Here are five tips to winning (and with the disclaimer that I am yet to win one of the bigger prizes):
1. Know the A-League Watch it, read about it, check out fan websites and attend matches. There’s no substitute for knowing the league and its players, who is in form and who isn’t, which ground is the toughest for away teams and which players have poor disciplinary records.
The official A-League squad and injury list released usually each Thursday is essential reading, although it is not always gospel as some coaches seem to have an annoying habit of changing players at the last minute.
2. Check the form guide Betting websites release the odds prior to every game so keep a close eye on these when making your selections. As in any betting, don’t let your head rule your heart (tempting though as it is) as it can prove costly, especially if your team is going through a losing streak. Of course, you will have given up and tipped against them when they finally achieve their breakthrough win.
Consider also statistics such as whether certain teams have a poor record at a certain ground. Teams such as Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix have had strong home records in the past, and with their strong fan base Western Sydney Wanderers are quickly establishing their own home fortress.
There are of course other social media such as Facebook which also could be monitored, if key players are using it.
4. Tip late Do not enter your tips until late Friday before the weekend’s first game, as while the official A-League squad list is released Thursday much can change before match day. Keep an eye on Twitter and all the media reports, check the late odds and give yourself as much time as possible before entering your tips.
There’s nothing worse than making a substitution to discover hours later that said player has been ruled out through injury and won’t be making the trip to the match.
5. Keep your wild card in reserve Foxtel’s Fantasy A-League offers a wild card which can be used once to make wholesale substitutions. Rather than using it straight away, instead save your wild card until later in the season, such as when a number of players have been eliminated due to their team failing to make the finals, or if the Socceroos have called up most of your players for another friendly.
Good luck! At worst, you will have watched a lot of quality football, in a decent timeslot and with the opportunity to enjoy the stadium match day experience.