Weekend Review: Bookies reap the rewards as Saints avenge record defeat

Southampton’s 2-1 away victory over Leicester City boosted bookmaker coffers this weekend as the Saints avenged their humiliating October defeat at the hands of the Foxes.

Southampton thumped Leicester 9-0 at St Mary’s before Christmas, equalling the 24-year record for the biggest ever Premier League victory.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side restored some pride in the reverse fixture this weekend, as striker Danny Ings continued his fine form to net an 81^st minute winner as Southampton triumphed 2-1.

“The Leicester result was sensational,” said Betfred’s Peter Spencer. “Loads of people piled in on Leicester to win to nil and we had 600 punters back a 2-0 Foxes win at odds of 9/1.”

Water is wet ?@IngsDanny scores goals ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/0TdvVRsejd

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 12, 2020

Ings, on 14 league goals for the season, is now the 8/1 third favourite to win the Premier League golden boot with Betfred, behind Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.

Aguero shot up the rankings after bagging a hat-trick in City’s 6-1 thrashing of Aston Villa as the Argentine overtook Thierry Henry as the Premier League’s most prolific-ever foreign import.

Liverpool continued their march towards the title with a 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham, while Arsenal could only draw with Crystal Palace in Saturday’s early kick-off.

Kindred Group’s Ali Gill said: “It was a bookie-friendly weekend in the Premier League as we came out ahead in 8 of the 10 games played.

“Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Spurs, Arsenal’s draw with Palace and Leicester’s defeat to Southampton all left us with a healthy-looking margin all told.

“Man City’s demolition job of Aston Villa was unsurprisingly our biggest loser of the round, with Villa’s last minute goal helping out a few in-play bets but killing a few of the pre-match ‘win to nils’.

Kindred’s Unibet sportsbook also received a boost after the Spanish Super Cup final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid finished 0-0, a perfect result for the layers.

“That was a massive winner in the book for us,” said Gill.

⚽?? That @SergioRamos penalty that brought us the Spanish Super Cup title!#RMSuperCopa | #Supercampeones pic.twitter.com/PVf4Yg8wq6

— Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) January 12, 2020

Football was also the sport of the weekend on the Betdaq exchange, where one Liverpool backer took home £16,000 in winnings.

Betdaq’s Mark Harkin said: “Runaway leaders Liverpool continued their imperious form in the Premier League with another victory, this time away at Spurs.

“It was a victory that was saluted by one punter who had £20,000 on Jurgen Klopp’s side at 1.78, which won them nearly £16,000.”