Betting Guide: DSTV Prem Matchday 1

The new PSL season kicks off this weekend, with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns hosting Sekhukhune United. Both teams will be hoping for a perfect start to the campaign before the rest of the division takes to the field on Saturday and Sunday. Our weekly betting guide brings all the numbers you need together, helping readers make sense of the coming action.

Sekhukhune v Sundowns

You have to go back to 2007 for the last time Sundowns lost their opening league game of the season. History may not matter come Friday, but Downs will be confident given their head-to-head record against their hosts. With three draws and one win, no team has collected more points against Sekhukhune since they joined the top-flight (10 points). Yet, their home record offers some hope, with one loss in 2023.

20 – No team has more points at home than Sekhukhune in 2023 (20, level with SuperSport & Sundowns).

SuperSport v Richards Bay

SuperSport needed a late own goal to secure a point in this parallel fixture last season. And even the away game was pretty tight (ended 1-0 to SuperSport). There is no data to look at for this season, so those two games will have to do. We could expect another tight game on Saturday afternoon, even if SuperSport will be keen to extend what is now a 20-game unbeaten home run. But the opening day is not a happy one for Gavin Hunt.

1 – Gavin Hunt has won just won of seven season-opening games as a SuperSport coach, drawing four and losing the other two (P7 W1 D4 L2)

Stellenbosch v Pirates

Nedbank Cup victory at the end of last season has left many Orlando Pirates fans optimistic about the new one. But they may face stern opposition from teams now aware of their potential. Stellies are first to aim, as they start life without Junior Mendieta, a player whose name was starting to become synonymous with the club. The bad news (for Pirates) – they have won just one of their last 12 league games away to Cape-based opposition (P12 W1 D6 L5 since 2017). But there is some good news, however, in that the Buccaneers have been starting their season well, of late.

7 – Pirates are unbeaten in 7 season-opening games (P7 W4 D3 L0 since 2016).

Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa

New signings have offered Chiefs fans a semblance of hope for the coming season, after a woeful ending in 2022/23. Chippa, meanwhile, will be relieved to still be in the top flight, securing their status on the final day of last season. Both coaches will want to avoid the early season pressure with a win. If last season is anything to go by, Chiefs had the most shots per game in the league (13), while Chippa had the lowest (6.5). However, Chiefs only ended with 3 more goals, so maybe Chippa were more clinical. The last four games between them have seen 12 goals, so we’ll be hoping for more.

1 – Kaizer Chiefs have won just one of their last eight season-opening games, drawing four and losing the other three (P8 W1 D4 L3 since 2015).