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Aussie
Rules
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Centrebet Capers
AUSTRALIAN RULES Six favourites, all of whom covered the 'spreads', won in Aussie Rules action last weekend, but with Essendon going down to Carlton, and Brisbane only salvaging a lucky draw with the Kangaroos, the weekend had a happy ending for Centrebet. The atrocious weather conditions that were around on Friday saw some pretty smart money lumped on Carlton with 26, then 25 points start. Two of the more noteable bets were $10,000 taken at each of those starts, but there were plenty who thought that the wet conditions would not be enough to save the Blues from another embarrassing defeat. On top of those who took -25½ Essendon, there were also 'win' bets of $23,000 and $14,000 at $1.22, and of course being a 'Friday night favourite', a fortune in multiple bets also went down with Essendon. On Saturday, longshot plunges on outsider's Geelong and St Kilda also went down the gurgler when both were comprehensively beaten by Collingwood and the West Coast respectively. The draw between the Roos’ and Brisbane was a terrific result for us as we took several bets around the $5000 mark for Brisbane conceding 17 points start, but apparently some bookmakers took a 'hit' on this game as there was a s much as 25 points start given for the Roos’. We tried ever so hard to 'lay' Port at home to Hawthorn, but failed to attract any large bets, and their 57 point win over Hawthorn was a small winner in our book. Sunday was a 'day out' for favourite backers with all three recording big victories, but in each instance there was plenty around for the losers as well. When Wayne Carey pulled out of the Crows side, the price for Sydney to win came crashing in from $2.15 to $2, and that was taken as well. This was a big betting game in which the Crows landed two winning $10,000 bets at $1.90 to beat a 4½ point handicap, but the weight of money for a Swans win was such that the Crows were only small losers for us. The 'Boeing Factor' again took it's toll on Fremantle on Sunday. We obviously gave the wrong odds for Freo ($2.70) prior to Matthew Richardson being ruled out, but when punters wanted to take $2.40 for a side with a record like Fremantle's away from home, we decided to 'go on' with them. Richmond aren't the type of side to be pinning too much faith in, but thankfully on this occasion the Tigers delivered, winning by nearly 50 points in swampy conditions. The 'war of words' between Brisbane and Collingwood will ensure that their Grand Final rematch tonight (Thurs) will be a battle right from the start. The Magpies were again not at their best for the first three quarters last week against Geelong. This was a worrying trend that started in the Wizard Cup, and after only leading by 3 points at three quarter time, they powered away to beat the Cats by nearly 50 points. Geelong aren't Brisbane, and if the Lions jump to the front in tonight's match, it is hard to envisage them being run down. Collingwood are a very good side though, and some think that they can get the money. Bets of $10,000 and $4700 have come for Collingwood with four goals start, as well as a bet of $1600 to win at $3.35. The biggest bet for Brisbane so far has been $12,000 ($1.33), but we expect that to be eclipsed before game time. The Sydney Swans have had a bet of $9000 placed on them by a Melbourne punter at $2.30 to beat Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night, but he is alone in this stance. We have noticed a distinct lack of support for Sydney from NSW, so it seems that their fans were as disappointed in the Swans last week as we were. The Hawks need a win, and we think this will be it! Are Essendon gone? Maybe, but we will know a bit more after they take on the Bulldogs on Saturday night. There has been no interest at all in Essendon at $1.60, with most bets taken so far being for the Bulldogs at $2.30. The whole round looks extremely tough on paper, as always, so much so that at the time of writing, the largest bet on the other games was only $7000 for Adelaide at $1.30 to beat the West Coast. The 'acid test' comes early in the season for a few sides, especially Richmond. We have the Tigers at $1.95 to beat St Kilda, but once again, punters are treating this game very cautiously. RUGBY LEAGUE If we continue to see results like last weekend, there won't be a rugby league punter left in the world! The wins by Souths, Canberra, New Zealand, and Manly left punters wondering what had happened, and we have to admit, how do you follow the form? Possibly a decent argument could have been put up for Canberra and Souths, and maybe even The Warriors, but Manly? The Eagles finally showed what they were capable of when beating the now hapless Dragons 38-12. The Dragons were coupled up in nearly every multiple at $1.20, and it might be the last time we do until some of the obvious 'in house ' problems are resolved at Dragonland. A $6000 bet was placed on New Zealand at $3.10 to continue their recent dominance over Brisbane, but as they were at home, the Broncos carried the bulk of bets at $1.36. If it wasn't time already, it is now, to give the Warriors some respect, and we have taken the knife to their Premiership odds. We have cut the Warriors to $9, extremely thankful that nobody secured the big odds for a big amount. Parra started at $1.40 against Canberra, and while we thought that this was one that the Eels would definately win, they are now in the Centrebet, and I suspect most punters', sin bin. Being the first up game on Sunday, all the late money was for Parramatta, and the final scoreline of 36-22 in Canberra's favour was definately flattering to the Eels. At the moment, Parramatta are definately vying for favouritism as the most disappointing team of the new millennium. A few big bets were placed on Souths early in the week, but the 10 point victory to the Rabbits was nearly our best result for the round. It's amazing that two sides with such questionable form would attract any betting, but these two sides so popular with the public that any time that they play and they look even a remote chance of winning, then we see money for them. It's even better for business when they play each other, and that is exactly what happened on what turned out to be a pretty fair game of football. In the hour leading up to kick-off, bets of $10,000, $8000 and $5000 (three times), were placed on Wests conceding 2½ points start, so Souths picked a very good time to rack up win number one for the season. Unfortunately, by law, Centrebet must close on Good Friday, so while some punters have bet early on Friday night’s big clash between the Roosters and Brisbane, normally some forget that we won’t be around to accept their bets before the game starts. We all know what the Bronco's have been capable of in the past, but it would be really optimistic to suggest that they could beat the Roosters on form displayed this year, especially without Andrew Gee and Petero Civoniceva. That is reflected in the betting, with the Roosters at $1.38 and Brisbane at $3, although the first two bets taken on the match were $10,000 and $5500 for Brisbane with 8 points start at $1.90. It's very rare to see money for both sides in a match as soon as betting opens, but that is what happened on Wednesday on the Wests v Parramatta match. In a heavyweight betting dual, Parramatta drew bets of $12,000 and $5000 giving up 6½ points start ($1.90), both from Victoria, while Wests attracted bets totalling more than that getting the start. The way both played last week, all we can do is wish punters all the best. In other matches, there has been another rally for Souths, this week against Penrith. As soon as betting opened, bets of $6000 and $4000 came for Souths at $2.15, but it is still available as we rate that price as under the odds. In the space of seven days, Manly have gone from 'winless' to favourites against Melbourne. The Eagles have to be favourites at home in light of last weeks win, but we are finding them hard to sell at $1.68, possibly because of the 'bad sides at bad odds' syndrome. The Sharks are running out of chances, and if they can't beat Newcastle on Sunday, then they can probably be written off as a title hope in 2003. Maybe they already deserve to be in that category, but if the Sharks are ever going to aim up, it will be at home. Punters agree, as we have seen support for Cronulla at $2.50, and a lack of money for Newcastle at $1.50, maybe because of the 'slogfest' they played against the Bulldogs last week. In premiership betting, the rampant Roosters are into $3.25, with the other significant movers being New Zealand, into $9, and Canberra, now a $17 chance. CRICKET Some have been labelling the Aussie test side as the Australian 'A' test team, and even though this may not be our strongest side, Steve Waugh and his men were easily able to dispose of the West Indies in the First Test. Some play was lost to 'bad light', but the Aussies were up to their old tricks of getting the job done before the end of the fourth day. We lost on the game, but with so much other sport on around the globe, it seemed as though a lot of our Australian cricket fans decided to give the game a miss. Thanks guys! The Second Test begins at Port of Spain on Saturday. The betting so far is similar to the first test, a sprinkling of small bets fro the West Indies at $9, (mostly from Australians), a $4000 bet for the draw ($3), and a hefty bet of $US 15,000 for an Australian win ($1.60) from one of our Indian regulars. Like the first test, betting will be updated at the end of each days play, and hopefully we can have a better contest to watch than the last one. GOLF The Masters has been historical for history making drama and nail biting finishes aka Larry Mizes' chip in to defeat Greg Norman in a play-off in 1987. This year was expected to be no different, with history expected to be made by Tiger Woods in winning his third consecutive Green Jacket. Not to disappoint, history was made in another play-off, not by Tiger Woods, but by diminutive Canadian Mike Weir in winning his third PGA event of the year. In doing so he became the first ‘lefty’, and first Canadian, to wear the coverted Green Jacket, and all after blowing a six shot lead he held at one stage on the Saturday. In an event where betting ebbed and flowed as so the fortunes of the players, Weir held his cool to come from two shots behind leader Len Mattiace with two holes to play, to win on the first sudden death play-off hole with a bogey. With players such as Phil Mickelson ($3000 at $17), Vijay Singh ($2000 at $23) and Tiger Woods all lurking within four shots of third round leader Jeff Maggert, things were looking decidedly ominous for Centrebet. And with one Australian punter believing Woods was best equipped to tame Augusta on the final day by placing $26,000 at $2.65, it appeared our fate lay with leader Maggert. That was dismissed when he took a two shot penalty on the third hole and was never really to recover, while at the same time Woods was struggling with the pressure and also double bogied the third hole. Mickelson shot a solid final round 68 to finish third for the third year in a row but the finale was left to Weir and unheralded Len Mattiace to stage what would rank as the most nervously played play-off hole in Masters’ history. Weir has been in great form this season and had his share of followers in the betting, but what a windfall Mattiace would have been but for a bogey on his 72nd hole to take him from eight to seven under. This week sees defending champion Justin Leonard return to Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina in attempt to regain some form. Ernie Els and Davis Love head the betting at $6.50 and $9 respectively, but in what has been a low key event to date, best backed has been Scott Verplank ($1000 at $34) after a solid tied for eighth at the Masters last week. Leonard has his share of supporters at $26 but a result could be in the making with many players (and punters) suffering with a Masters ‘let down’. RUGBY UNION Round nine of Super 12’s contains three matches which will go a long way in determining the make up of this years semi-finalists. Friday night at Bruce Stadium in Canberra, the Brumbies host the Waratahs in an Australian ‘derby’ which should end the season for the losing team. The Brumbies have been well supported with an opening wager of $10,000 at $1.30, followed by £10,000 at $1.90 giving 9½ points start, on the back of withdrawals of key play makers Whitaker and Rogers for the Waratahs. The Brumbies are now into $1.25 and -11½ points, and with the Waratahs without their two guns, could start at an even shorter quote. The other matches of note are played in Capetown on Saturday night when the Stormers tackle the might of the Blues, while the Hurricanes host the Highlanders in New Plymouth. The Stormers will be without inspirational Captain Corne Krige and are receiving 12½ points start at $1.90. The first wager on this game was from South Africa where one client placed $10,000 on the Stormers at the start but there is every indication the Blues will start shorter as they already have been well supported through multis. The Hurricanes must give 3½ points to the Highlanders in a game which will end the aspirations of the loser finishing in the top two and placing them under pressure to make the semis. In other games this week see the Crusaders a short priced $1.10 to defeat an injury riddled Sharks in Christchurch, the Chiefs are $1.38 to defeat the Cats at $3.10 in an ‘anything can happen’ game in Rotorua, while the Bulls host the Reds in Pretoria, and are receiving 4½ pts start. Another week of great matches and hard to pick results. SOCCER No doubt most would have seen Centrebet's 100% market on the Arsenal v Man United midweek match. It goes without saying that this was the biggest betting game we have ever seen, and while there was some massive bets accepted for all three options, the draw was easily our best result. The 2-2 draw has seen Man United catapulted back into title favouritism for the first time in seven months, now a $1.75 chance. Man United have a three point break, but Arsenal have a game in hand. Arsenal hold a one goal differential in the for/against race, so the plot thickens! On last nights game, the biggest winning bet on the draw was a wager of $10,300 taken at $3.50 from Norway, while Arsenal attracted a bet of €20,000 from Germany ($2.60), with Man United attracting two separate bets of £4000 at $3. Now that we have got that game out of the road, we can concentrate on the weekend fixtures. Arsenal have a very tricky assignment away to Middlesbrough. The 'Gunners' are $1.85, and it appears as though many think that the big mid-week clash may have sapped something out of them as the biggest bet taken to date has only been $3000. Man United on the other hand, get an ideal opportunity to make up the goal difference on Arsenal when they host Blackburn. The $1.40 has been taken with two bets to the value of $10,000, and naturally they have been 'anchored' in most multiples. Of the other games, the only real public push has been for Chelsea ($2.10) who are away to Aston Villa, and as yet, we haven't seen any action from the Asian region on any of these games. Elsewhere in Europe, things have been relatively quiet on the weekend games, but things will heat up on Saturday. In Scandinavia, punters have spent the week playing with plenty of Centrebet cash after the round one of the Norwegian Tippeligaen went the way of punters, and clearly! No less than five of the seven Tippeligaen favourites won, with the worst result being Rosenborg's 1-0 win over Valerenga. As well as holding a fortune in multiple bets for Rosenborg ($1.40), the Trondheim side also landed one local a bet winning bet of 140,000 NOK taken at that quote. By all reports, Valerenga were unlucky not to at least come away with a draw, but that's life. This week, we can't wish them any luck as they have been well supported to beat Aalesund at $1.60. Molde were very disappointing when beaten by Odd last week, but punters have disregarded that loss and jumped into Molde at $1.95 to beat Lillestrom this week. We think Lillestrom are more than capable of winning, and have taken two early bets of 25,000 NOK ($AUD 5000) for Molde to win. That's it for this week, and remember that we close at midnight (CST) tonight for 24 hours. Until next week, good punting For
further information contact Gerard Daffy at Centrebet on 08 89555800 or
on centrebet@centrebet.com.
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