Friday's Commonwealth Games predictions and free betting tips

Free tips, best bets and analysis for men's rugby sevens, women's cycling and women's cricket in the Commonwealth Games on Friday.

Best bets

New Zealand to win men's sevens
1pt 9-4 bet365

Wales to win women's team sprint
1pt 10-1 bet365

England to win women's cricket
1pt 7-2 bet365

Friday's betting preview

New Zealand are the team to beat when it comes to rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games and their men's squad look a fair price to defend their title in Coventry.

Rated second-favourites behind Olympic sevens kings Fiji, those two nations, along with South Africa, are the three big guns going for gold.

The All Blacks' record in this event certainly encourages a bet on Clark Laidlaw's group, which includes several members of the squad which topped the podium on the Gold Coast four years ago.

They have won five of six editions of the tournament and will feel they owe the Fijians, who pipped them to Olympic gold in Tokyo last summer.

Three-time finalists Fiji have decided to swerve the opening ceremony to maintain their focus ahead of opening-day clashes with Zambia and Canada. And the gold medal favourites have a comfortable group section, albeit making the last eight should be a breeze for all the top teams.

The New Zealanders did the double four years ago with their women also dotting up, and the Black Fearns look pretty much untouchable.

Four track cycling golds will be handed out on the opening day of the competition from the Lee Valley Velodrome in east London – the men's and women's team sprints and team pursuits.

There won't be a dry eye in the house if Dame Laura Kenny can add to the points race gold she won in 2014 and cap quite the comeback after almost quitting the sport following a miscarriage.

Second behind the Germans with Great Britain at the UCI Track World Cup in Glasgow in April on her comeback, she's part of an English team pursuit squad who look strong odds-on shots.

Wales might represent a bit of value in the women's team sprint at 10-1.

The Welsh trio of Lowri Thomas and 19-year-olds Rhian Edmunds and Emma Finucane are getting better and stronger with each piece of experience they get.

They took gold at the British National Championships in March and then in the only Track Nations Cup event they competed at together – Glasgow in April – they pipped England for bronze. Their time in the third-place race was quicker than Canada managed in losing to the Dutch in the final. This Welsh triumvirate are going places fast and look a fair price.

Twelve teams go to post for the netball competition, which is split into two groups of six and, if the world rankings are your guide, will result in a semi-final line-up featuring England, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.

The women's T20 cricket also gets under way with an all-conquering Australia side strong favourites. It looks like a two-horse race between the Aussies and England, whose form this summer and vagaries of the shortest format may make them a spot of value.

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