Weekend Review: Bookies come out ahead despite 4-1 wins for Arsenal and Man City
One bookmaker left licking its wounds as a customer scoops more than £440,000 from a 50p each-way Lucky 31
Arsenal maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League after brushing aside Leeds United 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners, who were 3/10 before kick-off, were awarded a soft penalty on the 35th minute, which Gabriel Jesus converted, before Ben White and Jesus made it 3-0 not long after half-time.
Leeds pulled one back courtesy of Rasmus Kristensen before a guided header from Granit Xhaka wrapped up the match and all three points.
The pressure had been applied to Arsenal after their nearest title rivals, Man City, came back from 1-0 down to smash Liverpool 4-1 thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish.
Victorious at home
Relive all the highlights from our 4-1 win over Leeds earlier this afternoon
pic.twitter.com/czKi3veZKW
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 1, 2023
Both results mean Arsenal are a best-priced 8/11 to win their first title in 20 years while Man City, who have a game in hand, can be backed at 5/4.
Betfred’s Alan Firkins said: “Our traders are pulling for City as liabilities for Arsenal at fancy prices are eye-watering, which is tough for the Liverpool and Man Utd devotees among them.”
Elsewhere, Graham Potter was sacked after just 22 Premier League matches in charge of Chelsea following the London club’s 2-0 defeat at home to 5/1-shots Aston Villa.
The bookies had chalked up Chelsea 4/7 favourites, yet a goal from Villa’s Ollie Watkins and a sweet left-foot strike from John McGinn sealed all three points for the visitors.
There was another managerial casualty this weekend – bringing the total number of head coach departures to 12 for the season – when Brendan Rodgers was let go by Leicester City on Sunday.
Leicester’s painful 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace with a 94-minute winner scored by Jean-Philippe Mateta was the final straw for the board, which was also Roy Hodgson’s first win back at Selhurst Park, following his return to Crystal Palace.
“We know only too well that football is a crazy business, but every now and then there’s unequivocal confirmation,” Firkins remarked.
Meanwhile, high-flying Newcastle (5/4) maintained their bid for a Champions League spot next season, with a 2-0 win at home to Manchester United thanks to goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson.
Morning!
pic.twitter.com/ggq7HH1Jv0
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 3, 2023
“Man City and Arsenal matching 4-1 wins were our two worst results in the book for the Premier League this weekend,” said Kindred Group’s Ali Gill when summing up the action.
“However, Newcastle’s hugely impressive 2-0 win over Man United at St James’ Park on Sunday was the perfect end to the weekend, coming in as our best overall result over the weekend.
“Chelsea’s continuing struggles and yet another defeat, this time 2-0 to Aston Villa on Saturday evening, was another strong result in the book, as well as seeing off Graham Potter.”
Finally, Bournemouth (6/4) got the better of Fulham, Brighton and Brentford played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Wolves.
Strugglers Southampton were cast adrift from safety after losing 1-0 away at West Ham (8/11).
It was a must-win game for the Hammers, but the result means the Saints, who prop up the table, are now as short as 1/5 to be relegated to the Championship despite being just three points from safety.
On the Premier League clashes, bet365’s Steve Freeth commented: “It was hardly a Super Sunday for Brendan Rodgers or Graham Potter, but it was for the bookmakers, in particular with Newcastle beating Manchester United to strengthen their top-four challenge.
“The Red Devils had drifted to an attractive looking 21/10 for many and with a number of big names kept off the scoresheet, as well as Stuart Attwell keeping his cards in his pocket, it was tough going for bet builders backers.”
He added: “It was a similar story in East London with West Ham winning a low-scoring game with Paul Tierney showing just two cards leaving us in front after fighting back from two bad results from title-chasers Manchester City and Arsenal on Saturday.”
On the continent there were a couple of notable shock results as AC Milan (3/1) demolished Italian league leaders Napoli with a 4-0 win while, in France, heavy odds-on favourites PSG suffered a 1-0 loss at home to Lyon (6/1).
Kindred’s Gill said: “AC Milan’s 4-0 away win was a great result in the book, as was PSG’s 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Lyon in Ligue 1, that result in particular taking heaps of accas along with it.”
Away from football, the British Flat season was back with the Lincoln Meeting at Doncaster, the highlight being the Lincoln Handicap.
That result went the way of the bookies after Migration, who returned an SP of 18/1, saw off well-backed 9/2-shot Awaal and Baradar in third at 9/1 to take the one-mile race.
Scenes with MIGRATION and jockey Benoit de la Sayette, top-weight winner of yesterday's Lincoln Handicap @DoncasterRaces for @DavidMenuisier.
Only Babodana (2004) and Cataldi (1985) have carried more weight to victory in this historic race since 1965. pic.twitter.com/eSkPucxiL6
— Steven Cargill (@Steven_Cargill) April 2, 2023
Gill said: “It was a good result for the book, although punters weren’t left without anything to shout about. The Cammidge Trophy Stakes went the way of 9/1-shot Vadream.
“However, 4/1 joint favourite King’s Lynn was hugely disappointing on the day and, overall, it was another good result for the book.”
Meanwhile, one Betfred punter was £48,000 richer after a £1 Lucky 15 bet on four horses came up trumps at the weekend.
However, a customer at William Hill won almost 10 times that amount with a successful £31 bet turned into £441,913.
The 50p each-way Lucky 31 involving five selections included three winners at Doncaster at juicy odds of 10/1, 18/1 and 40/1.
The punter also had 4/1 and 20/1 winners at Kempton to land the once-in-a-lifetime bet.