Football Bet of the Day: Hoff to hold off Mainz

Tobias Gourlay concludes a successful week in Germany

Hoffenheim v Mainz
Sunday 17:00 (Live on BT Sport 1)

In Russia yesterday, a pair of penalties helped Dinamo Moscow beat Rostov 2-1 and bring home our BTTS punt. It's been a good week: we've won 5/6 bets and are looking to sign off with a winner in Germany.

In the Bundesliga, eighth-placed Hoffenheim could jump up to fourth with a win at home to Mainz today and that's exactly what we fancy them to do. The hosts have a strong W4-D1-L0 record in this fixture across the last five seasons and can improve it further against a Mainz outfit that rides into town with a new coach and some terrible away form.

Achim Beierlorzer has a job on his hands. Mainz are W5-D2-L16 on the road since the start of last season. Last time out, they lost 0-8 at Leipzig. This season, they are W1-D0-L5, having lost to each of the teams currently in second, third, fourth and five.

Hoffenheim, of course, will split that group if they win today. Home and away, Hoff are on a winning streak of five, which began with a 2-1 success at Bayern Munich. On their home patch, Alfred Schreuder's men have won 7/11 going back into last season, including each of the last two. We make them strong favourites to record a third straight win at the PreZero Arena this afternoon.