The number of football matches with suspicious betting patterns in world football decreased in 2018, a report published by STATS Perform has found.

The 2019 Suspicious Betting Trends in Global Football investigation shows 377 matches were identified as having suspicious betting patterns, compared to 397 in 2017.

The drop comes despite an increase in the number of games analysed, with 62,250 looked at in 2018 compared to 54,757 the year before.

Europe again saw the largest number of suspicious matches 227 in 2018. There were 69 in Asia, 24 in South America, five in Africa, four in North America and one in Oceania.

A further 47 international matches were identified.

Despite the positive drop in the overall number of suspicious matches, there were tw…

FIFA has condemned Fancy Bears for publishing a list of players who were allegedly permitted to use prohibited substances for medical reasons at the 2010 World Cup.

The hacker group on Tuesday leaked a document which claimed that Argentina s Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito, Juan Sebastian Veron and Gabriel Heinze were among 25 footballers who were granted Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) during the tournament in South Africa.

Netherlands forward Dirk Kuyt and Germany striker Mario Gomez were also named on the list, which detailed substances that certain players were granted permission to use due to health concerns.

There is no suggestion in the leaked document that any of the players named had breached anti-doping regulations.

In response, football s world go…

Week 15 features a Saturday showdown between two of the hottest teams in the NFL as the Indianapolis Colts host the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Oddsmakers are predicting a close contest with NFL betting lines opening the Colts as slim 1.5-point favorites before sliding to -2.5.

Here are our best free Patriots vs. Colts NFL picks and predictions for Saturday, December 18, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET.

…

Sometimes you just get dealt a bad hand.

There’s no shame in it. It’s not your fault. Every once in a while, we face a situation that is unavoidably — and unequivocally — stinky.

That, my friends, is the situation we’re in with trying to evaluate D.J. Moore props for the first game of the Week 10 slate.

Why Moore, you ask? Well, as my colleague Jason Logan said in his Falcons vs. Panthers predictions article, “Atlanta is attempting to stay in the hunt for the division lead at 4-5, which kind of tells you everything you need to know about this group of teams.”

Not only are both of these teams kinda bad, but the Falcons’ run game is an unpredictable three-headed monster (and the passing game is non-existent), Carolina’s offense is a gia…

A pair of 7-6 SU teams face off indoors this afternoon as Mitch Trubisky and the rested Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Indianapolis Colts, who sit as -2.5-point favorites on the NFL odds board. 

With an indoor setting, Trubisky and this offense getting more time, the Indy defense struggling to stop anyone, and the Steelers’ defense banged up and not looking great in prime time, should bettors continue to pile on Colts Overs?

I break down the Week 15 NFL odds and offer my free NFL picks for Steelers vs. Colts on December 16. 

Make sure to also check out our favorite Steelers vs. Colts player props and Zack Moss prop picks for more great wagers!

Steelers vs Colts odds

Steelers vs Colts…

It may just be the preseason but the Green Bay Packers continue to surprise people after convincingly beating the Browns last week, handing them just their second preseason loss in their last seven games.

This week, they’ll take on the Denver Broncos, a team they faced last October but with a very different quarterback at the helm. I break it all down in my Packers vs. Broncos predictions and NFL picks below.

Packers vs Broncos prediction

My best betBroncos -7 (-105 at Caesars)

My analysisIf there’s one thing we know about the post-Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers, it’s that they continue to surprise people.

No one expected the Packers to make the playoffs, let alone win a game. No one expected Jordan Love to hav…

FIZZING OUT

The football season only truly comes alive in late September when the most exciting midweek of the calendar takes place: the Caffeine Cup third round. This is the one the big guns’ (squad) players have all been waiting for.

Fans have also been pining to see Alex Telles, John Ruddy, CJ Egan-Riley and more get their chance. Their efforts were, however, all overshadowed by Manchester United’s 18th failed attempt at winning a first major trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, thanks to Manuel Lanzini’s Mark-Noble-redeeming strike at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

West Ham’s Lanzini strikes to knock Manchester United out of Carabao CupRead more

There are plenty of kn…

Lucy Bronze has been ruled out of Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea on Thursday after undergoing knee surgery that has made her a potential doubt for England’s World Cup squad.

Bronze limped off during the second half of the first leg on Saturday, which Barcelona won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a goal from Caroline Graham Hansen.

Barcelona announced on Wednesday that Bronze would be unavailable for the return fixture at Camp Nou after undergoing arthroscopy on her right knee.

Bronze’s injury provides a fresh concern for Sarina Wiegman, England’s head coach, given the captain, Leah Williamson, will definitely miss this summer’s World Cup becaus…

Some people are fans of the Green Bay Packers. But many, many more people are NOT fans of the Green Bay Packers. This 2017 Deadspin NFL team preview is for those in the latter group. Read all the previews so far here. Your team: Green Bay Packers. Your 2016 record: 10-6. Yep, you wasted another year of Aaron Rodgers’s prime. You are Atlanta Braves-ing him. Suck it. How do you have Aaron Rodgers and fall behind 31-0 in the NFC title game?… Your coach: Mike McCarthy. That’s how. He’s still here, and Dom Capers is still the defensive coordinator. Until the day you people die (and it’s coming soon; I’ve seen the way you eat), you will be stuck with Beav calling isolation plays with his 10th-string back on third and 5, and Capers orchestrating a defense that only looks good a…

Some people are fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. But many, many more people are NOT fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. This 2014 Deadspin NFL team preview is for those in the latter group.
Your team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Your 2013 record: 10-6, featuring the Riley Cooper redemption tour. It's the kind of comeback story that is heartwarming ONLY to Eagles fans.
Your coach: All-22 film nerd boner fuel Chip Kelly.
I wanna sneak into Chip Kelly's office and paste Goatse into all of his play-calling collages. Goatse, of course, would signal a run up the middle.
Your quarterback: World's ugliest man Nick Foles. I genuinely believe Foles's ugliness makes him more injury prone. Defenders see his face and then want to hurt him. Thankfully, the Eagles brough…