iGaming Business – UK bookmakers said that the latest round of fixtures in the English Premier League top-flight football division could cost them up to £30 million (€36.2 million/$49.3 million) after all top seven sides in the table won.
The Reuters news agency said that although stronger sides had the shortest odds, they also attracted the most bets. Bookmakers rely on slip-ups by the favourites to help them make money.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes estimated that the set of seven results cost UK betting companies over £20 million, while rival Coral said the total bill could reach £30 million.
“We estimate one million accumulators were landed on the top teams across the industry and there was a £20 million-plus payout from British bookmakers,” Ladbrokes said. “It was a case of seven being the lucky number with the Premier League’s top seven teams all winning.”
Ladbrokes also said one customer had made £30,000 from a £20 accumulator, while another won £18,000 from a £5 bet.
In addition, Coral said on its official Twitter account that the weekend had been “one of the worst” in its 88-year history and said that it was the “best day ever” for football punters. The company paid out 50 winnings bets of between £2,000 and £66,000.
