Football: World Cup spread betting

AS HAS been well documented the expected blitz of cautions and sending offs has not materialised. Even though tackles are flying in occasions it seems the referees have set a standard but not, as it used to be, with cards but without them. That makes a buy on the first yellow card in Scotland's game against Norway this afternoon - IG quote 24-27 minutes - a tasty proposition.

The two sides were well disciplined in qualification, ranked the eighth and tenth cleanest teams of the 32, and even though the tackles have been flying in on occasion the officials seem more concerned with letting the players play - and tackle - rather than turning the game into a non-contact sport as was feared.

The average points make-up per match is thus far hovering around 40 (10 for yellow, 25 for red) and even though a sell with Sporting's 48-52 may well be putting all your yellow cards in one basket but it is irresistible all the same.

Brazil managed to score from a corner against the well-regarded Scotland defence after five minutes so a sell with IG's 40-43 for their first goal against Morocco, who looked decidedly dodgy at free kicks and corners intheir first game, is tempting.