Weekend Review: Punters pleased as punch as Premier League returns

Punters emerged victorious from the first weekend of betting battles in the Premier League as many favourites obliged when domestic action returned.

Wins for Manchester United (4/6), Liverpool (4/9), Chelsea (3/10) and Leicester City (7/10) got the Champions League-chasing clubs off to the perfect start.

Manchester United dispatched Leeds United 5-1 thanks to a stunning performance from hat-trick hero Bruno Fernandes, while Liverpool and Chelsea both secured 3-0 victories against Norwich City and Crystal Palace, respectively.

The likes of Everton and West Ham also got three points on the board at the first time of asking, with Rafa Benitez’s Merseysiders (11/10) coming from behind to ease past Southampton 3-1 as the Hammers (6/5) put in a second-half tour de force to blitz Newcastle United 4-2.

What a match!
What a win!
What a start to the season!

COME ON YOU IRONS #NEWWHU pic.twitter.com/XB0haUsyx9

— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 15, 2021

Kindred Group’s Ali Gill said: “The opening day of the new season certainly went the way of the punters this year as, by and large, the big boys got the job done.

“Backers came out ahead in seven of the 10 games played, with only Watford, Brentford and Spurs delivering for the layers. Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Norwich was by some distance our worst result of the weekend, but Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton’s wins were not a million miles behind as we start off the season on the back foot.”

William Hill’s Rupert Adams added: “Liverpool, Manchester United, Leicester, Everton were all extremely well backed separately and together and it was not a happy return for the bookmakers.”

Newly promoted Watford (12/5) took advantage of the Jack Grealish-shaped hole in the Aston Villa attack to seal a 3-2 victory at Vicarage Road.

Adored. #MUFC @B_Fernandes8 pic.twitter.com/pWwKfyjsQw

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 14, 2021

Betway’s Chad Yeomans said: “Saturday was largely good for punters with Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton and Leicester all obliged as favourites, but newly promoted Watford shocked Aston Villa, which was certainly in our favour.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the bookmakers as London duo Brentford and Spurs gave a much-needed boost with their shock wins at odds of 14/5 and 5/1 respectively.

Brentford started their first top-flight campaign since the 1940s with a 2-0 win over a beleaguered Arsenal side while Nuno Espírito Santo secured his first win as Tottenham manager with a 1-0 victory against champions Manchester City.

Ladbrokes’ Alex Apati said: “It’ll come as no surprise to you that Manchester City losing meant it was a great weekend for us. In fact, in a weekend where the majority of top teams won somewhat convincingly, the Premier League was bookended by two brilliant results for bookies, with Arsenal and City both losing.”

Yeomans echoed Apati’s sentiment with thanks to both Brentford and Spurs for their impressive performances.

He said: “The opening weekend of the Premier League season was bookended with good results. Brentford got their campaign off to a flyer by beating a hopeless Arsenal and as expected, that result knocked out plenty of multiples over the weekend.

“Spurs’ victory over Manchester City was another good result. City were odds-on and expected to start their title defence with a win, but it wasn’t to be for Pep’s men.”

Sliding into Monday like… pic.twitter.com/YX4v35B5MU

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 16, 2021

Elsewhere, in horseracing, Betfred’s Alan Firkins previewed this week’s Ebor Festival at York for EGR Intel.

He said: “Eager eyes now turn to Yorkshire, for the sumptuous Ebor Festival. Incredible racing throughout, but a real international flavour to Friday’s highlight, the Nunthorpe. 9/4 joint-faves Suesa and Golden Pal represent France and the US, respectively, and the home team are going to have to go some to keep them at bay.”

Finally, one horseracing punter from Nottingham had reason to celebrate on Saturday night after five of his six selections in an each-way Heinz (15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 four-folds, six five-folds and one six-fold accumulator) did the business for just over £17,000 with bet365.

If 15/2-shot Staxton could have won at Ripon, however, @Matty1North would have landed a payday in excess of £161,000. Not bad.

I’ve had worse Saturday’s at sea pic.twitter.com/j0SUEkJ3IF

— Matt North (@Matty1North) August 15, 2021