PADDY’S BIG SAVE

Paddy Power Betfair says it is odds-on to hit cost-cutting targets a year early. The gambling giant, which completed a £7billion tie-up in February, is set to save £65million by next year – £15m more than expected. However, the slimming down of the firm has so far resulted in 650 job losses. Merger costs also saw it plunge nearly £50m into the red between January and June, from a £106m profit a year ago. But profit was up a third after stripping those costs out and the group hailed a £22m boost from football betting during Euro 2016. Paddy Power ran a tongue-in-cheek TV advert encouraging fans in Scotland – which failed to qualify – to bet on England to flop. It seemed to work...