Sports Betting: Relegation Odds Cut For Portsmouth

Portsmouth face difficult season if off-pitch rumours are to be believed, say sports betting firms.

Bookmakers have slashed their odds on Portsmouth being relegated from the Premier League in 2010 due to persistent rumours of major financial issues at the club.

William Hill cut its price on relegation for the south coast club from 6/1 to 6/4 on Monday night (August 10th), with spokesperson Graham Sharpe explaining the firm's reasoning.

"We began to hear stories during the afternoon suggesting that Portsmouth may be in danger of going into administration, so reacted accordingly by cutting their relegation odds," he said.

"The gamble on Portsmouth to go down has been developing all the way through the close season as the much vaunted takeover has failed to take place."

Arab businessman Sulaiman Al-Fahim has been in talks to buy out Portsmouth's current owner Alexandre Gaydamak, but the deal is yet to be finalised.

The 2008 FA Cup winners, who open their Premier League campaign at home to Fulham on Saturday, have also seen star players Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson leave the club this summer.