Fantastic Foxes Premier League title favourites
IT should be no surprise that the team who sits top of the Premier League table in February should be considered favourites to win the Premier League – but that side are Leicester who proved their title credentials with a sensational 3-1 victory over Manchester City.
The fantastic Foxes, 5,000-1 shots before a ball was kicked this season, are now no better than 15-8 to land the biggest shock in football betting history.
Claudio Ranieri’s amazing underdogs even went as short as 13-8 with Betway after the win at the Etihad before Tottenham beat Watford 1-0 to move up to second and narrow the gap on the leaders to five points.
It’s a quite incredible four-way title race and the quartet face off when Leicester travel to Arsenal and Tottenham head to City on February 14.
After the way Leicester saw off previous market leaders City they should not fear the Emirates trip, although Ranieri wanted to play down the tag of favourites.
“I don’t believe them,” said the Italian when told of the layers rating Leicester as favourites for the first time.
“They said I would be first to be sacked but now I hope they are right.”
Ranieri has not put a foot wrong this campaign but he is incorrect to suggest he was sack-race favourite after replacing Nigel Pearson in the summer. He was seventh in the betting at 12-1.
However, we can forgive Ranieri that minor slip as he closes in on one of English football’s most remarkable tales.
Only Bournemouth (7,500-1), Norwich (7,500-1) and Watford (10,000-1) were a bigger price than Leicester ante-post and while a rag cleaning up would normally be considered fantastic for bookmakers nothing could be further from the truth here.
The majority of bookmakers have racked up massive multi-million pound liabilities from small-staking optimistic Leicester supporters who are sitting on potential life-changing wins.
Hills reported one bet of £10 each-way at 5,000-1 and another of £75 at 1,500-1, while Ladbrokes said the same person who successfully backed the Foxes to lead the table at Christmas at 1,000-1 also has a £5 each-way wager at £5,000-1.
Virtually all multiples will be knocked out by a Leicester success but it is a different story on the singles with Coral alone reporting a £4m payout if Leicester can maintain their lofty position.
Coral spokesman John Hill said: “Before every Premier League season, we take a bundle of bets at an average stake of £10 on the outsiders and I think it will be one of the worst days in history for the bookmaking industry if Leicester finish up as champions.”
Robert Huth scored twice from set-pieces and Riyad Mahrez was also on target as rampant Leicester raced into a 3-0 lead before Sergio Aguero grabbed a late consolation for City.
The Citizens are out to 10-3 to win the league and finished the day third in the table after Kieran Trippier’s goal earned Spurs a vital victory over Watford.
Tottenham, who were 150-1 shots ante-post, are now the shortest price they have ever been to be crowned Premier League champions at 9-2.