Back play-off specialists Blackpool to shock West Ham

In case you hadn’t heard, the Champions League final isn’t the only match taking place this weekend.

There are, in fact, a number of big games taking place across the continent, including this evening’s Copa del Rey final, the Scottish Cup final, the final round of games in Ligue 1 and the Coppa Italia final.

There’s also the small matter of the Championship play-off final, and the Football League must be cursing their luck that Michel Platini decided Wednesday evenings weren’t good enough for the Champions League showpiece.

But even if this year’s contestants West Ham and Blackpool have to share the limelight with Chelsea and Bayern Munich tomorrow, there is one thing that Uefa can’t take away from the play-off final – its tag as the most lucrative match in world football.

The Seasiders’ last ten games in the play-offs have resulted in nine draws and a win, while their form going into the game will also give them confidence.

For all the riches on offer for the winner of Europe’s elite club competition, the spoils available to the victor in the play-off final remain far greater thanks to the money-spinning nature of the Premier League.

And there is no team more aware of that than West Ham who, close to £90 million in debt, are consious that failure to return to the top tier either this season or next will have severe financial ramifications.

In an interview with the Times today, Hammers co-owner David Sullivan warned that the club would need to make “major economies” if they are still in the Championship at the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

Encouragingly for Sullivan, West Ham are 17/20 favourites to win in normal time on Saturday, leaving the draw at 27/10 and a Blackpool victory at the same price in bwin’s 3Way football betting market.

Meanwhile, the Upton Park outfit are at 53/100 to be celebrating at the end of the day, with a Seasiders success at 7/5.

While Sullivan says he doesn’t “expect” the Hammers to win at Wembley, he certainly agrees that West Ham go into the game as favourites and even gives his team a “65 per cent to 70 per cent chance of winning”.

One of his main sources of comfort is that Sam Allardyce’s men have comfortably dealt with Blackpool in their two meetings this season, with the Hammers winning 4-0 at home in October and 4-1 away in February.

Indeed, the Tangerines haven’t beaten the Hammers since a 4-0 FA Cup success back in January 1971.

However, there is one thing which works heavily in favour of Ian Holloway’s side – their superb play-off record.

The Seasiders’ last ten games in the play-offs have resulted in nine draws and a win, while their form going into the game will also give them confidence.

Their only defeat in their last 12 came away at Championship winners Reading, with a 3-0 win over league runners-up Southampton included in this sequence.

For a team in such good form and with a superb play-off record behind them, 27/10 looks to be a big price for a Blackpool success in 90 minutes, with promotion at 7/5 also likely to hold appeal with punters.

A successful £25 free bet on Blackpool to secure promotion is set to  return £60, with the free bet available to new customers who sign up for a bwin account.

Regardless of the final result, West Ham could be good bets to score the first goal of the game, even at odds of 13/20.

Blackpool have scored the fewest number of goals in the first 15 minutes of Championship games this season, with a total of just two.

West Ham, meanwhile, have scored 17 goals in the first 15 minutes of Championship games – the highest total in the division.

And an early West Ham goal could be the precursor for the floodgates to open, with Blackpool appearing in more games with over 2.5 goals than any other team in the Championship this campaign, and the Hammers scoring 27 goals in their last ten games.

This makes over 2.5 goals in the game an obvious punt at 3/4.

Finally, with Blackpool scoring more than double the number of goals in the second half of league games as they have in the first half this season, 37/20 on the Tangerines to score more goals after the break than they do before the interval on Saturday looks a steal at 37/20.

Holloway will just be hoping that this late onslaught is enough to take his side back to the Premier League – and affords his side the riches promotion brings with it.

Recommended bets:

West Ham to score first @ 13/20

Over 2.5 goals @ 3/4

Blackpool to score more goals in the 2nd half than they do in the first @ 37/20

Outside punt:

Blackpool to win in 90 minutes : 27/10

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