Two seemingly contradictory yet true sentences stand out in the current Premier League betting landscape. Manchester City is the top choice for both winning the league and being relegated from it.
Despite being favored at +150 to win the league for the fifth consecutive season, Manchester City is attracting a significant number of bets for relegation. BetMGM reports that City has received 18% of bets to win the league and 24% of bets for relegation.
The reason behind this dual trend is twofold. While bettors acknowledge City’s status as a title contender, there is also a group speculating on the potential impact of the club’s upcoming hearing. City faces allegations of breaching financial rules, with over 100 violations reported. The club’s ownership by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, is central to the controversy.
A September hearing is scheduled to address these violations, with potential penalties expected to be announced by the end of the season. Some bettors are wagering on a significant points deduction that could see City plummet from the top of the table to the relegation zone.
Despite these uncertainties, the likelihood of City being relegated remains slim compared to the odds currently offered. With odds now at +1000 for relegation, only 10 teams have lower odds in that category.
Turning to other contenders, Arsenal is the top choice besides City to win the Premier League, with odds at +165. Liverpool follows closely at +650, while Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham have odds of +1600 and +2000, respectively.
At the bottom of the table, Leicester City and Ipswich Town are favored for relegation, with Leicester at -225 and Ipswich Town at -110. Southampton, with odds at +100, is also predicted to face relegation alongside these two teams, all of which were promoted from the Championship this season.