2012 will be remembered for a royal baby announcement, an incredible Olympic games and John Terry’s unhealthy habit of appearing at every celebration around the world. It will also be remembered for an incredible year for our punters who have cashed in on Paddy’s mental Money-Back Specials all year round.
Paddy Power dominated the industry in 2012 with more than twice as many specials than any other bookmaker and more than one million bets, according to our number crunchers.
Paddy spent a good bit of 2012 mocking Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant but the United striker got back at us. Punters love him though. Rooney cost us the most money of all the Premier players, and Chelsea’s unlikely Champions League victory helped them become the most expensive team.
The biggest offers were paying out on all losers at the Arkle at Cheltenham after Sprinter Sacre romped home and paying out because Chelsea somehow won the Champions League. Don’t forget, when Paddy gives Money-Back it is cool, hard cash, not free bets like some other bookies.
It wasn’t just Money-Back Specials in the last 12 months as Paddy’s extra places meant bread and water was the only thing on the menu at this year’s Christmas party. Paddy Power paid out on 66 extra places this year which included 53 on racing and 13 on golf. That put several million back in the pockets of Paddy Power punters.
Paddy showed off his super-generosity by offering more places than all of the other big names on the golf including a crazy seven places on the Open, six places on the US Open and the USPGA, and an incredible five places on the Masters. We also offered punters their money back on Tiger, just because we’re a bit bananas.
Who’s the best bookie for 2013?
Despite having the kind of wisdom that makes Stephen Fry jealous Paddy doesn’t always get it right. We paid out early on Harry Redknapp becoming England manager before Roy Hodgson eventually took the poisoned chalice. So, we paid out twice. Paddy hadn’t learned his lesson though as we paid out on Barack Obama for President, Celtic to win the SPL and Boris Johnson for London major.
It has been a stunning year for Paddy Power punters with a refund or a justice payout nearly every week in the last 12 months. We paid out or refunded 30 times during the year on events such as the lighting of the Olympic flame when a grand total of seven athletes stuck their two-pennyworth into the mix and we paid out on all of them. We also refunded all first goalscorer bets when Tim Howard found the onion bag for Everton against Bolton, paid out on the draw in Ireland’s Six Nations game against France after it was rained off, and on a trolley-load more events.
It’s been a good year for Barack Obama, a great year for Lionel Messi but a really unbelievable year for Paddy Power punters. Who’s your bookie for 2013?
We love you, Paddy…but you still won’t take e/w trebles at early prices, will you?