Sports & Casinos UK

Our cartoonist on Blueco’s ‘self-reflection’ as another normal week ended with a place in the FA Cup finalBuy a cartoon here | His favourites from 2025And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

No LIV tournaments expected in US from mid-May to AugustCEO had promised season would continue ‘full throttle’LIV Golf’s inaugural tournament in New Orleans scheduled for the end of June is likely to be postponed until the autumn, according to multiple local reports.New Orleans television station WDSU and nola.com were among the first to report on Monday that the Bayou Oaks event at City Park planned for late June was being moved to later in the year. Continue reading...

Aerial ability of Saracens’ Noah Caluori helps to make him another dream player for rugby union’s marketersAs Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crossed the line to complete his world-record London Marathon sprint on Sunday the BBC’s commentator Steve Cram almost swallowed his microphone. “Absolutely incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that. What a finish.” Running 26.2 miles in under two hours is certainly spectacular but – sorry, Steve – it only ranked as the second-best finish seen in the capital at the weekend.That honour, yet again, was claimed by the Saracens winger Noah Caluori in his side’s home win over Leicester. Chip and chase tries are rarely straightforward but this one was from another planet: a deft dink over the top just outside the Tigers’ 22, searing acceleration around the stranded cover, a balletic leap to regather the ball while somehow staying infield and an irresistible touchdown in the right corner. Over to you, Sabastian. Continue reading...

After starting the 1986 world championships as a 150-1 outsider victory against Steve Davis led to watching tennis with royalty and being mobbed in Tesco“It was like a strange dream,” Joe Johnson says as he remembers becoming the world snooker champion 40 years ago as a 150-1 outsider and former gas board and factory worker who was the father of six children. Johnson had never previously won a game at the Crucible and he had struggled for years to make a living as a pro.It was a time when Britain was “snooker loopy” and Johnson played characters such as Bill Werbeniuk who, in 1985, beat him in the first round while drinking a staggering amount of beer. Continue reading...

Sunday’s landmark in London was not only unexpected, dramatic and historic – it was a once-in-a-generation moment A few years ago at the London Marathon, organisers wheeled out an industrial-sized treadmill called the Tumbleator. Then they tempted curious onlookers with a simple question: can you keep up with Eliud Kipchoge? The answer was obvious. But that didn’t stop people trying. Most lasted a few seconds before comically flying off the back into crash mats.The Tumbleator has a fresh poster-boy now: Sabastian Sawe, who on Sunday claimed track and field’s last holy grail by running a sub two-hour marathon. Imagine sprinting 17 seconds for 100 metres, and then sustaining it across 26.2 miles. Or setting your treadmill at 4min 33sec per mile pace and carrying on for 1hr 59 min 30sec. It sounds ridiculous, impossible, laugh-out-loud stupid … until you realise that is what Sawe did in London. Continue reading...

Al-Ahli won for the second successive year, but few outside Jeddah will remember proceedings fondlyAs far as head-butts in major finals go, it wasn’t quite Zinedine Zidane in 2006, but Zakaria Hawsawi’s lunge forwards in Saturday’s AFC Champions League Elite final connected with Tete Yengi’s jaw and dropped the stunned Australian, almost a foot taller, to the ground.With the score 0-0 between Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli and Machida Zelvia of Japan midway through the second half, it all took place on the touchline of the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, right in front of the referee and the shocked Al-Ahli fans who feared their team’s chances of a second successive continental title had gone. Continue reading...

Run of five defeats could lead to awkward queries this week, including why £124m of attacking talent is being underusedEddie Howe is braced for forensic questioning by Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners at a Northumberland country house hotel in the middle of this week. Matfen Hall sells itself as a venue for rest and relaxation but Newcastle’s struggling manager knows that, with his future at St James’ Park in the balance, a scheduled “summit meeting” with the club’s chair, Yasir al-Rumayyan, and other key figures from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) could prove stressful.“It’s something we do every year,” says Howe, referring to the annual spring event at which the ownership quiz departmental heads. “But obviously things will be slightly harder for me this time.” Continue reading...

19-year-old edges Knueppel by just 26 pointsFlagg is first teen to score 50 points in an NBA gameCooper Flagg edged his former Duke roommate to win the NBA rookie of the year award on Monday night. Flagg is the first rookie since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Flagg and Knueppel were first and second in rookie scoring, the first former college teammates to achieve the feat since UConn stars Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon in 2004-05. Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe was the other finalist for this year’s award.The 19-year-old Flagg is the second-youngest player to win the award behind LeBron James. Continue reading...

The Guardian named as sports publisher of the yearJonathan Liew wins columnist of the year for fifth timeGuardian Sport won two top prizes at the prestigious Sports Journalists’ Association’s awards evening on Monday.The Guardian won sports publisher of the year at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards night while Jonathan Liew was named columnist of the year for the fifth time in eight years, as well as winning bronze in the football journalist of the year category. Suzanne Wrack won bronze in the women’s football journalist of the year and Andy Bull won bronze in the sports feature writer of the year (long form) category. Continue reading...

Brazilian going in the summer after four yearsInterim manager says the situation is ‘pretty clear’Michael Carrick ruled out any ­reversal of Casemiro’s departure from Manchester United in the summer after the Brazilian scored in Monday’s 2-1 win against Brentford.The midfielder’s header on 11 ­minutes was his ninth goal in the ­Premier League, second only for United to Benjamin Sesko, who ­registered just before half-time to seal victory. Casemiro has impressed all season, but previously announced he will leave in June after four years at the club. Carrick stated the decision will not be changed. Continue reading...