Number one Irish online bookmaker PaddyPower was left baffled this morning by a surge of betting on Harry Redknapp being the next Premier League manager to leave his job. In the popular sack race market Redknapp was 50/1 to be the next manager out last night, with only Sir Alex Ferguson at longer odds at 66/1. The money started coming for a Redknapp exit forcing PaddyPower to cut the Spurs boss to 25/1, then 20s, 14s and 12s. Throughout the morning money kept coming for Redknapp, even when PaddyPower continued to cut the football betting odds down to 2/1.
Having dramatically revived Tottenham’s fortunes a run on Redknapp seems one of the stranger plunges in what is often a volatile market and suggests if punters believe something has happened at White Hart Lane after Redknapp’s success then surely no manager in the Premier League could ever feel safe.
Darren Haines, spokesman for PaddyPower, said: “There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this one and frankly its left us baffled. But no matter what price we cut Redknapp to punters keep backing him - surely they don’t think he’s going to go back to save Portsmouth for a third time?”
Speaking of Portsmouth the bookmaker has also suspended betting on which club will finish bottom this season. With the failure to pay their players this week, the South coast club has been backed into 1/4 amidst fears that administration could be looming.
2/1 Brown
2/1 Redknapp
3/1 Hart
11/1 McLeish
11/1 Megson
20/1 Benitez
25/1 McCarthy
25/1 Zola |