\u201cWe have just fallen short.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is perhaps the one quote from Gareth Southgate<\/strong>\u2019s press conference after the Euro 2024<\/strong> final heartbreak against Spain<\/strong> that would define his entire eight-year reign as England<\/strong> boss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Mikel Oyarzabal<\/strong>\u2019s late effort secured a record fourth European Championship<\/strong> title for Spain, England were left reeling as Southgate\u2019s Three Lions rued a second consecutive final loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And for bet365<\/strong> \u2013 a Stoke-on-Trent based operator \u2013 the heartache of watching England lose was twinned with the pain of heavy payouts upon some of the final results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While England went into the tournament as favourites with bet365 noting that 17.7% of the outright bets before the beginning went on Southgate\u2019s men, Spain gathered momentum in the tournament and attracted plenty of attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe saw movement in the outright markets throughout, but by the time the Quarter finals came around, we had seen Spain move to 2\/1 favourites after being at 9\/1,\u201d explains Steve Freeth<\/strong> of bet365. \u201cBy the time Spain had qualified for the final of the tournament, they\u2019d moved from 9\/1 into 8\/13 to win. Yamine Lamal had also taken the plaudits, as the winger\u2019s showing against France saw his odds tumble for both the Young Player award (1\/4) as well as the Player of the tournament (7\/4).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The operator openly admits that it was \u201cmade to pay\u201d by its initial pricing of Spain before the tournament, and that it had taken \u201csubstantial hits\u201d on some of the player-based accolades. Rodri<\/strong> had won player of the tournament at a 33\/1 shot, while bet365\u2019s worst tournament result was from the performances of teenage starlet Lamine Yamal<\/strong>, who won the young player of the tournament at 18-1 while notching the most assists at a 40-1 shot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, other results had dragged bet365 out of trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Freeth outlines: \u201cWe\u2019d taken 17.7% of the Outright bets on pre-tournament favourites England before a ball was kicked, with 9\/1 Spain languishing down at 8.9%. bet365 customers were only impressed with one team on the run to Berlin, as Luis de la Fuente\u2019s side would go off 4\/6 favourites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEngland\u2019s run to the final was charmed and, while four out of six Super Boosts<\/strong> on their games won, it was the nature of the performances that got us out of trouble. It would take until the semi-final stage before we were really hit in a game involving the Three Lions. The Extra Time, Extra Chance<\/strong> total ended at over \u00a38m, with three of the four quarter-final ties not being settled in normal time.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bet365 rolled out a number of products and offers for its customers during the tournament, including the aforementioned Extra Time, Extra Chance, Super Boost and Soccer Substitute Guarantee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This array of offers helped bet365 engage players throughout the tournament across its global portfolio of markets. But one moment in particular relating to substitutes stood out at the semi-final stage, a moment that England fans will not forget any time soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe semi-final markets screamed that both games would be tight and low scoring but we had entertaining matches with early goals and both Super Boosts of Messrs Mbappe<\/strong> (2\/5 \u2013 Evs) and Kane (1\/2 \u2013 Evs) having a Shot on Target landing. The early injury to Memphis Depay <\/strong>cost us \u00a32.8m in bet credits thanks to our Soccer Substitute Guarantee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had also offered Ollie Watkins<\/strong> to Score Any Time\/Palmer<\/strong> to Score or Assist at 60\/1 which is exactly what happened, much to the joy of the nation to set up the final against Spain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though England made it to the final and held out until the last five minutes, the overarching story of the tournament was the underwhelming performances from the Three Lions which almost saw them crash out at the Round of 16 stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a lacklustre group stage, England were trailing Slovakia<\/strong> until Jude Bellingham<\/strong>\u2019s stunning overhead kick \u2013 the team\u2019s first shot on target \u2013 ensured the tie went to extra time before Harry Kane<\/strong> notched the winner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n England\u2019s poor displays but ability to get through in magic moments ultimately benefited bet365, but the operator also noted some other interesting moments from the betting insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n