Fulham have endured one of the worst starts to a Premier League campaign, with Monday night’s 3-0 home defeat to Aston Villa making it three losses from three to the 2020/21 season conceding 10 goals in the process.  

As a result, the Flutter Entertainment-owned operator has settled on all single and multiple bets on Fulham getting relegated, its second-earliest relegation payout after settling on Stoke City to go down after one match in 2008/09, who ended up finishing 12th.

After its latest defeat, Fulham are now odds on to return straight back to the Championship at 1/4.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: “I feel sorry for Fulham and Scott Parker, but it looks like their race is already run – so we’re paying out on them getting relegated this season.”

Its not the first time a bookmaker has paid out early on bets made on the Premier League.

In 1998, Betfred co-owner Fred Done lost £500,000 ($642,392) by paying out early on Manchester United to win the title after being 12 points clear of eventual winners Arsenal. History then repeated itself in 2012 when Done again lost a similar amount by settling early on Man Utd to win the league, who were pipped by city rivals Manchester City on the last day of the season.