March 2020

CITY BIGGEST LOSERS FOR SHORTEN SEASON 

Manchester City biggest losers of 29match Premier League season 



Tuesday 17th March 2020 – Manchester City would only be sitting with two Premier League titles rather than four if each season ended after 29 games, according to research from betting firm Sporting Index.  
 
Premier League chiefs currently have a headache as discussions continue around when, if and how the current season should come to a conclusion, and Sporting Index have analysed how seasons gone by would have finished after 29 games. 
 
Man City famously sealed their first Premier League crown in 2010/11 when Sergio Aguero scored a dramatic 93rd minute winner against QPR on the last day of the season, but the title would have been won by rivals Manchester United if the campaign ended after 29 matches, as the Red Devils sat top by one point.  
 
Their second title win in 2013/14 would also not have stood, with Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea top of the pile with nine games to play.  
 

IS SIR KEIR NEXT AT NO 10? 

Sir Keir Starmer 5/2 favourite to replace Boris Johnson as PM  



Wednesday 18th March, 2020 – Labour leader candidate Sir Keir Starmer is now 5/2 (from 4/1) with Sporting Index to become the next Prime Minister after Boris Johnson.. 
 
The MP for Holburn and St Pancras has moved to the front of the betting to replace Johnson, who has come under pressure in recent days due to the Coronavirus outbreak causing havoc with the British economy.  
 
Next in the running to take charge at No. 10 is Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, but Sajid Javid's successor is still something of an outside chance at 9/1 to become the UK's next Prime Minister.  
 
Starmer's rival in the Labour leadership race, Rebecca LongBailey, has now drifted to 14/1 (from 7/1)despite emerging as an early favourite to replace the departing Jeremy Corbyn following Labour's heavy loss in the General Election.  
 
Michael Gove, who pushed Johnson all the way in the race for Tory leadership, is now 16/1 having been 9/1 earlier this year.  
 

37 MINUTE BORIS BRIEFS 

Boris’ daily Coronavirus briefing to last 37 minutes  


Wednesday 18th March, 2020 – Sporting Index expect the Prime Minister to spend 37 minutes addressing media on the latest UK Coronavirus update today, take two sips of water and mention the “NHS” 13 times.   
 
Boris Johnson’s daily bulletin, set to come shortly after 4.20pm on the BBC, will include three mentions of “protect lives” and 7-8 uses of the word “health”.  
 
Alongside chancellor Rishi Sunak, the spread betting traders believe Johnson will also mention the “economy” 6-7 times.  
 
Phill Fairclough, trading spokesperson for Sporting Index, said: “Britons will be glued to their TV sets for the PM’s daily Coronavirus update and we’re offering a few spreads on how today’s address may go.   
 
Boris Johnson called time on questions from the media after 42 minutes on Tuesday and we think today’s address will be wrapped up slightly quicker at 37 minutes.“ 
 

EVENS IN POTUS RACE 

Donald Trump and Joe Biden Evens in presidential election race 

Thursday 19th March 2020 – President Trump is now joint Even money favourite (from 8/13) alongside presidential campaign rival Joe Biden with betting firm Sporting Index having been the leading candidate since the start of 2020.
 
Even just last week Trump found himself clear in the running to secure a second term in the White House, however the ongoing global health pandemic has caused the president to be undermined, with rival candidates swooping in.  
 
Next in the betting to win November’s vote in the United States of America is Hilary Clinton, but the former first lady is an outside shot at 25/1. Bernie Sanders has now slipped to 33/1 (from 3/1). 
 
It seems likely that the collapse in the US stock market, which Trump has always placed such importance on during his presidential tenure, has started to endanger his re-election prospects and allowed Biden to make up valuable ground. 
 

RISHI TIPPED FOR NO 10 

Rishi rises to favourite to be next PM  
Tuesday 24th March 2020 – Rishi Sunak is now 5/2 favourite to become the next Prime Minister with Sporting Index, leapfrogging Labour leader hopeful Sir Kier Starmer in the betting.  
 
The Chancellor of the Exchequer was praised last week for his rousing speech detailing how local businesses and households would be supported during the Coronavirus outbreak, which has led the betting firm to slash his odds from 9/1 to 5/2.  
 
Sir Kier Starmer, who was front-runner at 5/2 last week, has now drifted to 3/1 as it shapes up to become a two-horse race to replace Boris Johnson in No.10.  
 
Tory MPs Michel Gove and Sajid Javid are next in line to replace BoJo at longer odds of 20/1, while Labour’s Rebecca Long-Bailey is now 25/1 alongside Home Secretary Priti Patel.  
 
Phill Fairclough, trading spokesperson for Sporting Index, said: “Rishi Sunak won the hearts of the nation when he announced unprecedented measures to commit to protecting people’s jobs during the Coronavirus outbreak, and that has led to support for him in the betting to become the next Prime Minister.“ 


FAVOURITE FOR BOJO BABY'S NAME 

Alexander 8/1 for Boris’ baby name  



Wednesday 25th March, 2020 –  Sporting Index make Alexander the 8/1 favourite for Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds’ name choice for their child. 
 
The Prime Minister’s partner is due to give birth this summer and the traders at Sporting Index believe Alexander, Johnson’s formal first name, will be at the top of the list.  
 
Wilfried and James are the names of the Prime Minister’s grandfathers, and they follow closely behind at 10/1, with Thomas also on the shortlist at 16/1.  
 
The Conservative leader could plump for a typically royal name, with George and Arthur both 20/1, while it’s 25/1 that he names the baby after his father Stanley.  
 
While the couple have yet to reveal the gender, boys names are leading the way, but Rachel – Johnson’s sister – is the most likely choice at 20/1, while Emily is 25/1 and Elizabeth is 33/1.  
 
Phill Fairclough, trading spokesperson for Sporting Index, said: “Boris Johnson has a lot on his plate, but he and his partner Carrie Symonds will be planning baby names and Alexander – Johnson’s formal forename, leads the way in the betting at 8/1.