{"id":77317,"date":"2026-01-21T03:02:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T03:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=77317"},"modified":"2026-01-21T09:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T09:00:17","slug":"bets-on-favourites-fail-to-deliver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/bets-on-favourites-fail-to-deliver\/","title":{"rendered":"Premier League Favourites Fail, Will Championship Hotshots Deliver?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all like to celebrate the success of a big outside bet, but for the bookies a surprise winner is generally good news.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A 100-1 rank outsider will grab the headlines with an unlikely victory.<\/p>\n

The real earnings for the sportsbooks come from heavy betting on a favourite who slips up.<\/p>\n

Last weekend’s Premier League fixtures served up prime examples.<\/p>\n

Arsenal’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest and West Ham’s win at London rivals Tottenham left “punters bruised and bookmakers smiling” according to Shane Orton, Sportscasting’s Head of Betting PR.<\/p>\n

Turning The Tables<\/h2>\n

Bournemouth\u2019s 1-1 draw at Brighton on Monday continued the weekend\u2019s trend of Premier League teams ignoring the form book.<\/p>\n

None of the top four managed a win between them, while the bottom six clubs in the table all collected valuable points.<\/p>\n

That surely Is not a trend we\u2019ll see repeated in this week\u2019s full round of Championship fixtures.<\/p>\n

\"Marti
Marti Cifuentes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cast adrift at the foot of the table, Sheffield Wednesday face Birmingham<\/a> in a showdown that could impact the Championship sack race betting odds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The same could be said for Leicester\u2019s trip to Wrexham<\/a> with uncertainty over the future of Foxes under-fire boss Marti Cifuentes.<\/p>\n

Only the bold will be prepared to back a repeat of what happened in the weekend\u2019s Premier League games.<\/p>\n

Premier League Sack Race Hotting Up<\/h2>\n

Relegation threatened West Ham caused Saturday\u2019s big upset by winning 2-1 at Tottenham with a Callum Wilson goal in stoppage time.<\/p>\n

That has increased speculation over who could be the next Tottenham manager<\/a> with Thomas Frank\u2019s position looking untenable.<\/p>\n

\"Nuno
Nuno Espirito Santo and Thomas Frank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the same time it relieved the pressure on Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo whose odds lengthened in the Premier League sack race<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Oliver Glasner\u2019s outburst after a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland has raised the possibility that we could see the next Crystal Palace manager<\/a> arrive before the Austrian\u2019s contract expires at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

Arsenal Draw A Blank<\/h2>\n

Leaders Arsenal, plus Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool from the top four teams all failed to bag three points for a win.<\/p>\n

That was welcome news for the bookies.<\/p>\n

“It started early doors on Saturday and it didn\u2019t take long for things to turn in the bookmakers\u2019 favour,” said Orton.<\/p>\n

“Manchester City going down at Old Trafford set the tone straight away, because that was a result very few punters saw coming.<\/p>\n

\"Mikel
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Then you had Liverpool failing to beat lowly Burnley at Anfield, which was probably the sorest one of the lot for gamblers.<\/p>\n

“That was backed heavily as a banker, and when those short-priced home favourites don\u2019t deliver, it really hurts.<\/p>\n

“Arsenal rounded off a great Saturday for the bookies by not getting the job done against Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n

“By that point you could already feel the momentum swinging firmly away from the punters.”<\/p>\n

Favourites Flop Again<\/h2>\n

Sunday\u2019s games could not reverse the trend of the favourites coming up short.<\/p>\n

Newcastle failed to break down a resilient Wolves who sit bottom of the Premier League.<\/p>\n

It created an unwanted stat for Toon winger Anthony Gordon who has now gone a full calendar year without scoring a goal in open play.<\/p>\n

\"Anthony
Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Sunday just carried on in the same vein,” said Orton.<\/p>\n

“Newcastle United couldn\u2019t win away at rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers.<\/p>\n

“Then high-flying Aston Villa were beaten at home by an injury-hit Everton.<\/p>\n

“When results like that stack up across a weekend, punters inevitably come away bruised \u2014 and bookmakers are the ones left smiling.”<\/p>\n

Super Sub Michael Olise Shines<\/h2>\n

It was a different story in the Bundesliga where perennial favourites Bayern Munich thumped hosts Leipzig 5-1.<\/p>\n

Harry Kane was among the goalscorers yet again, but there was money to be made on young midfielder Lennart Karl.<\/p>\n

It was not for anything that the 17-year-old did on the pitch though.<\/p>\n

Thanks to bet365\u2019s \u2018Sub On, Play On\u2019 mechanic, any betting on Karl was transferred to his second-half replacement.<\/p>\n

That sub was Michael Olise.<\/p>\n

\"Michael
Michael Olise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBayern Munich hit five past Leipzig with Harry Kane finding the net,\u201d said Steve Freeth, a trader for bet365.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor once, he\u2019s not the main story here.<\/p>\n

“That belonged to Lennart Karl, who departed the field on 56 minutes with just one blocked shot to his name.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis replacement, Michael Olise, produced three assists, three shots on target and scored a goal off the bench.<\/p>\n

“That was much to the delight of Karl backers, thanks to our \u2019Sub On, Play On\u2019 concession.”<\/p>\n

Princess Keri Takes A Tumble<\/h2>\n

Princess Keri provided a timely reminder that there\u2019s no such thing as a safe bet over the weekend.<\/p>\n

She looked a sure-fire winner at the climax of the \u00a325,000 mares\u2019 handicap hurdle at Fakenham on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\n

1.01 BEATEN \ud83e\udd22<\/p>\n

Princess Keri hit 1\/100 in-running<\/p>\n

then this happened\u2026<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/FPAIvPMVIh<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) January 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n