TALKING BETTING WITH FOUNDER OF BETFRED
IT irks me being a big Red, but City will again be Premier League champs – and that’s why I’m paying out early.
Liverpool and Arsenal have run out of steam as demonstrated with home defeats on Sunday, so the decision to pay £750,000 to more than 6,000 Betfred customers who backed City has been made.
I’m convinced that with six league games remaining for Pep Guardiola’s side, the two-point gap that the Blues hold at the top is just too much for their rivals so all you Blue Mooners can start celebrating the historic feat of winning four successive Premier League titles.
I was the first bookmaker to pay out early on a Premier League title winner in March 1998, backing my team to secure their fifth Premier League crown – but the trouble was we didn’t when much to Fergie’s anger we blew a 12-point lead allowing Arsenal to pip us.
Betfred also paid out early on United to win the Premier League in 2012, before our noisy neighbours clawed back an eightpoint deficit to win the title on goal difference on the final day of the season.
I watched both the Liverpool and Arsenal games at the weekend and for me, it’s game over this season because City, who absolutely hammered Luton, are going to win the Premier League 2024 title.
There’s no danger to that. Liverpool look as if they’re beat.
They’re gone. So for anyone that backed City before 2pm on Sunday, I’m paying out on them to win the Prem – get your cans open and have a drink on me.
This is the ninth time that Betfred has decided to pay out early and it’s probably my bravest call yet.
But I relish the risk and that’s what we’re all about. I’m not worried at all.
Come on City, you’ve played well all season and good luck to you.
Meanwhile, the in-form Blues are odds on to beat Real Madrid tomorrow night at the Etihad in the Champions League after the thrilling first leg in Spain.
The most popular scoreline bet with us for the second leg, which is 3-3 from the first leg at the Bernabeu, is 3-1 triumph for City which is an 11/1 shot.
To win the Champions League outright City are the 13/8 favourites at Betfred with Arsenal at 11/2 while Barcelona are at 6/1, Real Madrid 13/2 – and Bayern Munich are 8/1 shots.