Ivan Campo scored an early contender for goal of the season as Bolton shook off their poor pre-season form to comfortably dispose of lacklustre Tottenham.
The Spanish midfielder, who almost left the club during the summer for a return to La Liga, shot home a 43-yard strike to double Wanderers' advantage.
Two goals up inside 13 minutes after a headed opener from Kevin Davies, Sam Allardyce's team were rarely troubled by opponents who could have been in the Champions League this year.
Pessimistic Bolton supporters feared their side could be looking at no points from their opening three games. However, they were more than a match for the Londoners who have still to win a Premiership game at the Reebok Stadium.
Allardyce is determined to bring in a big-money striker before the August 31 deadline. Davies looks to be the player under threat so his ninth-minute goal was the perfect individual boost.
Gary Speed's corner was floated into the six-yard box and Davies converted as Spurs failed to place a man on the line.
The visitors claimed Calum Davenport had been impeded by Abdoulaye Meite as he tried to challenge Davies, but television replays also showed the Ivory Coast defender's shirt being tugged by Dimitar Berbatov.
The last thing Spurs needed was to concede a second goal but the 13th minute proved unlucky. Didier Zokora's extravagant attempt at a clearance fell at the feet of Campo who drilled a low right foot shot along the ground past the startled Paul Robinson.
Spur' best chance of a reply came in the 23rd minute when Edgar Davids and Berbatov fashioned an opening for Jermain Defoe, but Jussi Jaaskelainen turned away the England star's shot for a corner.
Robinson did likewise when Speed curled in a 30th-minute free-kick as Bolton finished the first half good value for their lead.
Tottenham saw more possession at the start of the second half but they rarely created any goalscoring opportunities.
Tal Ben-Haim did well to block an Aaron Lennon effort after 52 minutes while Kevin Nolan might have settled it for Wanderers in the 57th minute. Michael Dawson's poor clearance fell at the Liverpudlian's feet and his angled drive just missed the far post.
In the 64th minute Bolton had a let-off. Substitute Robbie Keane played in Berbatov behind the Bolton defence, but before he could get off a shot Jaaskelainen snatched the ball off his toe.
That was Spurs' final chance to salvage a draw and only a tremendous one-handed save from Robinson denied El-Hadji Diouf his first goal of the campaign after Davenport had headed a Speed free-kick into the danger area.