Despite a covid-19-wrecked calendar, there was still a smorgasbord of sporting highlights throughout last year, shining moments among an otherwise difficult 12 months. But what were the top 10 best spread bets of 2020?

10. Southampton v Tottenham, Premier League
Date: 20.09.20
Market: Son Heung-min SMM (Total Goal Minutes where 2nd goal minutes are doubled, 3rd goal minutes trebled)
Make-up: 404
Initial spread: 18-23
Potential profit: 381 x initial stake
In one of those electrifying early fixtures in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, Son Heung-min scored 4 goals from 4 Harry Kane assists – the first time in the history of the league that one player assisted one other player in 4 goals.

A glimpse of what was to come from the Tottenham’s front 2, and a great choice for football spread betting fans. Buy Heung-min at a SMM spread of just 18-23, and a makeup of 404 left you with 381 times your initial stake.

9. VVV-Venlo v Ajax, Eredivisie
Date: 24.10.20
Market: Total Goal Minutes
Make-up: 711
Initial spread: 180-195
Potential profit: 516 x initial stake
In an astonishing performance, and a true 2020 landmark, Ajax romped to a new Eredivisie record as they beat VVV-Venlo an eye-watering 13-0.

Even better for punters, 9 goals out of that baker’s dozen came in the 2nd half, propelling Total Goal Minutes to an unprecedented 711. Back the market at 180-195, and Ajax rewarded you with 516 times your initial stake.

8. Bristol Bears v Clermont, European Champions Cup
Date: 12.12.20
Market: Match Multi-Points (1st Half Points x 2nd Half Points)
Make-up: 1,978
Initial spread: 600-648
Potential profit: 1,330 x initial stake
After 12 years away, Bristol Bears returned to the Heineken Champions Cup with a losing – if thrilling – effort against Clermont, suffering a 51-38 defeat.

The game saw a massive 43 points in the 1st half, only to beat that with 46 points in the 2nd. Times those numbers together and you end up with a Match Multi-Points makeup of 1,978 against a starting spread of 600-648 – that’s 1,330 times your initial stake.

7. Aston Villa v Liverpool, Premier League
Date: 04.10.20
Market: Total Goal Minutes x Corners
Make-up: 3,501
Initial spread: 1,825-2,000
Potential profit: 1,501 x initial stake
In the single most shocking result of the former half of the 2020/21 season, then-relegation favourites Aston Villa hammered defending champions Liverpool 7-2.

That scoreline pushed the Total Goal Minutes market to 389 – multiple that by 9 corners, and you get a Total Goal Minutes x Corners makeup of 3,501. Buy at 1,825-2,000, and you won 1,501 times your initial stake.

6. Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock, Grand Slam of Darts
Date: 22.11.20
Market: Highest Checkout x Total 180s
Make-up: 3,650
Initial spread: 1,869-1,969
Potential profit: 1,681 x initial stake
November produced an enthralling Grand Slam of Darts quarter-final, one that saw Simon Whitlock not only survive 8 match darts from all-timer Michael van Gerwen, but set a competition record of 20 180s!

Add onto that the 5 managed by Mighty Mike, and multiple by the top checkout of 146, and you got a Highest Checkout x Total 180s makeup of 3,650, against a starting spread of 1,869-1,969. In other words, you could’ve bagged yourself 1,681 times your initial stake.

5. Roma v Bologna, 2019/20 Serie A
Date: 07.02.20
Market: Shirts x Corners (Total Shirts Numbers x Total Corners)
Make-up: 3,432
Initial spread: 840-900
Potential profit: 2,532 x initial stake
Compared to some of the other entries on this list, Bologna’s 3-2 pre-pandemic win over Roma is fairly nondescript. However, the Shirt Numbers market rocketed to 286 thanks to a goal from no. 77 Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and a brace from no. 99 Musa Barrow.

Times that by 12 corners, and you got a Shirts x Corners makeup of 3,432. Buy at 840-900 and you were left with a whopping 2,532 times your initial stake.

4. Ali Carter v Stuart Bingham, 2020 Masters Final
Date: 19.01.20
Market: Frame6 Multi Points (Player A Frame Points x Player B Frame Points)
Make-up: 5,589
Initial spread: 1,406-1,556
Potential profit: 4,033 x initial stake
Becoming the oldest player to win the Masters, Stuart Bingham put on a rollercoaster final with Ali Carter in front of a packed out Ally Pally, one that saw Carter go from 5-3 down to up 7-5, only for Ball-run to come out the other side with a 10-8 victory.

For snooker spread betting punters, the 6th frame was the money maker, with Bingham winning 81-69. Times those numbers together and you get a Frame6 Multi Points make-up of 5589, against an opening spread of 1406-1556. That’s a 4033 multiplier to your initial stake.

3. Atalanta v Ajax, UEFA Champions League
Date: 27.10.20
Market: Shirts x Bookings (Total Shirt Numbers x Total Bookings Points)
Make-up: 12,900
Initial spread: 6,500-7,300
Potential profit: 5,600 x initial stake
October was a mad month for Ajax, who followed up their Eredivisie record-breaker with a 2-2 draw against Atalanta in the Champions League.

The key fact here was that both of the Italians’ goals came from no. 91 Duvan Zapata, sending the Shirt Numbers makeup to 215. Times that by 60 Bookings points, and you get a Shirts x Bookings makeup of 12,900. Buy at 6,500-7,300, and you won 5,600 times your initial stake.

2. Barcelona v Bayern Munich, UEFA Champions League
Date: 15.08.20
Market: Goals x Corners x Bookings
Make-up: 9,000
Initial spread: 1,500-1,650
Potential profit: 7,350 x initial stake
Part of Bayern Munich’s remarkable run to the Champions League title and a major flashpoint in the breakdown of Lionel Messi’s relationship with Barcelona, few things were as headline-grabbing last year as the German club’s 8-2 win in Lisbon.

There were many spread betting angles in this legendary result, but none were as profitable as the Goals x Corners x Bookings market. With 10 goals, 15 corners and 6 yellows – i.e. 60 Bookings points – the market came in at 9,000. Buy at 1,500-1,650, and you won a super-sized 7,350 times your initial stake.

1. PSG v Marseille, Ligue 1
Date: 13.09.20
Market: Cross Bookings (Team A Bookings Points x Team B Bookings Points)
Make-up: 15,000
Initial spread: 760-880
Potential profit: 14,120 x initial stake
It is both a shame, and perhaps fitting, that the top spot is taken by one of 2020’s ugliest footballing moments – ‘The Battle of Paris’.

In their 2nd consecutive Ligue 1 defeat at the start of the new season – and part of a set of results that helped put Thomas Tuchel on the path to unemployment – PSG lost Le Classique 1-0 at home to Marseille.

More importantly, the fixture saw 5 players sent off during the dying moments of the match. It was the beautiful game at its worst – but not without its benefits for football spread bettors.

With 125 Booking points for the hosts, and 120 for the visitors, the Cross Bookings market swelled to 15,000. Buy at a comparatively slight 760-880, and you were left with a year-topping 14,120 times your initial bet.

Disclaimer: spread betting losses can exceed deposit.