Fresh from a gallant 0-0 draw away to Serie A leaders Juventus, in-form Italian club Lazio look a good bet to win at home against struggling English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in the pick of the 24 Europa League matches being played on Thursday night.
Lazio and Spurs are both unbeaten in Group J and are favoured to be the two teams to progress from the group and into the knockout stages with the Rome-based club leading the group on eight points ahead of Spurs on six, Slovenian surprise packets Maribor on four and Greek club Panathinaikos last with just two points.
A win for Lazio on Thursday night would ensure they top the group and are seeded for the knockout stages – when the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League join the Europa League along with the 24 that qualify out of the group stages.
Lazio are the $2.44 favourites with Betfair, with Spurs at $3.20 and the draw at $3.45, and based on the recent form of the two sides, it's hard to recommend anything other than a home win.
In fact Lazio's 0-0 draw away to Juventus in Serie A last weekend looks even better after Juve thrashed Spurs' great rivals Chelsea 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night while Spurs are coming off three successive EPL defeats – including a 5-2 humiliation at the hands of Arsenal last weekend.
And Lazio managed to secure a 0-0 draw when they played away to Spurs earlier in the competition.
However regardless of the result on Thursday night, both sides are favoured to progress from the group, with Spurs the fourth favourites overall to win the competition at $15 while Lazio are eighth favourites, currently paying $27 with Betfair.
Defending champions Atletico Madrid remain the $8.40 favourites with Betfair to claim their third Europa League title in four seasons and the Spanish giants can secure their place in the knockout stages out of Group B when they face an already eliminated Hapoel Tel Aviv at home.
And the second-placed team in La Liga are one of the shortest priced favourites of the night at just $1.18 at Betfair to do just that with Hapoel given no chance at $20.
In Group A, two of the other leading contenders to win the competition in Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala and English giants Liverpool face crucial games in what has been one of the most even groups.
Anzhi lead on seven points with Liverpool and Swiss club Young Boys on six while Italian club Udinese are also still in contention on four.
But both Anzhi at $1.67 at Betfair against Udinese at $6 and Liverpool at $1.45 compared to Young Boys at $8.80 are favoured to win their matches on Thursday night.
In Group D unbeaten Newcastle are favourites to book their spot in the knockout stages at home to bottom placed Maritimo, with the Magpies at $1.44 compared to $9.20 for the visitors, despite Alan Pardew's team having lost their past two games.
And Russian club Rubin Kazan host Italian giants and three time winners of this competition Inter Milan in a huge game in Group H – with top spot up for grabs, although both sides are already safely through to the knockout stages.
But it is Rubin Kazan, on the back of a six game winning streak, that are the $2.06 favourites at Betfair with Inter at $4 and the draw good value at $3.65 after the pair played out a 2-2 draw in Milan earlier in the competition.
*Note prices subject to change
Bet of the day: Back Lazio to beat Spurs at $2.44 at Betfair.
Value bet of the day: Inter are good enough to come away with a result at Rubin Kazan where the draw looks great value at $3.65 with Betfair.