EPL 2021/22 Matchday 36 Soccer Picks and Predictions

The sharpest soccer bettor on the net is back, with plays for the English Premier League action this weekend, with games for Week 36.

To channel the Adam Sandler classic, I think I’ve found my “Happy Place”. For most, that probably means more normal human activities like time spent with family or fresh air or eating a good meal, but I’m obviously not like most people (I shouldn’t have to spell that out for you, man pretending to be a cartoon prospector is pretty self explanatory). And, while I do enjoy a nice chicken pot pie washed down with a few beers (and then a few more beers), my happy place these days is gambling on the EPL.

Last week we swept the board on our article picks for a pretty hefty profit. While gambling is an up and down endeavor that will inevitably end up close to the mean in the long term (on the right side of that line, though, for our profitability), the reality is that gamblers are just better in some areas than others. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I can only focus on so many sports or leagues at once, and I tend to be a better gambler the more time I spend watching games for the teams I bet on. So, as someone whose love of soccer started well over a decade ago with the EPL, it’s not surprising that I have a very comfortable handle on the ins and outs of betting this league.

Is that a way of subtly saying some of the other leagues I bet are worse to tail me on? Absolutely not. I only give out picks on soccer leagues and other sports (NFL, CFB, CBB) where I’m confident in myself, but I fully back all the picks I do put out. And, in all honesty, that statement is clearly true purely because it’s not a good thing. If I wanted more followers and a larger audience, I’d spend my time betting on big ticket sports like the NBA, and it’s not shocking to say that people care way less about the guy throwing money ob Swiss soccer teams people can hardly pronounce. But I am what I am, and what that happens to be is a strange man with a love for humor and betting on soccer.

So, after that rambling and completely unnecessary intro, let’s get back to the money shots (think profitable sports wagers not weird sex scenes filmed in some dude’s basement).

Prospector Sam's soccer best bets and odds are proudly brought to you by WynnBet.

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Free EPL Picks 2021-22

Burnley vs. Aston Villa: Saturday May 7, 10:00 AM EDT 

Time to do something I don’t particularly enjoy; bet for a low scoring game. To be clear, I’m not a part of “team overs” or someone who refuses to bet unders if the value is right. But, if there’s a large number of games with lots of options to pick from, I’m going to lean towards the value on high scoring games because those are the ones I’d rather watch (and, in soccer, there’s a decent chance at an early cash). Sue me for being a little selfish (please don’t though, I can’t afford a lawsuit). I didn’t exactly bury the lede here, so let’s just jump to the bet and grab “No” on both teams to score. Burnley’s offense, while slightly better as of late, averages less than a goal scored per game. Sure, the fear of relegation has kicked them into gear, but their offensive talent is pretty weak and I don’t expect a ton from them on a game-to-game basis. As for Villa, they’ve simply reached the purgatory of being a mid table team near the end of the season. The Villains have little to play for and will be getting some younger guys extra minutes as the season winds down, so there’s a decent chance they just don’t put the effort in to find a goal either (see: three blank sheets in their last 5). It’s not the most fun bet to make, but between these two sides I see a high likelihood that one wont score and even money on that pick is a very good price for our money.

PICK: Both Teams to Score - NO (+100 ,1U)

MORE: Aston Villa vs. Burnley simulator

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Norwich vs. West Ham: Sunday May 8, 9:00AM EDT

I’ve spent a lot of this season railing on Norwich and how horrendous they are as a soccer team, but a small part of me is going to miss them when they’re gone. Why? Is it because I secretly love those green and yellow eyesore jerseys or just have a soft spot for Carrow Road? Absolutely not. It’s because fading them and their ability to keep teams from scoring has been a lucrative endeavor and I’ll miss the impressive consistency they’ve shown in being awful. There’s not much use to waiting at this point, so let’s go ahead and all put our chips on West Ham team total over 1.5, which sits at a nice -128 as I write this. And, even better, the logic is pretty simple. Norwich have given up multiple goals in each of their last 3 and 10 of their last 12 matches, while averaging over 2 conceded in the EPL on the year. It’s not rocket science (or even basic high school chemistry) to figure out why taking West Ham to eclipse that number makes sense. Sure, the Hammers have a huge midweek fixture to contend with and their Premier League form has been atrocious as of late (1 point from their last 4), but Norwich is the perfect opportunity to get things back on track and I expect the Londoners to put in at least a couple on a Norwich side who’ve already been relegated. This is my favorite pick of the article, and I’ll be betting it heavily.

PICK: West Ham Team Total Over 1.5 (-128, 2.5U)

MORE: Norwich vs. West Ham simulator

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Arsenal vs. Leeds: Sunday May 8, 9:00AM EDT

This may be the most intriguing match of the weekend. Arsenal are, to the surprise of most, in prime position to make the Top 4 and secure a UCL bid, while Leeds have slipped into the relegation race and sit just 2 points above the drop with an astoundingly bad -34 GD. Basically, both teams have a hell of a lot to play for but with entirely different reasons, and it should be interesting to see how that plays out. While I could take a crack at how the final score shakes out, I think that’s a dangerous game to be playing here (especially because my heart is begging Arsenal to lose), and I’d rather go for a more comfortable approach on both teams to score, which I think is a very likely result. To start, Leeds have the worst defensive record in England and their 72 goals conceded in 34 matches makes a Gunners goal pretty god damn likely. As for Leeds, they still score over a goal per match and have scored in 2 of the last 3 these sides played, including the reverse fixture in December. Arsenal also haven’t kept a clean sheet since March 19th and Tierney’s injury is clearly a huge issue for them, so I have confidence that they’ll manage to fuck things up at least once (and hopefully many more times) to concede a goal. This should be an end to end match with a lot of chances, so bet accordingly and make some money while you enjoy the show.

BET: Both Teams to Score - YES (-136, 2U)

MORE: Arsenal vs. Leeds simulator

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