Weekend Review: Premier League punters gain upper hand as popular sides oblige
Routine wins for Manchester United and Liverpool leave bookies deflated amid hectic fixture list as Epsom Derby contenders begin to emerge
Premier League punters got the better of the bookies this weekend as pre-match favourites secured a raft of victories across the board.
Wins for Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Crystal Palace proved popular with bettors, although there were some still some unlikely results to keep the layers ticking over nicely.
Leeds United (29/10) continued their impressive season with a 3-1 win over lacklustre Tottenham while Steve Bruce’s rejuvenated Newcastle United (15/2) side upset the odds to blitz Champions League-chasing Leicester City 4-2 on Friday night.
🙌 What a game! What a day!
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 8, 2021
Elsewhere, champions-elect Manchester City played out a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Champions League final with Chelsea as Thomas Tuchel’s side secured the mental advantage with a 2-1 victory, thanks to a last-minute goal from Marcos Alonso.
Kindred Group’s Ali Gill said: “Overall a weekend for the punters in the Premier League as a number of fancied teams got the job done. Wolves win over Brighton gave us our biggest loss, but Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all gave punters what they wanted to see.
“It also looks like they had an eye on the value of a revitalised Chelsea in the Champions League final practice run vs Manchester City, as that result also left us in the red,” he added.
WHAT A COMEBACK. WHAT A WIN!!! 👌#MCICHE pic.twitter.com/y3Z71AOf4M
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 8, 2021
Betfred’s Alan Firkins told EGR how plenty of customers had backed Chelsea following Pep Guardiola’s wholesale changes to his starting line-up.
He said: “Plenty opposed Manchester City on Saturday, as once again, as in the FA Cup semi-final, Pep gambled on wholesale changes – and lost. Is there a hotter outfit form-wise than Chelsea in Europe right now? City’s A-team will have their chance for revenge in the big one.
“The footie traders were on good terms with themselves when Newcastle humbled Leicester at the King Power, which helped offset some predictable well-supported successes elsewhere over the weekend,” he added.
Elsewhere, in horseracing, 14/1 shot Third Realm gave the bookies a reason to beam as the son of the Sea The Stars rode to victory in the Derby Trial at Lingfield.
Over in Ireland, Bolshoi Ballet cemented himself as the clear favourite ahead of June’s Epsom Derby with an impressive showing at Leopardstown.
🚀 Bolshoi Ballet leaves his rivals in a spin
🏇 Five races
🥇 Three wins
🏆 G3 @Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
🏆 G3 Ballysax Stakes
📅 Cazoo Derby contenderSuccess in the Derrinstown at @LeopardstownRC for Bolshoi Ballet, Ryan Moore & @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/escA3i57oR
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 9, 2021
Gill said: “In the Derby Trial at Lingfield on Saturday, 14/1 shot Third Realm held off well fancied favourite Adayar at 6/5 to leave us well ahead.
“Over at Leopardstown on Sunday the hugely impressive Bolshoi Ballet romped home in the Irish equivalent at Evens in one for the punters, and cemented his place at the head of the market for the big race itself,” he added.
Firkins commented: “On Sunday at Leopardstown, Aidan O’Brien’s Bolshoi Ballet dotted up by a long-looking six lengths and now heads the Derby betting with us at 7/4. Aidan potentially stands on the brink of a ninth Derby triumph – what a record.”