Football Bet of the Day for Thursday: Steve Harrington backs Besiktas to dominate St Patrick’s in Istanbul. Read on to view the tips, full rationale, and stats for this confident selection.
One of our trusted experts, known for his deep knowledge of UK football, has picked this game as Today’s Best Bet, and the selection makes plenty of sense.
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⚽ Football Bet of the Day
Besiktas vs St Patrick’s Athletic
Steve Harrington; Sports journalist at BettingTips4You
Marseille to Win and Both Teams to Score | |
5/2 - odds when tipped |  |
Reasoning Marseille begin their campaign with an away trip to Rennes, and their attacking firepower should make the difference. Greenwood is in fine form, and while Rennes will pose a threat, OM’s experience and superior forward options should see them through in an open contest. This looks primed for goals. | |
📈 Three Key Stats Behind Today’s Best Bet
- Besiktas have scored four or more goals in two of their last three European fixtures.
- St Patrick’s have lost all three previous away matches against Turkish opposition.
- The Black Eagles have kept a clean sheet in three of their last five home qualifiers.
WHY BETTING WITH WILLIAM HILL? | |
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Rationale:
After a commanding display in Dublin, Besiktas return to Istanbul with a sizeable 4-1 cushion over St Patrick’s Athletic in their UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier. Steve Harrington believes this second leg offers an ideal betting angle, focusing on the Turkish giants to secure another emphatic win and maintain control from start to finish.
Besiktas’ European journey has already been eventful, dropping down from the Europa League after a tough loss to Shakhtar Donetsk, but their response in the Irish capital was decisive. Joao Mario opened the scoring early, before new signing Tammy Abraham produced a first-half masterclass, completing a hat-trick before the break. The Black Eagles were clinical, showing the sort of attacking depth and European know-how that St Pat’s simply could not match.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will benefit from an extended preparation period, as their domestic opener was postponed to give them the best possible chance of progressing. At home, Besiktas will aim to use that rest to sharpen their attacking patterns and tighten up defensively. While a 4-2 defeat to Shakhtar in Istanbul lingers in the memory, the aggregate advantage and quality throughout the squad mean they can manage the game on their own terms.
St Patrick’s offered a brief glimmer of resistance through Simon Power’s second-half strike in the first leg, but their inability to build sustained pressure underlines the gulf in class. Without key midfielder Romal Palmer, they face an even steeper climb in Turkey, against a side packed with players comfortable on the European stage.
With Abraham leading the line, supported by the likes of Mario and Muci, Besiktas are well placed to seal a second-leg victory while keeping the Saints at bay. Harrington’s view is that the hosts will control the tempo, exploit defensive gaps, and complete the job without unnecessary drama.
✅ Best Bet: Besiktas to Win to Nil
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