Royals Sports Group-owned IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals are delighted to announce the launch of the Rajasthan Royals Academy Cornwall (RRAC), which will be based at Truro School. The RRAC will provide a coaching pathway for aspiring Cornish boys and girls cricketers who will have a chance to enroll with the academy at a young age, and develop into top-class players potentially plying their trade on the Minor County, County, or even International arena.

Following positive discussions last year between The Cornish Cricket Company’s Head Coach, Sean Hooper, and the Rajasthan Royals, it proved to serve as the foundation stone of the academy in Cornwall – making it only the sixth in the world for the franchise. The values and vision of the Royals are in synergy with that of The Cornish Cricket Company and hence, the academy appears to be a perfect place for budding cricketers, who can expect a comprehensive coaching curriculum and expert coaching at Truro School.

What makes this opportunity even more exciting, as the Royals look to develop other Academies in the UK and around the Globe, is the chance for these youngsters to participate in various tournaments and festivals playing against other Royals Academies. There will also be the opportunity to tour and visit other Royals locations including Nagpur in India, as well as academies in the UAE.  As part of the academy’s long-term vision, the development of boys and girls both on and off the pitch will be of the utmost importance with them having access to playing and coaching methods, Royals’ players and other learning materials which will help execute on delivering this Vision.

As cricket constantly evolves, The Cornish Cricket Company’s Head Coach, Sean Hooper believes that this opportunity is a potential game changer for cricket and cricketers in Cornwall. “This really offers Cornish youngsters the chance to work towards becoming a global cricketing superstar. I can’t wait to get going with my team of expert coaches. The programme is at the forefront of cricket development.”

“Whilst there is not currently a female IPL competition, girls and women are welcome to the programmes and with the Rajasthan Royals championing many women’s and female causes in India, this is a fantastic IPL franchise to get involved with,” said Hooper.

“The benefits to cricket in Cornwall are huge and the RRAC will help grow the game as well as improve standards in age group cricket for boys and girls,” he added.

The Royals’ Head of Academy Development, Sid Lahiri also expressed his thoughts at the launch, “We are delighted to open our latest Royals Academy in Cornwall. The South-West of England is full of cricketing talent, and I am confident that our partners – Sean and the team at RRAC – will be able to harness that. The Academy will have fantastic short and long-term benefits to boys and girls  and cricket generally in the region.”

Betting, or gambling to be more specific, predates modern civilization and is old as humanity. Given human nature, it is safe to presume we placed bets tens of thousands of years ago, maybe not in a form we know today, but certainly it was some sort of exchange based on the assumed outcome. Now, humans like to put things in context, otherwise most of us can’t comprehend clearly. Because of that, let’s say “modern” betting started to appear somewhere in ancient Greece, during the Olympics. This practice was continued by ancient Romans, because they really liked borrowing ideas from Greeks. And from there, it was kept alive to this very day, where sports betting is a multi-billion dollar industry that keeps growing.

Naturally, humans tend to improve things, so sports betting took many different forms as it evolved through the ages. Today, we have dozen of different ways to wager on literally anything, not only sports. So don’t worry if terminology like head-to-head, half bet or totalizator confuses you. Sports betting is certainly a world of its own, and requires some introducing.

Olympics and Gladiator Fights as Early Entertainment for the Masses

Sports betting is always attached to popular sports. Today it is mainly associated with football or horse races, at least here in Europe. The early Olympics in ancient Greece and later gladiator fights in ancient Rome were events that attracted major masses, and naturally, early sports betting. The Greeks liked to place bets on athletes, similar to how we do it today. Romans then legalized betting (although only in Rome), and placed bets on gladiators and chariot races, insanely popular entertainment for the masses of its time. The betting practice naturally kept going but was banned during the middle ages when people started taking religion very seriously. However, most simply didn’t care if it was legal or not. Betting precedes human laws, and always managed to survive, even during times when it was frowned upon.

Horse Races as Origin of Modern Sports Betting

There’s a reason why sports betting is associated with horse races, at least in the West. At the time horse races became a popular past-time activity for British aristocracy, sports betting was not regulated – an activity that was practiced inside social circles. Nobles wagered between nobles, and peasants wagered between peasants. During 16^th and 17^th centuries, horse races bookmaking started to take off. Contrary to popular belief, it was not a free-for-all activity. Instead, only horse owners were allowed to place bets on private races. It was more of a horse-owners private club thing. But king Charles’s passion for horse racing helped promoting activity and before you knew it, pub owners are promoting the races and taking bets. From there, the practice spread to the rest of the world, primarily to the US. British colonies like New Zealand and Canada were also forced to set sports betting laws by the late 19^th century, which tells you how popular the practice became.

The Internet Changed Everything

Around 1995, websites that allowed online betting first appeared, triggering a new era for sports betting. These websites were allowed to operate based on laws of countries such as Atigua and Barbuda or Malta, which was one of the first countries to recognize the opportunity of regulated online gambling market. After that, many new platforms and concepts emerged, like peer-to-peer betting and betting exchanges, breaking the traditional concept of placing bets on events and creating a unique experience for fans.

Football is extremely popular in the United Kingdom and it is a passion we all have. But, did you know that football clubs have been promoting gambling using multiple ways? This is something that needs to be cleared more and something you need to know more about. Below we are going to reveal all of that.

BGC Limits

You probably have heard of Betting and Gambling Council or BGC. They control betting and gambling in the United Kingdom and they are very interested in how football clubs have been promoting gambling. It is one of the reasons why you do not find any sports gambling sites without GamStop promoted by football clubs in the UK. The goal here is to put an end to promoting betting on sports among people under 18 years of age. That’s why one of the latest rules was to make all posts on social media and other platforms unavailable for people under 18 years of age. This is done due to obvious reasons and we are looking at positive results instantly.

Social Media Promoting

Football clubs have been known to promote betting and gambling. The best examples are Manchester City, Arsenal, and many others. They have been doing this via social media the most. It is a free method that can reach millions within seconds. We all know that each of these

teams has a huge base of followers and therefore can reach all of them via a single post instantly. The best options are Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Most people have been using these social media platforms.

This type of promotion is done due to obvious reasons. Football clubs need a budget from the gambling industry and the gambling industry needs more bettors and gamblers. It looks like a win-win combination of teamwork. But, the goal is to promote betting responsibly. All of the aforementioned teams and many more were mandated to promote betting more responsibly and become more careful about posts before matches. These posts are known to encourage people to try betting more and they risk their money.

Keep in mind that social media is not the only option here. Football clubs have been using T-shirts, logos, and all kinds of other things to promote betting and gambling partners. Fans love these and they want to help their team and also have more fun.

An Interesting Connection

The connection between gambling and betting sites and football clubs is impressive and definitely interesting. It is a massive or better said a huge connection that has a huge impact on people from all over the globe.

As we have mentioned earlier, this is a win-win combination. Football teams get funds to promote betting and betting companies get punters to bet on their sites or in physical establishments. Both sides generate more income and both can invest more in overall advancement. This has been done for ages and it is something that cannot be easily changed. If it stops, we are looking at a massive problem.

If the betting industry stops paying for promotions to football clubs, they will lose a massive income. They won’t be able to pay for further promotions which brings all kinds of issues and an obvious lack of new punters. If football clubs lose these sponsors, they won’t be able to advance and they will become less powerful which will result in the loss of fans. So, ending this cooperation is not an option. It is a difficult thing to stop and one that should exist but with some changes.

First of all, we have a lot of small teams that don’t get a lot of sponsors. These do deserve more sponsors and this is one of the best ways to transform football into something even better. But, betting industry giants are not interested in promoting these clubs. They don’t have a huge potential and they cannot reach a massive base of fans as large teams can. This is a sad truth and something we hope will change in the near future.

The only issue here is that this large-scale promotion can reach a lot of people who suffer from gambling addiction or who have related issues. These people need help and they should avoid all types of betting and gambling, hopefully, they receive a lot of support from the UKGC. It is a mandatory thing we all consider and we all need to know more about it. Luckily there are a lot of options for people with gambling addiction. They can use platforms such as GamStop or similar ones and distance themselves from betting as long as needed.

The Final Word

In the end, all we can say is that betting and gambling industry giants have been using football clubs to get more punters. They can generate more income and invest more into promotions. This also means that football clubs can invest more in training, new players, and more. Football clubs have been doing this for ages and it is one of the most essential types of promotion today.

Online casinos are immensely popular worldwide. The online industry currently holds 40% of the overall gambling market, with a Gross Gambling Yield of £5.7 billion.

But no matter how popular it is, gaming online can be something of a minefield, especially for new players. There is a wide range of gaming options and different things to be aware of when beginning play.

The following are 5 mistakes to avoid when starting play.

1. Not Playing on a Secure Site

The huge growth of the online world has unfortunately led to a greater opportunity for cyber criminals to take advantage. Keeping personal information and access to accounts clear of danger presents a particular challenge to players, responsible companies and cyber security departments.

Naive gamers who do not check the credentials of a new site could be especially at risk.

It is, therefore, always best to see that the gaming operator you are thinking of playing on has all the correct certificates. The issued license will be clearly visible on the site’s pages. It will show that the site is approved to run as a gambling entertainment outlet.

If a site does not display the licence, it likely means that the company running it should not be doing so and is best avoided.

2. Not Finding the Game that Suits You

The wealth of games and playing styles available on an online casino is extensive. It can take new players some time to find the kind of game they like best. But it is always worth taking the time to fully investigate what is available.

It is a mistake to get stuck on one kind of game just because you think it is the only one available. Sites and operators are constantly updating the variety of ways to enjoy gaming, so it is always worth checking to see what is on offer.

There are also often plenty of free games presented on various gaming sites. By accessing these, you could potentially find a new style that suits for free.

3. Missing Out on the Best Ways to Increase Winning Chances

Like sports, the games in an online casino are described as games of chance. The essential random element has been configured by random number generators. However, that does not mean that players cannot improve the possibility of winning.

A big part of this comes from knowing the game you are playing inside out. The more you play a certain game, the more aware you will be of what needs to happen in order to win.

Another good idea for beginners is to play games such as slots with a good return to player (RTP) score. This will mean more possibility of getting more credit back from gameplay.

4. Not Managing Money Properly

Money management is integral to anyone thinking of spending some time on an online casino. It is a good idea to work out how much money you are willing to set aside before delving into online casino.

Players who are in a hurry to try and get a big win sometimes take too many chances with their credits. Not taking care to know how and where you are spending your money is a common mistake that can be easily avoided.

Being a bit more patient and sticking to some sensible financial management guidelines is a positive way to improve your overall gaming experience.

For example, try creating a budget for gaming that you cannot exceed. Once you go beyond a certain point, stop playing. You can return to the online casino once a set amount of time has gone by.

This way each time you win it will be a pleasant way to continue the gameplay Each time you lose it won’t be such a damaging surprise.

5. Not Choosing the Preferred Payment Method

Online casinos today offer players a wealth of options for deposits and withdrawals. Finding a gaming site with the payment method that suits you best is an important consideration to make.

Credit cards and bank cards are the most popular methods used by online casinos. Digital wallets such as PayPal, Apple Pay and Skrill are also often options used by major platforms.

Cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin is also starting to have an impact on the online casino gaming world. Some sites offer the chance to make and receive payments via cryptocurrency which some garners prefer.

It is always worth investigating the method of paying that suits you and your circumstances best. If you are confident in how well money is being looked after in your gaming account, you are more likely to play with confidence. This will make the entire experience much more fun.

In conclusion

The world of online casino presents a huge realm of gaming fun to discover. There are always new games and playing options to make the most of. As technology continues to expand across smartphones and mobile devices, this is even more the case.

It’s easy to have fun safely by following the above points sensibly and carefully.

Newcastle United’s long protracted takeover by PIF along with the Reuben Brothers and Amanda Staveley was finally completed in the first week of October. Mike Ashley’s 14-year tenure as owner of the Magpies was ended, much to the relief of thousands of Geordies that flooded the streets around St James’ Park to celebrate.

Whereas Ashley failed to invest in the club’s infrastructure and commit significant resources to the playing squad, PIF along with the rest of Newcastle’s hierarchy have vowed to make drastic changes on Tyneside. The Magpies endured a poor start to the Premier League season under Steve Bruce, and are still backed at 2.63 in the football betting odds to be relegated from the top flight despite the influx of funds at the club.

An important January window awaits Newcastle to fill their squad with quality to avoid the drop, with the potential to push on in the next campaign to move into the top half of the Premier League. Their progress will be worth monitoring in the football betting tips as a momentum surge could see the Magpies compete for a top-10 spot along with the cup competitions that had been overlooked in the Ashley era. It has been over 60 years since United last won silverware, placing the onus on the new owners to deliver success that has eluded the loyal Geordie fanbase for so long.

For the first time in 14 years, Newcastle can now afford to look up rather than towards the relegation zone. Two relegations haunted the Magpies, but much like the Manchester City of 2008 after their takeover by Sheikh Mansour, the Tynesiders can now put the building blocks of a surge up the table into place. City were not an overnight success following their takeover and far from the dominant side that they are now under Pep Guardiola.

Robinho was their first eye-catching move in a £32.8m deal from Real Madrid, although the Brazilian failed to live up to the billing in one full season at the Etihad Stadium. The stronger initial transfers were deals for Pablo Zabaleta, who would become a key cog of three teams that won the Premier League title along with Nigel de Jong, a potent force in the middle of the park.

City gradually phased out the players of their old regime such as Richard Dunne and Darius Vassell and replaced them with high-priced moves for Kolo Toure and Carlos Tevez. The club kept building in that fashion before their first Premier League crown arrived in the 2011/12 through Sergio Aguero’s famous stoppage-time strike against Queens Park Rangers.

Newcastle will no doubt be linked with a host of players in January, but they must get their recruitment nailed to a fine tee. They have a small window of opportunity where financial fair play will not hinder their progress to bridge the gap towards the top-10. Before they can think about challenging the top four, the Magpies have to get on a level playing field with Everton, West Ham and Aston Villa among others. There will be no shortcut to the top for the Magpies despite their newfound wealth, and the hard work is only beginning for the ownership group. The first step is to push out from the relegation zone and then build a sustainable platform for growth.

During the hiatus in sports last year, it’s probably fair to say that not every professional athlete around the globe followed their own tailored exercise plan with much enthusiasm. Aiden Markam wasn’t one of those who chose the comfort of the couch and the escapism of Netflix, however. Instead, the 27-year-old used the time to sculpt himself a physique that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a rugby field or even in a boxing ring.

Indeed Aiden Markram is👏

(@imVkohli tweeted this back in 2018)#ENGvSA #SouthAfrica #England #AidenMarkram #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/Tl124frkn7

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) November 6, 2021

Indeed, Markram used 2020 to become an elite athlete and in doing so, took a giant step towards fulfilling his potential in the game of cricket after years of promising but ultimately not delivering. Naturally, it goes without saying that having bulging biceps isn’t enough to score hundreds, but having a newfound internal discipline will bridge the gap.

Markram, you see, for a long time followed a sizable list of talented South African batsmen who had come through the national team only to fail to reach their true potential. These swashbuckling aforementioned batsmen had a repertoire of shots that would make Sir Donald Bradman blush, but not necessarily the self-control that is so desperately needed in order to complement natural talent.

A Cautionary Tale about Having Talent but No Control

You only need to think of Herschelle Gibbs who was arguably the most talented batsman to play international cricket over the last 30 years and how he became a victim of his own freakish skill. Indeed, Gibbs had the talent to obliterate any bowling attack but not satisfied having hit a bowler to the boundary on multiple occasions in an over, the South African would try and do it one too many times and often throw his wicket away.

Although to give the Capetonian his due, he did end up hitting a bowler for six consecutive sixes during a game against the Netherlands at the 2007 World Cup in St Kitts. But we shouldn’t lose sight of the point given that it was a once-off occurrence. Rather, had Gibbs possessed a bit more self-restraint when clearly on top, he could have been the best of all time.

🚀 Gibbs goes wild!

14 years ago today, @hershybru became the first player to hit six sixes in an over of international cricket 🙌pic.twitter.com/CgAA0R1jpo

— ICC (@ICC) March 16, 2021

The fear was that Markam was headed down the same route with most South African fans feeling a sense of worrying deja vu after the batsman would get in and build a solid foundation, only to give his wicket away softly. It was even more perturbing as Markram was seen as the generational talent and the man to return the good times to the Rainbow Nation after South Africa’s rock and ICC Hall of Famer Jacques Kallis had retired.

But up until 2020, it was false dawn after false dawn with the Proteas set to go a generation without an elite batsman at the top of the order. However, in late 2020, Markam looked to be a new man and when he took up his position at the crease, he was now a great deal more physically intimidating.

Markram Goes on the Rampage after Finding Inner Peace

The results that came afterward speak for themselves with Markram helping SA beat the West Indies in the Caribbean and also Sri Lanka at home in 2021 with some exquisite batting. The 27-year-old then played a starring role in the T20 World Cup where he recorded scores of 40, 51, 19, 0, and 52.

Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to help the Proteas qualify for the semi-finals but they were unlucky in that sense after finishing tied on points with Australia and England only to go out on net run rate. Markram did improve his own personal record though by going into third place on the MRF Tyres ICC international batting rankings for T20s, though.

But if we were to focus on how well South Africa played in the UAE, yes, it may have been a disappointing end to a promising team campaign for Markram and the Proteas. But when you take a step back and look at the side’s trajectory over the last year, it does seem like they’re about to join the elite of the game again. In fact, the odds back that up given that as of November 12th, Betway have slashed South Africa’s World Cup cricket odds of winning the 2023 showpiece to 7.5/1.

Indeed, the feeling is that if Markram can keep bludgeoning the opposition bowlers with his incredibly meaty Gunn & Moore bat, then South Africa will finally kick down the door and take their places at cricket’s top table once more.

What a drive from Aiden Markram! 🤩

Can you guess who hit the highest number of fours at #CWC19? pic.twitter.com/vOrUt9nTGW

— ICC (@ICC) May 22, 2020

Admittedly, the team from the Rainbow Nation has spent too much time meandering in the wilderness but now that Aiden Markram has made leaps and bounds, the country has the leader they need to find cricket’s land of milk and honey again.

India won with a massive lead against New Zealand in the 2nd Test held in Wankhede, Mumbai. New Zealand is now staring under the barrel as they have to chase over 400 runs if they ever hope to win against India in 2021. The conclusion was very eventful with highlights in days 3 and 4. Here is everything you need to know to catch up with what happened over the week at the Wankhede Stadium.

Highlights pointers

Days 3 and 4 of the 2nd Test day between India and New Zealand was eventful with several interesting points to look back to. First, Virat Kohli was called out by the umpires. However, this decision is still under debate as both umpires and fans are divided by the events.

The second is a cute moment with the stadium’s spider camera causing everyone to take an early tea break. Third is history in the making as Ravichandran Ashwin officially achieved records set by previous cricket legends. Such achievements are a high testament to skills. Not even winning online slot games can compare to the honour that it brings.

Umpires’ dismissal of Virat Kohli under debate

Indian team’s captain, Virat Kohli, is called out as umpires saw his paddings touching the ball before the bat. Kohli appealed that it be reconsidered because he is adamant that he hit the ball with the bat before it hits his paddings. True enough, some cameras support his claims if seen at certain angles. However, there are also other cameras that support the opposite claim. The final decision is that he is still called out but cricket fans are divided about what transpired.

Event delayed by technical difficulties

The spider camera (spider cam) is a special type of camera that can move in two dimensions around a sports stadium. One of the spider cams at the Wankhede Stadium dropped down to the athletes’ reach. It can’t return on its own and it’s a hazard if the game continues with a piece of equipment and wire reaching within the head level. Athletes had fun with it such as R Ashwin trying to lift it overhead and Kohli telling it to behave. It inspired lighthearted memes online with the Indian Cricket Team posting the incident on Twitter.

Ravichandran Ashwin achieves historic milestone

Ashwin officially dismissed Will Young, Tom Latham, and Ross Taylor on Day 3 of the 2nd Test against New Zealand. Not only did this secure complete control for the home team but it also meant that he ended the day with figures 3 for 27 in 17 overs.

That also means that he has surpassed Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, and Kapil Dev in taking 50 or more Test wickets in a calendar year. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh only got this honour for 3 years each while Kapil Dev has 2. Ashwin, on the other hand, got 4 years.

With this turn of events, New Zealand is left as the underdog of the series after the defeat in this match. Fans worry if they can pull it off with the odds stacked against them like the jackpot in online slot games.

Former NBA star Charles Oakley has tipped Steph Curry to lead the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Championship this season.

The Warriors have been in fine form in recent weeks, rattling off seven successive wins to establish themselves as a major force in the Western Conference.

They suffered a rare defeat on Tuesday, as the high-flying Phoenix Suns secured a 104-96 victory. The two teams now have identical 18-3 records.

Despite the reverse, the Warriors remain amongst the favourites to win the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018.

In a recent interview with Betway Insider, Oakley singled out Curry as the driving force behind the Warriors’ bid for glory this season.

“”In the East a lot of good teams are not really playing well right now,” he said. “Out West you’ve got Golden State, the (Los Angeles) Lakers have got injuries, Utah (Jazz) is Utah.

“It’s early but I think Golden State have been a surprise without Klay (Thompson). They have a great system. I think everybody plays to Curry.

“Golden State is more defined because everybody knows Curry’s the main guy and everybody has to play through him. Some other teams are still struggling to find their leaders and this and that.”

While the Warriors have re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the West, the Lakers have struggled to live up to expectations.

Despite having the likes of LeBron James and Russell Westbrook in their ranks, a 12-11 record after 23 games highlights their inconsistent nature.

However, with veteran Carmelo Anthony continuing to show he can contribute in the NBA, Oakley believes it is too early to write off the Lakers.

“LA will be up and down all year because Westbrook is Westbrook,” he added, “His mindset in basketball is different than LeBron’s or the other guys. He plays into himself sometimes.

“But as soon as LA finds a system, a top seven or eight guys – Carmelo’s starting now, he was coming off the bench earlier in the season – but it’s gonna be a rollercoaster this year I think.”

With the Lakers failing to find their rhythm during the early part of the season, NBA streaming favourites the Warriors had been cashing in prior to their blip against the Suns.

Their resurgence has taken many people by surprise, particularly after the team failed to qualify for the play-offs in each of the last two seasons.

However, with Curry back in the sort of form that saw him win the NBA MVP award in 2015 and 2016, Oakley believes the Warriors could be tough to stop this season.

“In the West think everybody had the (Los Angeles) Clippers and the Lakers or maybe Phoenix and the Lakers, but now you’re seeing Golden State – you’ve got to answer to them now.

“The way Golden State’s playing, you’ve got to make them the favourite right now because they’re playing mid-season basketball. They’ve got it clicking on all cylinders. Curry is cooking.”

Source: NBA lines site Betway

On the evening of November 29th, the Ballon d’Or 2021 awards ceremony was held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Last year, France Football magazine turned down the award because of the coronavirus pandemic, so fans around the world have had time to miss it.

Furthermore, France Football was tight-lipped about the intrigue this year: even analysts at betting company 1BET (see their review at https://bookmaker-ratings.com/review/1bet-review/) were unsure who would win the Ballon d’Or, with Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi as both being favourites.

The main intrigue was decided in favour of Messi, to the disappointment of the thousands of fans who were certain Lewandowski would win the trophy this year. The Argentine won his 7th Ballon d’Or: it is the best result in history, unlikely to be conquered by anyone else. Messi’s longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo took sixth place in the vote: the Portuguese finished outside the top 5 for the first time since 2010.

Barcelona and Spain 19 y/o midfielder Pedri was named the world’s best under-21 footballer.

France Football predictably voted Lewandowski the best striker of the year 2021. The French magazine has awarded such a prize for the first time. As it turned out later, it was a consolation for Robert.

Alexia Putellas, who plays for Barcelona and Spain in the attacking midfield position, was awarded the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian national team and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, won the Lev Yashin Award for being the best goalkeeper.

The list of the best players of the year according to France Football looks as follows:

• Lionel Messi (Barcelona / PSG) – 613 points in the voting
• Robert Lewandowski (Bayern) – 580 points
• Jorginho (Chelsea) – 460 points
• Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) – 239
• N’Golo Kante (Chelsea) – 186
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/Manchester United) – 178
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 121
• Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) – 73
• Kylian Mbappe (PSG) – 58
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/PSG) – 36
• Erling Haaland (Borussia D)
• Romelu Lukaku (Inter/Chelsea)
• Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
• Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)
• Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
• Neymar (PSG)
• Luis Suarez (Atletico)
• Simon Kjaer (Milan)
• Mason Mount (Chelsea)
• Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
• 21-22. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
• 21-22. Lautaro Martinez (Inter)
• Harry Kane (Tottenham) 24.
• Pedri (Barcelona) 25.
• Phil Foden (Manchester City) 26.
• 26-28. Nicolo Barella (Inter) 26-28.
• 26-28. Ruben Dias (Manchester City) 26-28
• 26-28. Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
• 29-30. Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
• 29-30. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

Messi took the award in a year when he won only the Spanish Cup with Barcelona (and left it), but added his first major title with the national team, helping them win America’s Cup in the summer.

For the second time in his career, Messi has consecutive Ballon d’Or’s: Leo won four without a break from 2009 to 2012, then took one in 2015, now he has awards for 2019 and 2021. No one was awarded in 2020 when the pandemic arrived.

That’s what the Argentine won the 2021 Player of the Year award for:

• 56 matches
• 41 goals
• 17 assists
• Spanish Cup winner
• Americas Cup Winner
• Spain Cup Final Player of the Year
• Best Player of the La Liga
• Copa America Top Scorer
• Copa America Most Assists
• Copa America Player of the Tournament

If you are a sports fan, you will know that there is no meaning in sports unless you can be a part of the process. So, engagement is key to excitement of any kind. But, in times like these, during the pandemic, engagement has become increasingly popular on or off the playground. You can’t even meet with people and have fun over a game. So, you have online betting to your rescue.

You can partake in any game by betting on the overall game, its score, or on the winnings of your favorite team or player. Go through F ree bet offers, customer reviews, and do your bit of research to search the betting site that is the most suitable for you.

Fantasy football is something that we all have played at some point or the other. It has grown  into a billion dollar industry. However, it might get a little tricky sometimes and so here are a few tips that would help you win at Fantasy Football.

The following are simple strategies to win at fantasy football:

●      If you are clueless, go for an auto-draft

Machines have become very smart. So, if you allow the robot to auto-draft you will get a perfect football team. However, that would be programmed by a computer and so

winning against such a team might be quite impossible. But, the good part is auto-draft operates at ESPN, Yahoo, CBS and such other platforms. So, it will be easier for you to get a competent roster. So, the algorithms scoop out the consensus player with the highest rank and your roster gets filled from there. So, you will not wind up in case you make a defense or give a kicker in the fifth round.

●      If you are not auto-drafting, pick very cautiously

You would obviously do much worse than a machine if you do no research and just go on picking randomly. Cross-refer to some cheat sheets to get an idea how various players

stack across them. ESPN, CBS, and NBC provide very fancy rankings too. So, go through all of them and allow yourself to be lucky when the leather meets the toe.

●      You need running backs early in the game

Running backs are prolly the most valuable producers in fantasy formats. They get the ball for most of the time, as well as carries when the teams are near the goal line and are very important to make more points in PPR leagues for an NFL that relies heavily on backs to be the pass-catchers.

• Do not draft a defense or a kicker unless you are absolutely sure that you need one It is very difficult to recognise which of these players will help you earn maximum fantasy points, especially kickers because their offenses often depend on how often their offenses stall on the field goal range without having a touchdown. The difference between the best and the rest are not defined in these positions.

So, go and kick it at fantasy football with these nifty tricks now, eh?