Weekend Review: Champions League final wipes out record Epsom Derby profit
Bookmakers left cursing Ronaldo and Real Madrid after Los Blancos win their 12th European title
It was a Saturday of mixed emotions for bookmakers after one of the best Epsom Derby results in living memory was erased by Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory in the Champions League final.
The day started with a bang for layers, with 40/1 shot Wings Of Eagles ambushing the Derby field and beating the much fancied Cliffs of Moher and Cracksman into second and third respectively.
Betfred said it was their best Derby since 1974, while William Hill reported sizable profits, having taken on both favourites, pushing them each out to 6/1 at one point in the morning’s betting.
The firm said it had liabilities in excess of £1m on both Cracksman and Cliffs of Moher.
However, the punters soon got their own back in a Champions League final that went about as poorly as possible for the layers, with Ronaldo FGS, BTTS, over 2.5 goals, Sergio Ramos yellow card and a Madrid win all well-backed.
Betfred said the Ronaldo goals alone cost it £1m, while Kindred reported a “sizeable six-figure loss”, although it was rescued by a healthier ante-post book.
Elsewhere, bet365 reported a tidy margin on the first game of the Lions tour, where a jet-lagged Lions team stumbled to a 13-7 victory over the New Zealand Barbarians, despite being priced up as a 36-point favourite.
In other sports, BetVictor reported results in the French Open at Roland Garros had been “kind so far”, while weather delays had dampened interest in the ICC Champions Trophy.
“Cricket results have been favourable for the punter so far and when it looked as if we were going to get a result, the rain intervened and helped the Baggy Greens who looked up against it against the Black Caps,” BetVictor’s Charlie McCann said.
Looking ahead, BetVictor said money was coming for Labour in Thursday’s General Election, with the punters hoping for a re-run of the 2016 underdog successes of Trump and Brexit.