Welcome to your permanent home for Up For 8 football predictions, @Footy_Tipster will provide expert tips and weekly picks to help you along the way.
What Is Up For 8?
Up For 8 is 888sport’s free‑to‑play football predictions game. Every Gameweek, you’re given eight selected fixtures and asked to predict the result after 90 minutes: Home Win, Draw, or Away Win.
Just make your picks and see if you can win the £10,000 weekly jackpot.
How the Jackpot Works
Up For 8 offers real prizes every week:
- 8 correct results - £10,000 cash jackpot
*If multiple players get 8/8 correct, the jackpot is shared* - 7 correct results → £10 Free Bet
- 6 correct results → £5 Free Bet
All prizes are free to win, and you can enter once per Gameweek.
Gameweek 1 – Up For 8 Football Predictions:
Blackburn v Middlesbrough - Saturday 22nd August - 3pm
Prediction: Away Win
Reasoning: Blackburn got a creditable draw away at Wolves on Friday night whilst Middlesbrough got their campaign off to a winning start against Lincoln, despite the last two meetings ending goalless, Boro are expected to be challenging for promotion this season and should have enough to win at Ewood Park.
Everton v Crystal Palace - Saturday 22nd August - 3pm
Prediction: Home Win
Reasoning: This is a tough opening game for both sides but it's hard to go against Everton given their record when they face Crystal Palace, the Toffees have lost none of their last eleven games against the Eagles (W7, D4), whilst you've got to go back to 2014 for the last time Palace beat Everton away from home.
Ipswich v Sunderland - Saturday 22nd August - 3pm
Prediction: Draw
Reasoning: This is another fascinating curtain raiser, Ipswich Town begin Premier League life under Gary O'Neil whilst Sunderland will have to handle the pressure of playing European football this season following their excellent campaign last season, i think these two sides will be hard to split in this opener, so a stalemate seems a sensible option.
Nottingham Forest v Leeds - Saturday 22nd August - 3pm
Prediction: Draw
Reasoning: Oliver Glasner is the new man in charge of Nottingham Forest and he'll be looking to work his magic in the East Midlands like he did in South London last season, whilst Leeds will be looking to improve on their fourteenth league finish. Only Bournemouth played out more draws than Leeds last season, a draw here would be by pick as both sides look to ease their way into the new campaign.
Swansea v Sheffield United - Saturday 22nd August - 3pm
Prediction: Home Win
Reasoning: Swansea got their campaign off to a flyer last weekend with a 2-1 victory away at Stoke, whislt Sheffield United played out a goalless draw against the fancied Birmingham City. The Swans lost just six of their Championship home games last season, this one will be another tight affair but i'm back Vítor Matos' side just to edge it.
Brentford v Tottenham - Saturday 22nd August - 5.30pm
Prediction: Away Win
Reasoning: Brentford impressed last season under Keith Andrews and missed out on a European spot via goal-difference on the final day, Tottenham spent the season is disarray and confirmed Premier League survival by the skin of their teeth but it's been all change in north London, good recruitment and a new manager should fill Spurs with optimism this season, I'm backing them to win this one given the Bees have only played 2 pre-season friendlies and could be lacking that match sharpness.
Brighton v Aston Villa - Sunday 23rd August - 2pm
Prediction: Away Win
Reasoning: After finishing eighth last season, Brighton will play in the Europa Conference League this season and should be the early favourites, Aston Villa finished fourth last season and will be looking to get their campaign off to a flyer, they've won each of the last three meetings against Brighton including the last two here on the south coast, I'm backing Villa to edge this one.
Newcastle v Liverpool - Sunday 23rd August - 4.30pm
Prediction: Away Win
Reasoning: It's been all change at Newcastle this summer, the loss of Eddie Howe along with a few key players suggests the Magpies could be in for a tough season, whilst their pre-season fixtures also point in that direction after just two wins (Darlington and Valencia) from their seven games. Liverpool have also made a change in the dugout, former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is the man in charge and the Reds will be hoping for a quick start, they've won four of their last five trips to Newcastle and haven't lost here in their last nine (W6, D3).
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Up For 8 – T&Cs Summary
Promotion Period
- Runs throughout the 2026/27 UK Football Season.
- Each week is a Gameweek, running from Tuesday (game release) to Monday 23:59:59.
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- Only the 90‑minute result counts (extra time/penalties = draw).
- 8 correct results - £10,000 Jackpot (shared if multiple winners).
- 7 correct - £10 Free Bet.
- 6 correct - £5 Free Bet.
- If you win the Jackpot, you only receive the cash prize (no free bets).
Void Matches
- A match is void if postponed, cancelled, abandoned, or no official result is declared.
If any match is void:
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