Has Liverpool Wrapped Up The EPL? The Sportsbooks Seem To Think So

Introduction

I'm afraid any pundit or football fan who tells you they backed Liverpool to win the league in August is not being truthful. I don’t know anyone who thought Liverpool could pull off the heroics they have managed this season, and I know over a dozen LFC fans. Not one of them fancied them to win the title or even challenge the duopoly of Man City and Arsenal. 

LFC Defying The Odds

Did they think they’d do better than people predicted? Yes. I remember one pundit in the UK said Liverpool would struggle to finish in the top six this season. Now, there’s a prediction that has backfired. Where do they find these people? Why do they pay them so much money for these opinions? It beats me. It really does.

Although, in their defence, the sportsbooks, usually a pretty good indicator of pre-season outright odds, did not fancy Arne Slot’s men to get anywhere near the EPL title this year. Aside from the predictability of choosing Manchester City to win the league, which many pundits did, the sports betting companies also had Arsenal a close second, and Liverpool was miles behind in the bookmakers' opinion. 

It wasn’t just traditional sportsbooks dictating this narrative, but even newer providers, such as cryptocurrency sportsbooks, didn’t fancy the Reds chances much. In fact, if you’d put a bet on them using Bitcoin before the season started in August 2024, your bet would be quids-in, and your Bitcoin would be worth nearly double. Thunderpick Bitcoin betting, purely from the mechanics of a gambling site, works exactly like a traditional betting site. 

All you need to do is connect your crypto wallet to the betting site, pick your odds, and you’ll receive your winnings in Bitcoin. If you were one of the very few people who thought the Reds could do it, your bet would look like it is sure to land, but have they already wrapped it up, or could there be more twists and turns on the way?

The Slot Machine

Liverpool has lost one of its 29 games so far this year, which is an incredible record. Their only loss was a shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest in September. To be honest, it feels like a lifetime ago. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast two days ago, never mind seven months ago. 

Although Southampton were bottom of the table and a massive 20/1 when they travelled to Anfield, they went into the half-time break 1-0 up. Two Mo Salah penalties give the Reds a commanding 3-1 win in the end, for them to almost confirm themselves as this season’s champions. 

Not only do they have a string of easy winnable games coming up, but they also have to play Arsenal, who are their only real challengers as we enter the final ten games of the season. 

Throw in the fact that Arsenal do not have a striker, they still need to travel to Anfield and make up a 16-point difference over nine games, and it’s clear to see why some sportsbooks have already started paying out on LFC title outright bets placed back in August 2024. 

Could Liverpool Slip Up?

There’ll be a host of fans hoping that Liverpool fumbles it. Not only have Slot’s men been streets ahead of the rest of the chasing pack, but the chasing pack have been shocking, really. Manchester City have lost eight of their first 28 games. Their title-winning season last year saw them lose three times in 38 games. 

Arsenal hasn’t fared much better either, so the competition has disintegrated just as the Reds have hit a sensational run of form. It's a perfect storm if you’re an LFC fan. Mo Salah has been the standout player in Europe this year and is coasting toward a Ballon D’or with the sort of form he’s showcased in the league. 

If he stays fit, the Reds are champions and could be European champions. He is streets ahead of everyone. Although he has been shortlisted several times before, pending a serious injury or an incredible run of form from another player, this could be his year. 

Final Say

We’re not being too controversial here by saying Liverpool has the league wrapped up; the pundits have been saying it since Christmas. However, they were the same pundits who said they didn’t stand much of a chance at the beginning of the season. 

Since Slot’s men have barely missed a beat since then, they’re almost guaranteed to lift the league. They could play their B-team or U21s and still win the league from here. Not that Slot is planning to do that, but what’s wrong with a bit of hyperbole?

Next season could be the test for Slot. If they can’t keep Salah at Anfield, and City and Arsenal both look to bolster their squads over the summer, then they could mount a much better test. But if they can channel the same consistency over next season, then never mind the “Slot Penitentiary;” it could be the Slot dynasty!