Voy Por Ustedes

The NHL All-Star game is about to get under way and I'm slightly puzzled again as to the wagering opportunities available. Now I know that it's being played in an Eastern Conference arena, but it's Montreal and that's one of the most bizarre towns in the world, there's no way anyone's gonna feel at home in that barn unless they're a native.

I don't see what advantage that gives the Eastern Conference team at all, in fact, the Habs fans are so weird and partisan that it might be a hindrance to them because the crowd are likely to boo the players on the Eastern Conference team rather than the West, especially those who play for the bitterest rivals of the Habs.

Any Maple Leafs player, any Bruins player and any Senator is going to get it in the ear - exhibition game or not - and everyone boos the Rangers players wherever they are cause no one likes New York.

Since they changed the format of this game and made it West v East it's 2-2 and no advantage to the home team is evident. The West is still the toughest league and despite the East having what one might call the two marquee players of the NHL - Ovechkin and Crosby - I still fancy the West to have the better roster.

Therefore I hereby declare officially that the 11/10 available is value. Not much value, but value none the less. The unders/overs of 16.5 is simply daft in my opinion. I know it's an exhibition game, but I can't see this game having any more than 8-10 goals*. Only one of the recent All-Star games under this format has been a blow out. I hereby declare that unders is my recpmmended wager for the night, which I'll quickly lump in with a few Premiership football bets this mid-week, which if all goes to plan will afford me the opportunity of making this face...

*Update: silly French Canadians ruining my bets§

§Update update: In fact I ignored my own advice and bet on tennis instead of this game. Ha, in my own face.