A mixed night in the Champions League

Starting Bank: £260.22

Daily Target (2.5%): £6.51

The group stages of the Champions League throw up surprising results every year. This week has been no exception and I would guess that loads of people lost a packet on the assumption that Barca, Real and Man U would be involved in high scoring matches. And who would have thought Spurs and Twente, 0-0 at half time, would produce 5 second half goals between them?? It's a funny old game, football!

I did two trades last night, losing £10 on one and winning £15 on the other for a commission paid profit of £4.75. The Shalke v Benfica game had the old favourite written all over it, but because I was late home and couldn't get any pre-match 0-0 cover I modified the trade slightly, favouring the 0-0 0-1 1-0 technique for the first half. I took 2-0, 2-1, 1-1, 1-2 and 0-2 at half time at enhanced odds for very small stakes which left a £5 green on 0-0. Good job, as the game remained 0-0 for ages before Shalke came in with two late goals.

The other match was Valencia v Man U. I must admit I thought the game would produce goals, but didn't expect them until later. So why not do 0-0 1-0 0-1 for the first half there? No idea, but I didn't - would have paid handsomely! So, I laid U2.5 at about 55 minutes having previously backed 0-2 and 2-0 just before h/t. The only goal in the match came too late to do much about, so I let it run on the vain hope United would get a second. This might seem 'undisciplined' as there was a small green available on 0-2, but by then the Shalke profit was secure so I treated it as a conscious punt!

I know I have alluded to some of the good things that come out of the tradingfootball chatroom before, and don't want to harp on about it too much but let me just relay two recent examples of 'spots' by members:

I think it was on Sunday that someone spotted a 55 minute 0-0 in a game involving Anderlecht where the opponents had just received a second red card, and were therefore playing with 9 men. A few people laid u3.5 at something like 1.05 and Anderlecht ran out 4-0 winners in half an hour. Talk  about 'fill yer boots'!

And then jb last night suggested laying the same market in the Spurs game at h/t - he laid £500 at 1.03!!!! I don't know if anyone else jumped on, but jb made a nice profit, greening up after the third goal. After watching the highlights of the game (how was it ever 0-0 at h/t????) I'm not surprised he suggested this - great call jb!

The service costs £25 a month, and involvement in either of those trades for a liability of pennies on a £25 stake would easily have covered a month's membership. The two spots mentioned are far from unique, although the returns, to be fair, are not usually that spectacular!

Day's Profit: £4.75

Bank to carry forward: £264.97