Go on, take a risk: put your money where your mouth is

Time for Round 2 in the 7500 to Holte Magical Moneymaking Betting Sweepstakes...or whatever we call it. Last week, Jack managed to make big bucks on an eight-fold bet, leaving him leading the race. Aaron, too, made a few Euros, but is playing cautious this time around, with his biggest risk choosing Augsburg to beat Schalke -- which Jack, by the way, put money on in the other direction. Both Gareth and Kirsten have Stoke beating Fulham, but Jack's calling that one a draw. Meanwhile, no one is betting against either Arsenal or Chelsea.

Kind of surprised, though, that no one took a risk putting money on Everton. Great odds and they're actually performing better than Manchester City -- not worth a gamble after City were beaten so comprehensively midweek, it seems.

Aaron
Amount available: €24.66
Total earnings: €8.66

3-fold accumulator
€1 stake; €2.86 potential result
I'm just starting to figure out this accumulator thing, and I went with one that seems as close to safe as it gets while remaining interesting.

Arouca vs. Porto: Porto win (2/9)
This is by far the safest component of the bet; Porto is unbeaten with five wins in six games, and though Arouca isn't terrible it's going to be tough for them to take a point off of Porto.

Sporting vs. Vitoria Setubal: Sporting win (3/10)
Probably as safe a bet as the one on Porto, though Sporting's defense has looked a bit shaky at times. Still, Vitoria is a worse team than Arouca and Sporting is at home.

Fredy Montero to score for Sporting vs. Vitoria Setubal (4/5)
Since joining Sporting in the summer window, Montero has scored seven goals in six games. Vitoria Setubal has allowed 13 in six games. Pretty comfortable with this one, as bets of this kind go.

Other bets

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Portland Timbers: Draw (23/10)
€1; return €3.30
The Timbers are the drawingest team that ever drawed, and the Whitecaps aren't good enough to think they'll win at home against a good Portland team.

Schalke vs. Augsburg: Augsburg win (4/1)
€1 stake; return €5
This is definitely a risky one, but Schalke's looked pretty awful this season and Augsburg's been quite decent. Worth a shot.

Andrew
Amount available: €20
Total earnings: n/a

Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace: Liverpool to win (1/5)
Stake €5, return €6

Rosenborg vs. Hønefoss: Rosenborg to win (2/9)
Stake €5; return €6.11

You gotta spend money to make money -- even with the "big" bets, Andrew will only win €2.11 maximum. Good thing he placed a "fun" bet...

Mainz vs. Hoffenheim: highest scoring game in Bundesliga (9/2)
Stake €2, return €12

Gareth
Amount available: €14
Total earnings: €0

Fulham vs. Stoke: Stoke to win (23/10)
Stake €2; return €6.60
Stoke seem like they could be on their way to playing something that vaguely resembles soccer for the first time in a while. Also, Fulham are trash.

Hull City vs. Aston Villa: Aston Villa to win (11/5)
Stake €2; return €6.40
I'm skeptical of the good press Tom Huddlestone has been getting lately. His perception could be artificially inflated because he's surrounded by Championship quality players, but if he dominates Villa's admittedly weak midfield I'll be impressed. Until then, I'll pick against the promoted team that's missing their top scorer and still thinks employing Steve Bruce is a good idea.

Norwich City vs. Chelsea: Chelsea to win (8/13)
Stake €2; return €3.23
I really would like to get one right this week. I'm terrible at this.

Jack
Amount available: €35.84
Total earnings: €17.84

Saturday 5 fold acca
€1 stake, €7.62 return

Schalke vs Augsburg: Schalke win (8/11)
Schalke have started this campaign off pretty horribly and sit in 14th in the Bundesliga. However I expect them to start turning it around.

Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Braunschweig: Wolfsburg win (2/7)
Braunschweig are terrible and still sit bottom of the table with 1 point from 7 matches and a goal difference of -15. Wolfsburg also have max points with 3 wins from 3 home matches so far.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern München: Bayern win (3/5)
Anytime you can get that good of odds on Bayern it's probably a decent bet; however, Leverkusen are a good side. They did beat Bayern last season, but it was the game that was in Munich.

Celtic vs Motherwell: Celtic win (2/5)
Celtic at home is a safe bet.

AS Monaco vs St. Etienne: Monaco win (8/15)
Monaco are top of the table and should continue their winning form, but St. Etienne aren't a bad team and are 7th in Ligue 1.

Saturday Double
€1 stake; €10.40 result

Hull City Tigers vs Aston Villa: Villa win (11/5)
Breaking one of my rules of betting and taking Villa. Decent odds and although Hull have had a really good start to the season, I don't see them continuing it.

Fulham vs. Stoke City: Draw (9/4)
If a game has ever had draw written all over it, it is Fulham vs Stoke.

Sunday Treble
€1 stake, € 4.96 result

Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: Spurs win (4/9)
Spurs have been good, and a home win is an easy choice.

West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal: Arsenal win (4/5)
The Baggies have picked it up recently with back to back wins; however, both of those wins were against teams in the bottom half.

Marseille vs Paris Saint-Germain: PSG win (10/11)
PSG are second only on goal difference, but Marseille are only one point behind in third. PSG have already drawn 3 times, but it could just be a case of an early season slump, so I expect them to go out and take the points here.

Kirsten
Amount available: €19
Total earnings: €0

Friday/Saturday
€1 stake; €8.43 return

Malaga vs. Osasuna: Malaga to win (8/15)
I've recently declared myself to be an Anchovies fan, based purely on their nickname of course. This most likely means Osasuna will win.

Fulham vs. Stoke: Stoke to win (23/10)
Saturday's matches are boring and I'm not betting against Villa again. Besides, I'll likely end up having to cover this game and I need something to keep me awake

Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund: Dortmund to win (4/6)
It's hard to bet against Dortmund in the season's first edition of the Revierderby.

Sunday
€1 stake; €13.56 return

Norwich vs. Chelsea: Chelsea to win (8/13)
It was this or put my money on Arsenal, and I'm still pissed at Arsenal.

Bologna vs. Hellas Verona: Verona to win (5/2)
No idea why the odds are so good for Bologna, considering they've yet to win this season.

Getafe vs. Real Betis: Getafe to win (7/5)
I don't follow La Liga avidly, but Real Betis has a crest that annoys me and they could only manage a draw with Rijeka in Europa League action.

Robert
Amount available: €18
Total earnings: €0

Saturday/Sunday
€1 stake; €11.34 return

Hull vs. Aston Villa: Goals over 2.5 (11/10)
I don't like betting for my team. Seems like I'd be cursing it. But I have trouble seeing two suspect defenses not allowing 3 goals.

Birmingham City vs. Bolton Wanderers: Bolton to win (2/1)
Bolton have got to win at some point, and it would make me happy if that was against Birmingham.

West Bromwich Albion vs. Arsenal: Arsenal to win (4/5)
Eff you, West Brom. I'm picking against you until I'm right.