The first month of the New Year provided sports spread bettors with plenty of money-making opportunities. But what were the top 10 spread bets of January 2021?

10. New Zealand v Pakistan, 2nd Test
Date: 03.01.21
Market: New Zealand Runs
Make-up: 659
Initial spread: 373-388
Potential profit: 271 x initial stake
The Black Caps only had to bat 1 innings to win their 2nd Test against Pakistan. Declaring at a monstrous 659/6 after the Shaheens had managed 297, a limp 186 for the visitors in their 2nd innings meant the Kiwis could clock-off early.

For bettors, buying a New Zealand Runs spread of 373-388, then, netted them 271 times their initial stake.

9. Besiktas v Rizespor, Super Lig
Date: 06.01.21
Market: Cyle Larin SMM (goal minutes doubled for 2nd, trebled for 3rd)
Make-up: 401
Initial spread: 30-36
Potential profit: 365 x initial stake
The Super Mega Goal Minutes highlight of the month came in the Turkish Super Lig, as Cyle Larin got 4 of the 6 goals Besiktas put past Rizespor.

That sent the Canadian 25-year old’s SMM makeup to 401. Buy at 30-36, and you walked away with 365 times your opening bet.

8. Western United v Perth Glory, A-League
Date: 23.01.21
Market: Total Goal Minutes
Make-up: 554
Initial spread: 125-135
Potential profit: 419 x initial stake
There was a right ripsnorter between Western United and Perth Glory in Australia’s A-League on the 23rd, with the hosts winning 5-4 thanks to an 84th minute goal from Steven Lustica.

The Total Goal Minutes market shot up to 554, against a comparatively timid initial spread of 125-135. That’s 419 times your original wager.

7. Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson, PDC World Darts Championship
Date: 02.01.21
Market: Highest Checkout x Total 180s
Make-up: 4,420
Initial spread: 3,538-3,683
Potential profit: 737 x initial stake
In the PDC World Darts Championship semi-final, eventual runner-up Gary Anderson beat Dave Chisnall 6-3, in a match that saw 26 180s, and a highest checkout of 170.

Multiple those numbers together and you get a Highest Checkout x Total 180s makeup of 4,420. Buy at 3,538-3,683, and you finished with 737 times your starting stake.

6. Aston Villa v Liverpool, FA Cup
Date: 08.01.21
Market: Total Goal Minutes x Corners
Make-up: 4,660
Initial spread: 2,975-3,175
Potential profit: 1,485 x initial stake
Getting revenge for their 7-2 drubbing in the Premier League earlier in the season, Liverpool knocked Aston Villa out of the FA Cup in the 3rd round with a 4-1 victory.

Though the back of the net bulged 5 times, the Total Goal Minutes market came in at a relatively unremarkable 233. Luckily, there were 20 Corners total, 18 of which were provided by the visitors. Times those together, and you get a makeup of 4,660. Buy at 2,975-3,175, and that’s 1,485 times your initial bet.

5. Bath v Wasps, Gallagher Premiership
Date: 08.01.21
Market: Match Multi-Points (1st Half Points x 2nd Half Points)
Make-up: 2,279
Initial spread: 409-449
Potential profit: 1,830 x initial stake
In the highest scoring match of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership season so far, Wasps beat Bath 52-44 at the Recreation Ground, in a game that saw both sides pick up a bonus point.

For the purposes of the Match Multi-Points market, 53 points in the 1st half and 43 points in the 2nd resulted in a makeup of 2,279. Buy at just 409-449, and you bagged 1,830 times your starting stake.

4. Al Wasl v Shabab Al-Ahli, Arabian Gulf League
Date: 01.01.21
Market: Multi-Bookings (1st Half Bookings Points x 2nd Half Bookings Points)
Make-up: 3,150
Initial spread: 585-685
Potential profit: 2,465 x initial stake
We next make a rare trip to the Arabian Gulf League, for a 2-2 draw between Al Wasl and Shabab Al-Ahli on the first day of the year.

It wasn’t the friendliest of fixtures, with a red card – after just 8 minutes – and 9 yellows. Overall, 45 Bookings points were accrued in the 1st half, followed by 70 in the 2nd, leading to a Multi-Bookings makeup of 3,150. Buy at 585-685, and that’s 2,645 times your original wager.

3. Augsburg v Stuttgart, Bundesliga
Date: 10.01.21
Market: Goals x Corners v Bookings
Make-up: 4,875
Initial spread: 1,125-1,250
Potential profit: 3,625 x initial stake
Showing you can earn money even from a mid-table scrap over in Germany, Stuttgart’s 4-1 victory at Augsburg produced a Goals (5) x Corners (15) x Bookings (65) makeup of 4,875.

That meant you could buy at an opening spread of 1,125-1,250, and be left happy with 3,625 times your initial bet.

2. Dave Gilbert v Kyren Wilson, 2021 Masters
Date: 14.01.21
Market: Frame7 Multi-Points (Player A Frame Points x Player B Frame Points)
Make-up: 5,694
Initial spread: 1,360-1,510
Potential profit: 4,184 x initial stake
The quarter-finals of the 2021 Masters saw eventual beaten semi-finalist David Gilbert knock out Kyren Wilson 6-5 in Milton Keynes.

The tightest frame was the 7th, in which Gilbert won 78-73. Times those numbers together, and you get a Frame 7 Multi-Points makeup of 5,694. Compared to an initial spread of 1,360-1,510, you potted 4,184 times your opening stake.

1. Atalanta v Lazio, Coppa Italia
Date: 27.01.21
Market: Shirts x Bookings
Make-up: 16,725
Initial spread: 4,300-4,800
Potential profit: 11,925 x initial stake
Far and away the bet of January was a Coppa Italia scrap between Atalanta and Lazio on the final Wednesday of the month.

The hosts won the back-and-forth affair 3-2, in a game that crucially saw goals for no. 59 Aleksei Miranchuk and no. 94 Vedat Muriqi.

In total, Shirt Numbers hit 223, while with 1 red and 5 yellows, Bookings points came in at 75. Lucky punters, then, saw a Shirts x Bookings makeup of 16,725, against a starting price of 4,300-4,800.

That is, drumroll please....11,925 times your initial stake!