REAL MADRID VS ZURICH 2009 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING TIPS

Star-studded Real Madrid bring Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Kaka, Xabi Alonso and a host of international powerhouses to Zurich tonight as they head into their opening Champions League fixture as the 3/10 favourites. The draw pays out at a lengthy 4/1 while Zurich to win garners a 9/1 price.

The bookies favour goals and it looks like they fancy Real Madrid to run the score up a bit and put together a very solid total. You can tell just from a quick glance at the correct score betting market as 4-0 Real Madrid pays out at a mere 4-0. The slimmest odds are 2-0 to Real Madrid which pays out at 6/1. You can also pick up Real Madrid 3-0 at 15/2, but you're really only getting solid odds on a big total, preferably with Zurich scoring a goal.

Real Madrid are a mere 8/11 to win both halves and Draw/Real Madrid pays out at a solid 10/3. Real Madrid are 4/6 to be ahead at half-time and I can certainly see that happening. I say jump all over that bet. 1-0 at half-time to Madrid pays 5/2 while a 2-0 scoreline (which is completely plausible) is at 6/1.

Cristiano Ronaldo to score a hat-trick is 22/1 while Karim Benzema is 28/1. Gonzalo Higuain and Ruud van Nistelrooy are both at 33/1.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 5/6 to score anytime and Karim Benzema is also listed at an odds-on price of 10/11. Van Nistelrooy and Higuain are at 11/10 while Raul pays out at 6/5 to score anytime. Kaka is 11/8 while Rafael Van der Vaart is at 12/5.

Johan Vonlanthen is favoured to get the job done for Zurich at 3/1 anytime with Emra Tahirovic at 10/3. Eric Hassli is 7/2 while Admir Mehmedi and Alexandre Alphone are both liste dta 4/1.

I think Madrid are totally in the drivers seat here, and while they may not be firing on all cylinders, they should win by at least three goals. I'm going to back a Benzema/4-0 scorecast with 888 at 45/1.