Euro 2008 starts on Saturday with co-hosts Switzerland opening the festival of football against the Czech Republic, followed later that night by Portugal and Turkey in Geneva. The competition then moves to fellow hosts Austria on Sunday as they face Croatia in Vienna, while later that night 4/1 favourites Germany take on Poland in Group B.

This weekend ’s Football

Switzerland v Czech Republic , Saturday, Live on BBC 1, k/o 17:00pm

Hosts Switzerland get the competition underway on Saturday evening as they face the Czech Republic in Basle. Both teams will be aiming to make a good start to the tournament, and Switzerland will be especially keen to impress their home crowd. The Czech Republic enters the tournament without key playmakers Pavel Nedved, who has retired from internationals, and Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky who is injured. However they still have a strong spine running through the team with Chelsea’s Petr Cech in goal, and veteran strike pair Milan Baros and Jan Koller leading the line.
Switzerland will look to Borussia Dortmund striker Alexander Frei to shoot them to the knockout stages, while in defence Arsenal centre back Phillipe Senderos will be the lynch pin of what they hope will be strong rearguard. The Czech Republic are slight 8/5 favourites with VCbet , with BG pricing Switzerland at 7/4.

BGbet will refund all losing First Goalscorer stakes if Milan Baros scores at anytime in the match.1

Portugal v Turkey , Saturday, Live on ITV 1, k/o 19:45pm

The first of the pre-tournament favourites kick off in Geneva on Saturday when Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese team-mates meet Turkey. Portugal are sure plenty of neutral support due to their attacking line up and flair and skill of Ronaldo, Nani and new boy Ricardo Quaresma. With the added defensive strength of Chelsea pair Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferriera many believe this could be the year Portugal finally wins a major tournament.
Turkey will be looking to bring their impressive World Cup form to the European Championships, a tournament they have never performed well in. Premiership pair Tuncay Sanli and Emre will be expected to provide the service to Hakan Sukur’s replacement Semih Sentruk of Fenerbahce, top scorer in the Turkish League last season. Sentruk is 10/1 to score the first goal with VCbet , while Ronaldo is 5/1 with Centrebet to repeat the feat he accomplished so many times in the Premiership last season. Portugal are big favourites with BG at 8/11, while Centrebet price outsiders Turkey at 4/1.

BGbet will refund all losing First Goalscorer stakes if Helder Postiga scores at anytime in the match.1

Austria v Croatia , Live on BBC 1, Monday, k/o 17:00pm

The tournament moves into its second country on Sunday as joint hosts Austria face England’s conquerors Croatia in Vienna. Despite host countries having a good record in this tournament, Austria are not expected to qualify from the group, with many tipping them to finish bottom of a group containing Germany and Poland. Middlesbrough defender Emmanuel Pogatetz will be the most familiar name on their team sheet, although it will be Roland Linz that the Austrians look to for goals. He is apparently attracting interest from Premier League clubs and may offer Austria a flair they are lacking in other areas.
Croatia will enter the tournament full of confidence following their impressive qualifying form that saw them finish top of England’s group. Their key men will be Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar and Tottenham’s recent signing Luka Modric, who is tipped to be one of the stars of the tournament. The 22 year old cost Spurs £16 million form Dinamo Zagreb, and will provide service from the left hand side for central striker Mladen Petric, who has the goal scoring responsibility following Eduardo’s horrific injury. The new Spurs boy Petric is 6/1 with Betterbet to score first, with Roland Linz the 9/1 favourite with VCbet amongst the Austrians to strike first in the match.
Croatia are 9/10 favourites with VCbet , while Better are offering 10/3 for hosts and outsiders Austria.

BGbet will refund all losing First Goalscorer stakes if Niko Krancjar scores at anytime.1

Germany v Poland , Live on BBC 1, Monday, k/o 19:45pm

Favourites Germany start their Euro 2008 campaign aginst dark horses Poland in Klagenfurt. Germany finished their qualifying as runners up to the Czech Republic in Group D, which included a 13-0 thrashing of minnows San Marino. The core of the 2006 team that reached the World Cup Final on home soil return, with the spine of their team familiar to Premiership fans in the shape of Jens Lehman and Michael Ballack. One change is in the dugout; where former number two Joachim Low steps up to replace Jurgen Klinsmann, although there is not expected to be much change in terms of playing style between the two coaches.
The most familiar faces to British fans in the Poland team will be in goal, with Celtic’s Artur Boruc and Manchester United’s Tomasz Kuszczak vying for the number one jersey. Some fans may even remember coach Leo Beenhakker from the 2006 World Cup, when his Trinidad & Tobago faced England. They had an impressive qualifying record, finishing ahead of Portugal to win Group A, a campaign which included a 2-1 win over the Portuguese. Up front Poland will rely on hit man Euzebiusz Smolarek to get the goals, and he is a best priced 10/1 wit BGbet to get the first goal. Miroslav Klose is the 4/1 favourite with VCbet to open the scoring in Sundays grudge match.

Germany win 53/100 Centrebet
Draw 5/2 BGbet
Poland win 6/1 Betterbet

BGbet will refund all losing First Goalscorer stakes if Michael Ballack scores at anytime.1

BGbet is refunding all losing Correct Score bets placed on Switzerland v Czech Republicor Austria v Croatia if your selection is beaten by an injury time goal.1

Weekend Racing

The Derby festival continues on Saturday with the 228TH running of the summer’s biggest flat race, The Vodafone Derby at 4:00pm. Casual Conquest is the current 4/1 with both VCbet and BGbet , closely followed by New Approach at 9/2 second favourite with Betterbet . Jamie Spencer is aboard the 9/2 joint second favourite Curtain Call, while last years winning jockey Frankie Dettori will need to produce a heroic performance to repeat last years achievement aboard long shot Rio De La Plata, a massive 20/1 outsider with VCbet and BGbet .

If your horse is beaten by a Short Head or Nose in the Vodafone Derby at 4:00pm at Epsom, BGbet will refund your stakes in the form of free bets. 2

Racing fans, get better odds than the SP every time guaranteed with Centrebet . SP+ offers you one roll over the official SP and is available on every meeting from the UK and South Africa, round the clock, 7 days a week

Open an account with any of the following bookmakers and receive a free bet:

Odds subject to fluctuation - Odds taken at 12.00pm 06/06/2008

¹ Refunds will be in the form of free bets. Maximum stake £50.Singles only. Web customers only.

2 T&C’s

• Min Stake £5 Max Stake £50
• Bets must be placed after 10am Saturday for The Derby
• Singles only
• Win Or Each Way
• Web Customers only