Wolves: The punter's cash cow throughout an extrodinary season

Wolves’ 2-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday afternoon was their first taste of defeat since 27 February, where they fell to Espanyol 3-2 in the second leg of their Europa League play-off clash against the Spaniards.

It proved to be meaningless, as Nuno Espirito’s side had effectively ended the tie as a contest in the first leg by winning 4-0, securing their position in the next round 6-3 on aggregate. 

You have to go all the way back to 23 January to see the last time Wolves lost in the Premier League (prior to this weekend) - a 2-1 defeat to now-champions Liverpool. Before that, a surprise 1-0 loss to Watford on New Year’s Day.

The boys from the Black Country have massively impressed this term, seemingly picking up exactly where they left off last season when they achieved a 7th-place finish in the top-flight. 

Another campaign full of European adventure beckons for the club who were plying their trade in League One just six seasons ago, but this time around it could well be in the Champions League rather than the Europa, though there is still a lot left to do to achieve that particular feat. 

Wolves have been a delight to watch this season, whether you’re a fan of the club or merely an open-minded neutral who has been impressed with their style of play and dynamic personnel. For the punter, though, they have really been something special.

Before coronavirus grinded a halt to everything back in March, our long-haired contributor Steve McQuillan wrote an article discussing the most profitable sides to bet on during the 2019-20 Premier League season.

Wolves came out on top, yielding bettors a tidy £181.60 profit, based on backing them to win each of their 29 matches with a £10 stake.

Since the restart, Nuno’s expansive outfit have won a further three matches (without conceding), with the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday ending their tremendous run of form. In their first game back against West Ham, Wolves were even money favourites and won 2-0, adding another £10 to the season-total. 

A slender 1-0 win over Bournemouth just four days later netted backers another £6 profit from a £10 stake, while their 1-0 away win over Aston Villa (priced at 9/10) boosted profits to a further £9.

In total, the well-oiled Wolves train has now accrued profits of 196.60 - with £10 subtracted due to the Arsenal defeat - further increasing their stance as the Premier League’s cash cow this term.

Perhaps most impressively, though, is some of the individual opponents Wolves have beaten this time out. Their well-documented double over Manchester City has been one of the talking points of the campaign, with the 2-0 and 3-2 victories over Pep’s side priced at 20/1 and 6/1 respectively.

Had you have backed Wolves to prevail on both occasions against the reigning champions with a £10 stake, you would have netted a very healthy £260 profit!

Meanwhile, a 3-2 win over Tottenham in early-March (7/4 for the win, 40/1 for the correct score) and that emphatic 4-0 demolition job on Espanyol, where the correct score was priced at 18/1, have also massively contributed to Wolves’ overall profit and loss this season; not bad for a side whose campaign began almost as full year ago on 25 July due to their extensive commitments in Europe. 

The form of Raul Jimenez is largely to thank. The Mexican has contributed a total of 24 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this term, with 15 of his goals and six of those assists falling in the Premier League.

Alongside the vast talents of Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves, Adama Traore and Diogo Jota, all guided by the assuring wisdom of Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves have been - and will continue to be - a force to be reckoned with this season.

It is also worth noting that they also find themselves just one game away from reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

And, should they beat Olympiacos in the second leg of their last-16 clash at Molinuex on 5 August, there is little to say that the 11/2 shots (second favourites behind Man Utd) won't go the full way and win the competition for the first time in their history. 

Above all else, though, they’ve earned us all a few quid. What’s not to like?