Betfred pays Man City early Premier League fee after mistakes at Liverpool and Arsenal
With six games left in the Premier League season, this is the most intense three-way title race in recent years. But one British sportsbook operator has seen enough.
Betfred announced on Monday that all bets on Manchester City to win in the league will be paid out. Although the defending champions are only two points ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool, there is still an 18-point gap.
The promised payments, worth more than 750,000 pounds ($932,000), were announced after a potential turning point last weekend. The standards in the Premier League are so high these days and the table position is so good that not winning every game would be a disaster for any title chaser.
Thin edge
First, Liverpool, who have been top of the table for most of the season, shocked fans with a home loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Next, just hours later, Arsenal beat fourth-placed Aston Villa at home again with the chance to move one point ahead of Manchester City and three ahead of Liverpool.
Prior to this game, the Gunners were unbeaten all year, with 10 wins and 1 draw (against Manchester City), scoring 38 goals and conceding only 4 goals. It was a masterful performance but one that could not have been shown against Villa.
Arsenal were visibly tired in the second half and conceded two goals in a row towards the end of the game, resulting in an unexpected defeat.
Betfred concluded that Arsenal and Liverpool had lost momentum in the grueling late-season grind, while City had just entered fifth gear.
The defending champion, who has won six titles in the past 10 years, has a habit of being at his best when it matters most. Manchester City comfortably beat Luton Town 5-1 on Saturday.
Yesterday I watched the match between Liverpool and Arsenal and for me the game is over because Manchester City will win the Premier League this year. There is no danger,” Betfred founder Fred Done, 81, said in a statement.
Marketing Stunt
Done pioneered the betting industry's "pay-early" marketing strategy for major sporting events. While Betfred may have earned Betfred valuable PR in the form of a free column over the years, it didn't always work.
Indeed, Donne first tried this in 1998, when United were 12 points ahead of Arsenal and looking on course for a fifth Premier League title.
But the Gunners went on a 10-game winning streak, including a dramatic one-point victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
This time, it's not just one but two teams chasing the league leaders, with just two points separating them and City having some tough games ahead of them. Regardless of Betfred's marketing strategy, neutrals will hope that Liverpool and Arsenal can chase the Citizens to the end to keep this exciting season alive.
Read also:
- Games Industry Research: Carbon Emissions of Top Video Games
- U.S. cities with the most Swifties per capita
- Blackjack Casino Advantage: How to Beat the Odds
- Football 101: What is relegation in football?
Source: www.casino.org
