Betting on 2011 Carling Cup: Arsenal big favorites against Birmingham

It’s a natural for those who love the underdog: The Birmingham Blues seek to upset storied Arsenal in this year’s Carling Cup final in Wembley.

If you like underdogs, you’re going to love betting on the 2011 Carling Cup, as mighty Arsenal takes on an unheralded Birmingham club which last played a tournament final at Wembley in 1956. With odds like those offered at bet365 and Ladbrokes online sportsbooks, you can bet a lot of loyalists will be covering Birmingham at some seriously long odds.

Just how long are those odds? Ladbrokes puts the Blues at a long 6/1 to achieve what’s being considered the impossible, while bet365 is slightly more optimistic about a surprise at 5/1. The bookmakers have the Gunners at 4/7 and 1/2, respectively. Finally, a draw result at the end of regulation earns punters 3/1 at Ladbrokes and 14/5 at bet365.

If Birmingham has any chance to hoist the trophy in 2011, they’ll have to rely on the experience of midfielders Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer; these two victories were key on the wild ride to the final and will be crucial to covering a spotty defense. Bet365 reckons both are – you guessed it – longshots to net one, at 13/1 and 13/2, respectively.

Ladbrokes is meanwhile pretty certain the likes of Robin Van Persie (8/11), Marouane Chamakh (11/10) and/or Nicklas Bendtner (6/5) will find the back of the net for Arsenal in its “Goalscorer” proposition betting – certain to get lots of action in the in-match betting areas of both sportsbooks.

For Carling Cup betting action as the match happens plus around 100 further proposition bets and odds at each, check out bet365 and Ladbrokes online sportsbooks on Sunday!