Devastating to bookmaker balances will have been Premier League match day 18 (26-28 December) in which EPL title contenders Chelsea FC, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United won their matches.
Can there ever be value in betting the top teams-surely the bookies know that people will still back the top teams what ever their price, and most punters rarely consider the value of the odds offered. There was that recent stat about always backing Arsenal was proven to be unprofitable even at much-inflated odds.
Contrary to many people's expectation with the events of last year and the new TV money, it is the most dominant top 6 at this stage of the season (20 games) in PL history.
In the last 20 seasons:
United 6th with 39 points - the highest points tally for 6th and good enough for 2nd 7/20 and 1st 3/20 seasons.
Arsenal 5th with 41 points - the highest points tally for 5th and good enough for 2nd 9/20 and 1st 4/20 seasons.
City 4th with 42 points - the highest points tally for 4th and good enough for 2nd 10/20 and 1st 6/20 seasons.
Spurs 3rd with 42 points - only bettered 2/20 seasons.
Liverpool 2nd with 44 points - only bettered 5/20 seasons.
Chelseas 1st with 49 points - only bettered 2/20 seasons.
Cumaltively so far the big 6 have played 88 games against non-big 6 opposition and there have only been 5 losses - Chelsea 0, Liverpool 2, Spurs 0, City 1, Arse 1, Utd 1.
It would have been a huge winning strategy to lay the non-big 6 team home or away in all of those 88 games.