Jack Draper is poised to return to action this month in more good news for British tennis after seeing his Wimbledon hopes swiftly derailed by injury.

Draper’s withdrawal from Wimbledon due to a recurrence of bone bruising in his left arm was the low point of a disastrous first day which also saw all 10 home players in action lose.

But Britain is now celebrating a hugely unexpected semi-finalist in Arthur Fery, while Draper has been announced as a wild card entrant into the DC Open in Washington beginning on 27 July.

This latest injury was a huge blow for the 24-year-old, who has managed only a handful of tournaments since first stepping away from the tour a year ago with the arm problem.

Barring a brief appearance at the US Open, he did not return until February, and he was then forced off court again with knee and shoulder issues before managing one tournament on grass at Eastbourne.

There were fears Draper could be facing an extended period out once more but instead his absence will be limited to a month if he does take to the court in the US capital, which his representatives confirmed is the plan.

Washington kicks off the North American hard court swing, with Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati leading up the US Open in late August.

A strong field in Washington includes five of the world’s top 10 in Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, Alex De Minaur, Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev.

PA

Another shock name has emerged as a target for Gervonta Davis upon his long-awaited return to the ring.

It has been nearly 18 months since ‘Tank’ was last in action, with his last fight resulting in a controversial majority decision draw against Lamont Roach in March 2025.

Various issues both inside and outside of the ring has led to the drawn out absence of Davis, but there have been talks in recent months with several opponents about staging his comeback.

A WBA lightweight title fight against Floyd Schofield was under consideration, but ‘Tank’ has opted not to proceed with that bout, subsequently leading to him being named as champion in recess by the WBA.

A WBO welterweight title fight against Devin Haney was then rumoured, but again that has fallen by the wayside after Devin’s father and trainer Bill announced that Davis won’t be ready to return until the first quarter of 2027.

That hasn’t stopped another surprise option being revealed, after trainer Robert Garcia told ProBox TV that ‘Tank’ wanted a showdown against current WBA bantamweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.

“You know who else he called out? He didn’t put it on social media but we have the messages he sent, he called out Bam. I’m telling you guys. He called out Bam and said ‘I want to fight you next. I’m going to talk to Al Haymon to make it happen.’”

Rodriguez is a three-division world champion, having also been unified champion at flyweight and super flyweight before his move to bantamweight in June, where he earned a sixth round knockout win over Antonio Vargas.

The number of divisions between Rodriguez and Davis makes it a bizarre callout by Davis if true, with ‘Bam’ instead looking to tee up a 2027 battle with undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, another man that ‘Tank’ has previously been linked to.

As sports betting continues to gain popularity across the country with more and more states legalizing the activity, aspiring bettors have a wealth of information available to them when it comes to the best approaches to sports betting strategies. We’ll take a look at some general betting strategies, sport-specific approaches and guidelines for different types of wagers.

A sports betting strategy is any approach to sports betting, whether it’s maintaining a particular wager amount, betting on a particular sport or avoiding certain markets. While these strategies may not provide you with an eye-catching payout and get you featured on social media channels, they are more likely to lead to long-term success and ensure responsible gaming. Sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook and put your betting strategies to work:

What are some general betting strategies?

The first and most important strategy is to make sure you know what you’re betting on. This may seem obvious, but even the best handicappers can get tripped up. A good example of this is when wagering on soccer. Bettors will often be presented with three options: Team A to win, Team B to win or a draw. These bets are for regular time only, and sportsbooks will specify this in the bet slip. This is especially important to note in competitions with knockout games, as a team winning in extra time in a knockout match will not count towards a wager on that team to win the match on the three-way money line. There are additional soccer betting markets where bettors can account for this, so be sure to know what you’re betting on.

A secondary component is to know the sport you are betting on, especially because there are so many sports globally you can make wagers on. For example, if you’ve never watched cricket, it would not be wise to bet on cricket matches. Betting without prior knowledge of a sport can result in some lucky wins, but it is not an advisable route to take.

Managing your bankroll is important in order to game responsibly. Do not wager more than you are willing to lose, and do not chase your losses. Sometimes, you may feel more confident about a particular wager and bet more than your usual amount. This can work from time to time, but in general it’s best to use the same wager amount for each bet to ensure long-term stability.

Line shopping is another important strategy. While most sportsbooks offer similar odds, there can occasionally be some discrepancies from platform to platform. This won’t matter for one or two bets, but over the long haul, it could lead to a sizable difference in winnings. If you’re going to make a wager, you might as well get the best possible payout.

A secondary component of this betting strategy is to monitor line movement. For example, if you want to bet on the Eagles to win against the Cowboys at DraftKings Sportsbook at -325 in the morning and the line moves to Eagles -150 two hours before kickoff, make sure to see why the line has shifted and whether you would still like to keep your bet at -325 or cash out if your sportsbook offers this option. If the line movement is that sizable, there’s likely injury news or a lineup change which could materially impact the result of the contest.

Fading the public is a popular strategy, but how can bettors actually do that? There are websites that can tell you where the majority of bets are going for a particular market, and sportsbooks have started providing that information as well. Sometimes, there’s a lot of momentum with one team that isn’t actually merited by statistical evidence. This is particularly true in college basketball during the postseason, where upsets are common. You can fade big-time programs in a variety of ways, often going against the betting public, and get rewarded for it.

Hedging is when you place a wager on both sides of an outcome, effectively protecting yourself from a major loss. It’s a way to give yourself some protection against some of your bets not hitting. This can be applicable to all markets. For example, let’s say you bet Eagles -7.5 against the Cowboys before the game and Philadelphia has a 14-0 lead at halftime. The live line at halftime is Eagles -10.5. You can bet the Cowboys side of the spread here to cover yourself in case Dallas comes back. There’s a possibility you win both bets if the Eagles win by 8-10 points, but you’ve already got Eagles -7.5 in the bank if Philadelphia goes on to blow out the Cowboys. Betting Dallas on the live line hedges your original bet and while you eat into your potential profit, you also minimize the potential loss.

Now that you know general betting strategies, sign up for bet365 Sportsbook with the promo code CBSBET365:

Do specific strategies work for specific sports?

NFL betting strategies 

Finding a strategy that works for you is important. but there are some general guidelines when it comes to specific sports for betting. In NFL betting, it’s usually wise to back the home team in some fashion. Home teams tend to win more than road teams, with the home crowd often compensating for inferior talent. Betting on the home team against the spread or on the money line is generally a good way to stay profitable, even if it takes many wagers to see decent returns. Additionally, good defensive teams typically play up to their potential more consistently than high-powered offensive units, making them somewhat more reliable betting options.

College football betting strategies 

When it comes to college football betting, slightly modifying the NFL betting approach can be successful. Betting on home underdogs might not pay off every week, but there are enough upsets over the course of the season to even out wins and losses. There are certain weeks where there might not be an obvious upset pick, but this is the ultimate chaos sport. Those massive upsets can make up for your misses. The same goes for college basketball, where home teams often feed off the crowd to a greater extent than in other sports.

NBA betting strategies

In NBA betting, player props are the most popular types of wagers. Because basketball players tend to play every few days, it’s more likely for positive or negative form to carry over across multiple games. For example, Nikola Jokic had a stretch of five straight triple-doubles in 2025. If you wagered on Jokic to record a triple-double in each of those contests, you’d make a decent profit even if you also bet on the sixth triple-double, which did not occur.

MLB betting strategies

Player props are available in every league, but they are riskier in MLB betting and NHL betting. In baseball, hitters usually get three to four plate appearances in a game. Even the best hitters can have off days, making the randomness of three or four individual matchups an unappealing prospect. The odds account for the limited number of chances a player gets, but there’s still a greater amount of risk compared to player props in other sports. 

NHL betting strategies

A similar phenomenon occurs in hockey, where the best players only tend to play for 45-50 seconds at a time before getting a breather. That doesn’t mean you can’t find great information on specific matchups in baseball betting, or target a team’s most important player in hockey betting. It just means you are leaving things more to chance compared to a game result. However, the points prop market for hockey is potentially more favorable because of the way players record points. Up to two assists can be awarded on every hockey goal, which means as many as three players can record a point on every goal scored. That helps your chances when betting on a player points prop in hockey betting.

Soccer betting strategies

Soccer betting offers goal-scorer props but these carry the same risk as player props in MLB betting and NHL betting. Bettors are more likely to get good results wagering on team results. One market in soccer betting which can be favorable is the double chance, which gives users multiple outcomes to bet on in a single slip. This tends to work well when backing a home underdog to either win or draw, and there’s usually still a solid payout associated with this type of wager.

Golf betting strategies

Wagering on a winner for a tournament in golf betting, even when there’s a clear favorite, can be a futile exercise given how many competitors there are in the field. Markets for top-5 and top-10 finishes are usually more favorable, even if the payout is lower. You can also wait for a few days to make wagers, as golf tournaments usually take place across multiple days. If a player you are targeting makes it past the cut for the first few rounds, you can likely still get a decent price to back him even on the later days of the competition.

MMA betting strategies

MMA betting and UFC betting have gained popularity over the last few years. One of the most important things to check when betting on MMA and UFC is fighter statistics. You can find out how many bouts a certain fighter has won and which method they’ve won by. There are markets where you can wager on the method of victory and in most cases, fighters do not change their style from bout to bout. If they are winning a large majority of their fights in a particular way, they are likely to keep that style moving forward.

Do different bet types require different strategies?

There’s no consensus approach to betting point spreads, run lines and puck lines, but it’s generally better to back the favorite. Favorites win a majority of the time and sportsbooks offer strong payouts on run lines and puck lines for favorites. There’s a wealth of information on how teams perform against the spread in each situation, and you can find this information quite easily before placing a wager. In certain sports, like college football, NBA and college basketball, it makes sense to back the underdog on the spread in certain cases, particularly if the underdog is at home. You might not want to back the upset with a money line wager, so you can give yourself some breathing room with a spread bet.

The same goes for totals and player props. Most sportsbooks now give you the opportunity to bet alternate lines at different odds, so you can modify spreads, totals and prop lines to your liking. Even if you sacrifice a bit with the odds, you can lower the thresholds that need to be crossed in order to have more success.

Futures betting can be tricky, especially if you’re banking on a team making certain improvements that haven’t materialized yet on the field. However, betting on a team with sustained success can be more profitable here. For example, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had 22 consecutive non-losing seasons. While that alone doesn’t guarantee anything for the 2026-27 NFL season, what’s most likely to occur? The Steelers are +500 (wager $100 to win $500) to win the AFC North in 2026-27.

Parlay betting and same-game parlays have become wildly popular, and it can be tempting to try to hit a massive 10-leg parlay when you see bettors being featured on sportsbook social media accounts for turning $10 wagers into thousands of dollars thanks to parlays. However, it is generally advised to avoid parlaying. This is because not only do you need every outcome of the bet to be correct to win (even one wrong result in 5-6 legs can ruin the entire bet), but sportsbooks often do not give you correct odds relative to your chances to win.

For example, the implied win probability of parlaying two legs at -110 odds each is 25%, as you’ve got a 50% chance of hitting each part of the wager correctly (0.5×0.5 = 0.25). The associated odds with this would be +300, but sportsbooks typically offer around +264 or +265 for this wager. So not only are you increasing your risk of losing, but you’re also curtailing your payout slightly when compared to what the probability says the odds should be. If you do bet parlays, it’s advised not to go beyond four legs. While there are larger payouts for each added leg, this is not sustainable over the long haul and can lead to irresponsible gaming habits like chasing losses.

If you do want to bet parlays, the best strategy would be to have four or fewer legs and back big favorites in each leg. Even if you do not get substantial odds, you will have a greater chance at long-term success with parlay betting if you minimize the opportunities to get things wrong.

Are there any strategies that should be avoided for sports betting?

Most of these have been mentioned in the article and fall under the umbrella of responsible gaming. 

• Make sure you know what you’re making a wager on. 
• Make sure you understand the sport you are wagering on. 
• Do not chase losses and only bet what you are willing to lose. 
• Make sure to shop across sportsbooks for the best lines for a particular wager. 
• In general, try to avoid betting on parlays or keep the number of legs to four or fewer.

FAQ

What are sports betting handicapping strategies?

Sports betting handicapping strategies are tactics used by gamblers to try to get the most value for their bets. These can range from general tips like wagering the same amount on each bet or only betting one particular market, to sport-specific guidelines like wagering primarily on NBA player props or betting on home teams in the NFL.

What is the most successful sports betting strategy?

There’s no such thing as a “most successful” sports betting strategy, but there are general approaches which work well for most bettors. Keep in mind, the vast majority of those engaging in sports betting are losing money. Otherwise, sportsbooks wouldn’t be operating. If you enter sports betting with the mindset of getting rich quick, you’re likely to be disappointed. If you go in with a disciplined approach hoping to make money over a long-term horizon, you’re more likely to have success. If you’re looking for guidance on which bets to make or who to follow, check out our SportsLine experts.

Egypt’s Football Association says it “cannot remain silent” after its controversial World Cup elimination by Argentina, filing a formal complaint with FIFA over what it describes as “double standards” in officiating. The federation is demanding an investigation and has called for referee François Letexier and his entire team of officials to be removed from the tournament.

Egypt looked set to pull off one of the biggest shocks of the competition after taking a 2-0 lead against the defending champions, before Argentina scored three late goals to secure victory. The Egyptians have challenged several refereeing decisions, including a VAR intervention that ruled out Mostafa Zico’s goal for a foul. The federation also argues that VAR failed to review a challenge on Mohamed Salah moments before Argentina’s stoppage-time winner, which it says should have resulted in a penalty.

Head coach Hossam Hassan accused the officials of denying his side a place in the quarter-finals, claiming Egypt had been “cheated” and suggesting there were “external factors” that helped Argentina and Lionel Messi remain in the competition.

The fallout from the defeat has fuelled a wave of online claims accusing FIFA of favouring Argentina, with some social media users alleging the tournament has been “rigged” in the world champions’ favour. Critics have also pointed to Messi avoiding a red card for a challenge on Aïssa Mandi during Argentina’s match against Algeria, comparing it with a similar incident involving US striker Folarin Balogun, who immediately received a red card before the decision was later overturned after intervention by Donald Trump.

Adding to the controversy, a video of FIFA president Gianni Infantino congratulating Argentina’s players after their match against Cape Verde has circulated widely online. Speaking to Argentine media, Infantino said he had “suffered with them” during the game before adding that, ultimately, he remained neutral. Some fans interpreted the remarks as evidence of favouritism.

Accusations of bias have continued into the knockout stages, with FIFA facing criticism after appointing an all-Argentine officiating team for the quarter-final between France and Morocco. The decision prompted backlash from some supporters because of France and Argentina’s status as title contenders and their recent rivalry.

Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic resigned after his side were eliminated by Portugal in the round of 16 (2-1). In charge since 2017, he led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and the 2022 semi-finals.

In the transfer market, former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa joined Fulham on a three-year contract, while Alexia Putellas left Barcelona after 14 seasons to join London City Lionesses.

In cycling, Olav Kooij won stage five of the Tour de France between Lannemezan and Pau ahead of Max Kanter and Tim Merlier. Norwegian Torstein Træen keeps the yellow jersey.

In tennis, Arthur Féry reached the Wimbledon semi-finals after defeating Flavio Cobolli and will face Alexander Zverev, who defeated Taylor Fritz.

In the women’s draw, Marta Kostyuk beat Jasmine Paolini and will meet Linda Noskova, who defeated Elise Mertens to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final.

Oleksandr Usyk’s most recent performance has left fans wondering if he could be there for the taking, and now former Usyk opponent Tony Bellew has shared his thoughts on whether Moses Itauma should pursue a fight with the Ukrainian.

Usyk suffered a close shave when he was shockingly pushed to the limit by Rico Verhoeven back in May, despite the challenger having just one prior boxing fight to his name before providing Usyk his ‘toughest fight’ to date.

Since then, 39-year-old Usyk has opted to vacate all three of his heavyweight world titles, as he begins to wind his career down, with a clash against Deontay Wilder being suggested as his farewell fight.

If Usyk wishes to leave his mark on the next generation, he could accept a showdown with Itauma, who is being tipped to be both his successor and a long-reigning heavyweight ruler.

Speaking on ‘Fight Your Corner, in partnership with Midnite’, Bellew declared that Itauma, who will face Filip Hrgovic in August, is not ready for a clash against the tactical mastermind due to the fact that he has never boxed beyond six rounds.

“Moses wouldn’t go near him at the minute. I think that it would be absolutely insane to throw Moses Itauma into Usyk after not going past six [rounds] yet. 

“Would you throw a fighter like that in with someone like him [Usyk]? His game plan would be, ‘I have only got to see past six rounds with you, kid. I am going to take you to places that you have never been’.”

Bellew then went on to pump the brakes on the Itauma hype train, reminding everyone that the 21-year-old is yet to beat an elite heavyweight in his 14-fight career.

“[His] best win is Jermaine Franklin. Jermaine Franklin is known for losing.”

“That [building fighters up] is one thing that Frank [Warren] does well, nobody can knock that. He built a fighter really well, he generates the hype train to a point where there is no going back and that is where Moses is at now.”

Itauma could score a career best win when tasked with Hrgovic on Saturday, August 29, with victory over the Croatian expected to tee up either a WBA or IBF world title challenge.

The controversy surrounding Argentina’s thrilling 3-2 win over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 is showing no signs of slowing down. While Argentina came back from two goals down to register a sensational win, Egypt’s players and coaching staff were left fuming over some of the refereeing decisions in the match. In a new video that has surfaced on social media, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan was seen shouting at FIFA officials once the game ended. Hassan, along with some members of his coaching staff, was having a heated chat with the officials when Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni walked past them without engaging. In the video, Hassan was seen animatedly screaming at Scaloni as well.

However, Scaloni did not react and quietly made his way back to the dressing room at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said Wednesday it “cannot remain silent” after what it believes was unfair and biased officiating in Egypt’s 3-2 round of 16 loss against Argentina on Tuesday.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and several players criticized the officiating after being left in disbelief as Argentina scored three unanswered goals in 13 minutes to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history.

Egypt coach screaming at Lionel Scaloni’s face while Scaloni completely ignoring him. pic.twitter.com/U4qb5gmpTi

— World Cup HQ (@WorldCup26HQ) July 8, 2026

“Defending the rights and interests of the Egyptian national team is not a matter that can be ignored, minimized, or treated as secondary,” the EFA said in a statement. “It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination.”

FIFA’s chief of refereeing Pierluigi Collina, in a statement issued later Wednesday, said while constructive discussion about decisions would always be part of football, “unfounded allegations have no place in our sport.”

“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials,” he said. “When this happens, it may provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families. This is not right.”

The EFA said that the referee failed to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system appropriately, leading to the loss to Argentina.

Egypt appeared to have netted its second goal in the 58th minute, but a VAR review determined that Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez early in the buildup up to the goal.

“Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game,” the EFA statement read.

(With AP inputs)

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NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has strongly criticised the selectors for leaving Sanju Samson out of India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour, calling the decision “just unfair”. Ashwin also warned that frequent changes in the team could create insecurity among players and hurt India’s T20 setup.Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin said he completely disagreed with the decision.“I mean, what can I even say? It’s just unfair. Just unfair. I don’t agree with it. But it is what it is. I mean, I don’t know. Seriously, it’s difficult.”Ashwin questioned the logic behind dropping Samson after a few poor scores and wondered who would be next if the team continued to lose.“Sanju has been dropped because of losses and form. He has been left out. We’ve already lost two games. If we lose again, will someone else be dropped too? Who is next? That’s wrong. I really hope the Indian team finds itself. Indian cricketers should not be put in an insecure position.”Samson’s omission has become one of the biggest talking points in Indian cricket. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s T20 World Cup, managed scores of 5, 0 and 1 in his last three innings against Ireland and in the opening T20I against England.Samson was replaced in the playing XI by 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and was later left out of the Zimbabwe-bound squad.Ashwin said such decisions can make players think more about protecting their place than winning matches.“As I had said earlier after the SKY incident, players will go insular. They will start thinking only about themselves. In T20 cricket, that is disastrous.”“If batters start thinking that they will be dropped if they don’t score runs, they will begin playing only to protect their place in the team, which is extremely dangerous.”Ashwin added that even if Samson gets another opportunity, the pressure of keeping his place could affect the way he bats.“Even now I’m saying, imagine Sanju gets another chance. He too will start thinking about himself. And you can’t even say that’s wrong.”“If Sanju scores 45 or 48 off 25 balls and takes two more deliveries to reach his fifty, you can’t say that’s wrong because he is trying to protect his place in the team. I really hope… I really hope they find a solution to this.”Ashwin further argued that a good domestic season should not automatically guarantee an India call-up, while responding to suggestions that players like Prabhsimran Singh deserved opportunities after impressive performances.“In our TNPL team, there’s a player named Hunny Saini. He’s a very good player and an excellent finisher. He also wants a chance. There’s BR Sharad from Bengaluru Dragons, who is playing well too. If you’re asking when they should get an opportunity, then send them to Zimbabwe as well. I’ll send Hunny Saini too.”“See, I have all the time for Prabhsimran Singh. He’s a very good player. He has produced excellent performances. He has scored over 500 runs.”“Does he deserve a break? Maybe he does. Maybe it’s debatable. But nowhere is it written that scoring 500 runs in a season automatically guarantees an India call-up,” Ashwin said.