MIAMI MASTERS BETTING: RODDICK TO STARE DOWN BECKER IN THE LAST 16

Andy Roddick is on pace to a quarterfinal appearance at the ATP Masters Miami and standing in his way is journeyman Benjamin Becker. Becker did Roddick a huge favour by taking out Ivan Ljubicic in the second round. Roddick had lost to Ljubicic in the Indian Wells final last Sunday and would have had a rematch on his hands. Now he doesn't. Le shame!
Although the American is not the sort to balk at a challenge and he would have relished a chance at redemption, having that obligation neatly taken care of by another would not have knocked a bother out of him. Maybe, even secretly pleased him...I wonder if he twittered Becker a “Thanks mate,” or something along those lines. Guessing his frame of mind is just that a best-guess scenario. What we do know though is that he was always going to be a heavier favourite against a journeyman player like Becker than he would have been against a seasoned veteran, and former top player such as Ljubicic.
In market terms, this translates to a one-sided market where A-Rod is all but an almost sure thing. It doesn’t get easier than that where handicapping sports is concerned and tennis bettors need only to cherry-pick their way through the markets that offer the best value.
Head-to-head Roddick owns a 3-0 edge over Becker lifetime. More importantly, he has never dropped a set to the German and only once, was he challenged in a set and forced to take it to the tiebreak.
So of the 20 markets William Hill has rolled out on this matchup, several stand out the most. The outright win market is straightforward with Roddick the solid fave at 1/16 and Becker the puppy at 7/1.
Set Betting offers slightly better value where Roddick is concerned. To win in straights Roddick is offered at a tasty 2/9 while to win in three sets he is listed at 4/1. Becker is large to win in straights at 16/1 while he comes just under that price to win in three sets 14/1.
Another look at set betting is in the market for each individual set. Roddick to win the first set is trading at 1/8 while Becker to take the first set is offered at 9/2. The second set is offered at exactly the same price to each player.
Correct score betting offers every option possible from a 6-0 score to a 7-6 score. The first set scorecast where Roddick is concerned favours a 6-4 score at 10/3. Scorecasts of 6-3 and 6-2 are trading at 11/4 and 15/4, respectively whereas a 6-1 or a 6-0 score is trading at 13/2 and 20/1, respectively. Roddick to take the first set at 7-5 or 7-6 is offered at larger prices of 11/1 and 15/2, respectively. The best value in this market, in my opinion, and supported by their head-to-head, is on the lower end with scorecasts of 6-2, 6-3 or 6-4,