Weekend Review: Bookies toast winning weekend of football and racing results
Liverpool dropping points at Brighton and the 0-0 snore-fest between Chelsea and Spurs saw layers come out ahead
An unlikely set of football results this weekend left bookmakers in clover and punters licking their wounds.
In the lunchtime game, Brighton’s last-gasp equaliser at the Amex Stadium to deny red-hot favourites Liverpool all three points was an early coupon-buster.
Later that day, Liverpool’s Merseyside neighbours, Everton, suffered a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of promoted side Leeds United, while high-flying Norwich City’s 1-1 draw with struggling Coventry in the Championship was another for the bookies.
There was some sense of normality, though, as Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-0 for the fourth consecutive occasion in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.
“Saturday was excellent with a number of surprise results – Liverpool and Norwich were particularly good,” said William Hill’s Rupert Adams.
? Sliding into the new week…#MondayMotivation ?#BHAFC ?⚪️ pic.twitter.com/oGCfwLtlN7
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) November 30, 2020
The following day, Manchester United’s fightback against Southampton to snatch a 3-2 away win was a punter-friendly result, yet Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Wolves, while Chelsea and Spurs played out a scoreless draw.
“Another great set of results for us in the Premier League this week as almost all the big guns failed to fire,” said Ali Gill of Kindred Group.
Betfred’s Alan Firkins said: “United’s late winner at St Mary’s was a blow, but the goalless affair at the Bridge, and Brighton’s richly deserved, last-gasp equaliser against Liverpool were decent results for us.”
On the turf, there was cracking jump racing from Newcastle and Newbury for National Hunt fans to sink their teeth into during lockdown and a chilly November Saturday.
In fact, more than one million viewers tuned into ITV Racing for the third weekend in a row.
At Newbury, Cloth Cap ridden in the colours of Trevor Hemmings landed the Ladbrokes Trophy at odds of 9/1 with a sublime round of jumping.
“With the owner’s love of the Grand National it would be no surprise to see him rocking up at Aintree, which he is now 25/1 with Betfred,” said Firkins.
Cloth Cap and @tommyscu winning today.
Thank you for all of your lovely messages, I’m trying my best to respond to them!
Congratulations once again to Trevor Hemmings. pic.twitter.com/1v19w6NZkI
— Jonjo O'Neill (@JonjoONeill) November 28, 2020
Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson-trained 8/11-shot Epatante cruised to victory in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, causing layers to cut her odds for the Champion Hurdle at next March’s Cheltenham Festival.
Betway’s Chad Yeomans remarked: “While the results at Newbury went our way, Epatante, who we’d ‘SuperBoosted’ to 6/4, won the Fighting Fifth so she gave punters a reason to cheer on a cold weekend. The mare is now 7/4 favourite for the Champion Hurdle in March.”
Golfer Lee Westwood was also celebrating on Saturday after Yorkhill, who he owns a share in, rolled back the years to land the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle at odds of 66/1. Indeed, he couldn’t contain his joy when he made an impromptu appearance on ITV Racing via Facetime.
Yorkhill. Class is permanent. I’ll probably come round after a couple of glasses of champagne! ? https://t.co/j4FKxrjHAs
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) November 28, 2020
With TV winners at SPs of 12/1, 10/1, 9/1 and 66/1, the bookies certainly had the best of it on Saturday.