Football Betting: Bookie Pays Out On Stoke's Relegation

Stoke City's performance in their opening day defeat at Bolton Wanderers that one bookmaker has paid out on them being relegated.

Stoke City's chances of Premier League survival are so poor that one leading bookmaker has already paid out on their relegation.

The Potters finished second in the Championship last term to return to the top-flight for the first time since 1985, but detractors claimed that their brand of long-ball football would not work against England's best clubs.

That view looked spot on as City slumped to a 3-1 loss at Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the season and Paddy Power decided it had seen enough.

It has now agreed to pay out to those who had backed Tony Pulis's men for relegation, despite there being 37 games of the campaign remaining.

Other bookies are still accepting bets on Stoke making a swift return to the Championship, but some are offering odds as short as 1/4.

Larger-than-life bookmaker Fred Done, the man behind Betfred, has made his name by paying out early on the outcome of the title race.

However, he was left with egg on his face and a huge bill when Arsenal came from behind to win in 1998 after he had already rewarded punters who had backed Manchester United.