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Cloudbet’s Top 5 Most Valuable Players in the Premier League

Published

6 years ago

July 28, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Odds analysts from the pioneering crypto sportsbook have run the algorithms on players’ comparative significance to each top-flight team with some surprising results

The Ballon D’Or might be binned and the Footballer of the Year prizes a shutout by the top teams, but who really was the most valuable player in the league this season?

Analysts from leading crypto sportsbook and casino Cloudbet have tracked the season trends to bring you the definitive list. Whose appearance – or omission – causes the betting markets to move the most. Quite simply, who is irreplaceable?

Here’s the Top Five. And it’s probably not who you think.

The top five most valuable players to their own teams in Premier League:

Allison
Allan Saint-Maximin
Jack Grealish
Bruno Fernandes
Wilfried Zaha

Allison – Liverpool

The players most valuable to their team are not necessarily the best players in the league, but Liverpool’s goalkeeper could make a case to be on both lists. Yet his position at number one here is due as much to who Liverpool have to replace him as to his own talents.

Allison is ranked no 1 in Premier League shot stoppers (84%), while Adrian languishes in 22nd place (62%). When Allison is replaced by Adrian confidence in the betting markets tumbles, a lack of confidence seemingly shared by manager Jurgen Klopp’s determination that the club sign at least a mildly competent reserve goalkeeper for the next season.

e.g. Allison’s appearance on a team sheet drops Liverpool’s odds by 15% – no mean feat at the Champion’s already short odds.

Allan Saint-Maximin – Newcastle United

This is NUFC’s PL record this season when Allan has played

Played 19 Won 10 Drawn 4 Lost 5 – Points 34

Goals For 25 Goals Against 20

This is NUFC’s PL record this season when he hasn’t

Played 14 Won 1 Drawn 5 Lost 8 – Points 8

Goals For 9 Goals Against 26

Newcastle’s per game rate when Saint-Maximin has started this season (1.89) would earn 72 points over a 38-game season – all but guaranteeing a spot in the Champions League. On the flip side, an average points per game rate of just 0.73 when the winger does NOT start means the Toon would be left on 28 points over a 38-game season and relegated. A top-six club player in a bottom-three standard outfit. The Magpies could’ve gone down but for the Frenchman.

Jack Grealish – Aston Villa

Grealish broke the record this year for being the most fouled player in one Premier League season, with an incredible nine games to go. Premier League players are obviously pretty aware of this list already.

The Brummie has played in all but two Premier League games this season and played a central part in Villa’s own rendition of the Great Escape. As an eloquent case in point, ahead of the match against Liverpool in November for which Grealish was injured, Villa’s odds lengthened by +15%, highlighting his impact as the club talisman.

Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United

The Portuguese midfielder may have only played half a season for United, but he improved the Red Devils’ in the betting markets by an average of 12% since. One look at the markets proves the Bruno Factor. Early in February when United played Chelsea, there was zero difference in how the teams were perceived compared to the first game of the season.

By the time Man Utd played Brighton this month the change compared to the teams’ first meeting back in November suggested Fernandes was worth an extra 0.7xG per game to United.

Wifried Zaha – Crystal Palace

Zaha’s effect on Crystal Palace is reflected by a 10% odds shift when he’s absent. The last Premier League game Zaha didn’t start for Crystal Palace was the first game of the season at home to Everton. Palace were clear favourites to win the match before the game, but with Zaha only on the bench, Everton’s odds tumbled.

And more recently, with Zaha subbed off after 15 minutes in the Liverpool game in June, Palace’s win odds instantly lengthened. Quite simply, punters only have confidence in Palace when Zaha’s on the pitch – despite his woeful form, only having one goal and one assist in his last 20 games.

Harry Kane is next at number six, but just misses out on the top five thanks to the scoring form over the last two seasons of his regular replacement, Tottenham Hotspur’s newly-crowned player of the season, Son Heung-Min.

As for, in gambling terms, the most valuable player in Premier League history? That honour goes to Gareth Bale, in his last season at Tottenham. The Asian betting markets moved at least 25% against Spurs in every match Bale didn’t play. This equates to e.g. 4/5 moving to 11/8 or 1.80 to 2.40.

Now that’s a bias that’s not been seen before or since.

A Cloudbet spokesman commented:

“While all fans recognise Raheem Sterling as a premium footballer, his participation for Manchester City either way doesn’t change the odds significantly when his replacement is Bernardo Silva or Riyad Mahrez. These five, on the other hand, highlight just how valuable a single player can be to their team.”

David Nilsen Editor-in-Chief at Kongebonus

Kongebonus Awards 2025 Winners Announced

Published

11 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Wladimir P.

kongebonus-awards-2025-winners-announced

Kongebonus, the premier provider of iGaming news and all things casino and betting in Norway, has revealed the winners of the Kongebonus Awards 2025, with this year’s outcomes disclosed alongside ICE Barcelona.

The Kongebonus Awards, the sole iGaming awards from Norway, are determined by a mix of votes from actual players nationwide and editorial assessments, with this year’s edition reflecting a noticeable change in both reach and participation. The awards garnered a total of 1,192 verified votes, reflecting a 25% rise from the previous year, highlighting their increasing significance for players and industry stakeholders.

Among those rejoicing in triumph this year, Print Studios earned the prestigious Best New Slot award for Uncle Profit. Filip Wargeus, Chief Commercial Officer at Print Studios, stated: “This is incredibly meaningful to us. It’s a genuine reflection of the entire team that our efforts are succeeding and are valued by fans, players, and communities.

ELK Studios was acknowledged as the Most Innovative Game Developer, obtaining 24.75% of the votes, with Jacob Nordwall, Head of Marketing at ELK Studios, stating: “Winning the Most Innovative Game Provider award in 2025 from the Kongebonus Awards is significant for us, particularly since it is solely determined by the Norwegian player community. This strongly shows that our efforts are valued and genuinely connect with players in Norway, and that our commitment to remaining innovative and advancing the industry is being acknowledged.”

Other significant winners featured Push Gaming, recognized as Best Game Developer 2025, while Pragmatic Play’s Gates of Olympus earned the Readers’ Hall of Fame accolade. In contrast to the other categories, the Hall of Fame honors games that have established enduring popularity and attained legendary status throughout time.

David Nilsen, Editor-in-Chief at Kongebonus, said: “The purpose of the Kongebonus Awards is to showcase which studios, games and suppliers have genuinely stood out over the past year. We are not only looking at commercial success, but at quality, innovation and how well experiences are delivered to players. Because the results are shaped by open voting from Norwegian players, the awards reflect what truly resonates with the community while still maintaining a strong industry perspective.”

The post Kongebonus Awards 2025 Winners Announced appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

155.io

155.io Breaks the Mold Again, Introducing the CCTV Game Genre via Rush Hour

Published

11 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Wladimir P.

155.io-breaks-the-mold-again,-introducing-the-cctv-game-genre-via-rush-hour

155.io, the live content studio transforming real-world games, has launched CCTV.Game, an innovative genre created entirely from live CCTV footage collected worldwide. The category debuts with its inaugural title, Rush Hour. The live game operates around the clock to convert real-life traffic into immediate viewing and wagering entertainment.

The CCTV Game signifies a new path for 155.io, broadening its chaos-oriented philosophy into completely live, real-world settings. Created using numerous live CCTV feeds from around the globe, the game transforms everyday activities into quick, engaging, and immediately bettable entertainment.

Running nonstop, Rush Hour enables players to wager on straightforward, distinct results during rounds lasting under a minute – such as the number of cars that cross a junction or the quantity that turns left or right within a specified timeframe. Each round is dynamic, spontaneous, and influenced by the organic rhythms of the world, instead of standard RNG methods.

Rush Hour’s live recordings feature diverse locations such as Sydney, Swindon, Arizona, and Taipei, as well as landmarks like Patong Beach in Thailand and Abbey Road in London. From everyday crossroads to landmark locations, the entire world transforms into the game board. Crafted for mobile devices, Rush Hour is immediately comprehensible and genuinely engaging, providing a much-needed option to conventional casino formats. CCTV Game embodies 155.io’s fundamental philosophy: chaotic reality, straightforward games, and entertainment designed primarily for mobile.

The launch enhances 155.io’s attraction to the upcoming player generation, merging live-stream culture with instant betting features.

CCTV Game and Rush Hour can now be accessed via Hub88 or through direct integration.

Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, commented: “Rush Hour is the first expression of our CCTV Game genre – think Big Brother blended with Polymarket. It’s completely live, and the world is now our studio. CCTV.game takes real-world chaos and turns it into something instantly playable and genuinely entertaining – this is content the next generation will queue up to try.”

He added: “Once you realise the entire world can be a live game feed, there are no boundaries. Live traffic content is just the start – from live wildlife to iconic sporting locations – we’re only just setting off on our journey of what real-world chaos entertainment can be.”

The post 155.io Breaks the Mold Again, Introducing the CCTV Game Genre via Rush Hour appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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MGA Games Launches Poseidon’s Orb Slot Featuring Sticky Wilds and Free Spins

Published

12 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Wladimir P.

mga-games-launches-poseidon’s-orb-slot-featuring-sticky-wilds-and-free-spins

MGA Games, a prominent Spanish firm specializing in content creation for international casino operators, will debut Poseidon’s Orb on January 28, its latest video slot for the .com markets. This title encourages players to join an explorer on an epic quest to find the legendary city of Atlantis.

The game is a Video Slot with 5 reels and 3 rows, offering 10 paylines, and includes Wild and Scatter symbols that activate Free Spins. A remarkable aspect is the Sticky Wilds mechanic in the Free Spins round—an inventive element that boosts thrill and raises winning possibilities. It additionally includes an optional purchase of Free Spins, adjustable for each operator.

The theme of Poseidon’s Orb, drawn from global myths and legends, aims to attract a diverse audience of players. Its stunning visuals and film-inspired score further guarantee an engaging experience brimming with thrills and rewards.

Classified under popular themes like “Adventure,” “Mythology,” “Treasures,” and “Fantasy,” this latest MGA Games Video Slot serves as a valuable enhancement to any operator’s collection, improving player retention and profits, while the Free Spins purchase feature offers an extra revenue opportunity.

The post MGA Games Launches Poseidon’s Orb Slot Featuring Sticky Wilds and Free Spins appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.