt and Gordon Reid dominating in men’s doubles – they’ve won eight of the last nine Grand Slams as a pair.
Reid is a former Paralympic champion in singles but Hewitt has taken over as the nation’s leading player and will bid to a 10th singles Slam at Wimbledon 2025.
He completed the career Grand Slam by winning this title 12 months ago and looks likely to battle it out with main rival Tokito Oda this time around.
Oda won the other three Slams in 2024m the Paralympics and the recent French Open but Hewitt’s home advantage can swing things his way on the lower-bouncing grass.
🏆 Recent winners of Wimbledon
Carlos Alcaraz has been the dominant figure in the men’s singles over the past two years, beating Novak Djokovic in both finals. Djokovic had won four in a row before then – seven in total – and you have to go back to 2016 to find the last Wimbledon final not involving the Serb.
No Briton has won since Andy Murray in 2016, although Cameron Norrie made the semis in 2022. Jack Draper – the host nation’s big hope this year – is yet to go beyond round two.
In contrast to the men, the last seven ladies’ singles titles have been won by seven different players. Last year, Barbora Krejcikova was a surprise winner, following in the footsteps of her fellow Czech, Marketa Vondrousova. Prior to that, Elena Rybakina was the champion and she’ll be among the favourites this year.
Emma Raducanu has twice made the last 16 in the past four years but Johanna Konta (2017) remains the only British woman to make the semi-finals since the retirement of 1977 champion Virginia Wade.
Briton Henry Patten and partner Harri Heliovarra are the defending men’s doubles champions, while Katerina Siniakova (for a third time) and Taylor Townsend won the ladies’ title in 2024. The mixed doubles, in which Briton Neal Skupski is a two-time champion, went to Jan Zielinski and Hsieh Su-wei.
📈 Wimbledon betting markets explained
Match winner
The simplest form of tennis betting – who will win a specific match? For example, back Carlos Alcaraz to beat Jannik Sinner.
Handicaps
Handicap betting brings the odds on each player close together. One player is handed a head start of a certain number of games or sets. The other has ‘the handicap’ of giving up that start. For example, back Djokovic (+3.5) to beat Alcaraz on the game handicap. If Alcaraz wins four more games than Djokovic, he is the market winner. If he fails, Djokovic does.
Total sets/total games
You bet on how many sets or games there will be in a match. The sportsbook sets certain ‘lines’, one specific example would be 37.5 games, and you decide whether there will be more of fewer games than that line. If you go more, back the ‘over’ option; fewer and it’s ‘under’.
Set betting (scores)
A bet on what the match score will be in sets. For example, Iga Swiatek to beat Aryna Sabalenka 2-0.
Tournament winner & outrights
In outright markets, you are betting on the outcome of the tournament, rather than a specific match or matches.
👉 How to bet on Wimbledon
Most bets these days are placed online and most bookmaker websites make it easy for you to do so. It’s usually a simple process:
Don’t have an account? Just head to the bookmaker’s website (you can find some of the best tennis sites here) and click on ‘register’ or ‘sign up’. You’ll need to provide personal details and then make a deposit via payment method before you can place a bet. Some firms have sign up offers. For example, BetMGM currently have a ‘bet £10, get £40 in free bets’ scheme available.
Once registered, head to the tennis section – most Wimbledon betting sites list all their sports in alphabetical order via a menu if it’s not immediately obvious – and then look for the Wimbledon betting odds.
Pre-tournament, outright markets should be available and, once the draw, has taken place various match markets will be produced. Browse through these to find the option you want to back.
Once you have made your decision, click on the selection (or its odds) and your pick will be added to the betslip, which should appear on screen – it is often on the right-hand side. Choose you stake, check everything is correct and then click ‘place bet’ or the equivalent. Now you can sit back and enjoy the action – and hopefully some winnings!
📺 How to watch Wimbledon
Every match of Wimbledon 2025 will be available to watch live on BBC platforms, whether that be on its digital TV channels or online via BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sport website.
In addition, daily highlights will be available on TNT Sports and its discovery+ streaming service. Having swept up the Eurosport brand in the UK, TNT Sports will also show both singles finals live (sharing coverage with the BBC).
About the author
James Anderson
James Anderson is a Betting & Gaming Writer at The Sun. He is an expert in sports betting and online casinos, and joined the company in November 2020 to work closely with leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to curate content in all areas of sports betting. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter and Head of Live Blogs/Events at the Daily Express and Daily Star, covering football, cricket, snooker, F1 and horse racing.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
