From 5,000/1 to champions

After 5,000/1 shots Leicester were crowned Premier League champions, we take a look at how the odds changed throughout the season.

There were five Premier League favourites during the course of a remarkable campaign – Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs and, of course, Leicester.

Using Sky Bet’s odds, Andy Schooler looks at how the 2015/16 season unfolded from the perspective of the betting markets.

March 18 2015 – Book opens

Odds: Chelsea 7/4, Man City 2/1, Man Utd 6/1, Arsenal 10/1, Spurs 50/1, Leicester N/A

When the 2015/16 Premier League book opened towards the end of last season, Chelsea were well on their way to title glory – six points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand – and that was reflected in the market. Leicester were sat rock bottom, seven points from safety with 10 games to play and seemingly staring relegation in the face. They were not even quoted in the title betting and as short as 1/20 to face relegation.

August 8 – Season starts

Odds: Chelsea 13/8, Man City 5/2, Arsenal 7/2, Man Utd 5/1, Spurs 100/1, Leicester 5000/1

Chelsea had shortened slightly during pre-season with City lengthening. However, it was Arsenal who had been the big movers prior to the big kick-off – into third favourites and just 7/2. Leicester were nominally available at the now famous odds of 5,000/1 – they were just 11/4 to be relegated – and Spurs at 100/1. Chelsea’s price only went one way from this point, although even a first-day draw at home to Swansea could not dislodge them from favouritism.

September 12 – City in charge

Odds: Man City 4/11, Arsenal 4/1, Man Utd 12/1, Chelsea 14/1, Spurs 250/1, Leicester 5,000/1

A last-gasp win at Crystal Palace made it five wins out of five for Manuel Pellegrini’s men. Not a single goal had been conceded and everything looked in their favour. Their odds hit a season-low of 2/7 that day and ended it at 4/11. You could still back Leicester at 5,000/1 despite them having taken eight points from their first four games.

October 6 – You snooze, you lose

Odds: Man City 8/11, Arsenal 5/2, Man Utd 13/2, Chelsea 22/1, Spurs 100/1, Leicester 1,500/1

Leicester sat fifth heading into the October international break just three points behind leaders City but could still backed at 5,000/1 on October 6 – the last time such a price was available. That day their price was ‘slashed’ into 1,500/1.

November 21 – Leicester hit the summit

Odds: Man City 15/8, Arsenal 9/4, Man Utd 7/2, Spurs 28/1, Chelsea 80/1, Leicester 100/1

City’s early-season bluster was dying down and the autumn result which summed that up was a 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool which raised serious doubts about their title credentials. Manchester United had won (in the last minute) at Watford earlier in the day and ended it at 7/2 – their lowest price of the season. Leicester, meanwhile, won 3-0 at Newcastle to hit the top of the table for the first time – not that the bookies seemed that worried. The Foxes’ odds shortened from 250/1 at the start of the day but they were still huge outsiders at …

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