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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Guardian sport

Which English football champions had the longest pre-season odds?

Ham Arsenal Steve Bull Football Chelsea Leicester Erling Haaland Aston Villa Everton the Premier League
Kevin Richardson, Steve Bould, Paul Merson and Alan Smith celebrate Arsenal’s dramatic title triumph in 1989
Kevin Richardson, Steve Bould, Paul Merson and Alan Smith celebrate Arsenal’s dramatic title triumph at odds of 16-1 in 1989. Photograph: Getty Images

“Arsenal were 40-1 to win the Premier League at the start of the season,” notes Alex Norton. “In betting terms, who apart from Leicester are the most unlikely English champions?”

After enjoying a weekend away in the newspaper archive, we found – with one frustrating exception – pre-season odds for all champions of England since the mid-1960s. None come anywhere near Leicester’s 5,000-1 miracle in 2015-16. In fact, in the Premier League era, Leicester are the only team to win the title with odds in double figures, never mind quadruple.

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