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Aussie
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Centrebet Capers
CRICKET The cynic's have been out in force since Kenya defeated Sri Lanka in a World Cup match, and now it is rumoured the ICC is going to 'investigate' the match. Maybe the investigation will reveal that Sri Lanka lost the match because on the day they weren't good enough! If every time a favourite gets beaten in a cricket match we are going to have this sort of nonsense going on, you have to wonder about the future of the sport. As we said at the start of the tournament, we would be more than happy to take on all the 'shorties' in the hope one would go over, and Sri Lanka was the second big upset for the carnival so far. We posted them at $1.02, and while there have been a couple of Sydney punters who have been lumping $20,000 on the shorties, they very wisely kept away from this one. Not so lucky however was another client from Queensland who took a $26,000 double of Sri Lanka to win coupled up with Australia to beat Zimbabwe, which they did comfortably. Not to be deterred by that setback, the same punter was back again yesterday (Thursday), outlaying $22,000 on both Australia to beat Namibia coupled up with South Africa to beat Canada. How much did he win? $232, a very brave punter indeed! Sri Lanka play the West Indies tonight, and both need to win. In a close betting game, the Sri Lankans are fav's at $1.78, with two bets of $USD 10,000 arriving from the Sub Continent for them, but our Aussie punters have taken the $2.05 for the Windies. Now that India look a good chance to go through to the Super Six stage, Indian run machine Sachin Tendulkar has given us a faint glimmer of hope to top the Cup batting aggregates. The 'Little General' is currently sitting on 371 runs, and is into favourtism at $3.25 ahead of our worst result, Hershelle Gibbs at $3.75. Muttiah Muralitharan is $4.75 second favourite to take the most wickets, but although he is a horrible result for Centrebet, there are still at least a dozen winning chances including Glen McGrath ($3) who bagged 7 wickets last night. After a lukewarm start, things are hotting up in betting to win the Cup. Australia have been odds on at $1.85 for over a week now, and while most of the bets coming for the Aussies are of a small nature, we did take a bet of $7000 early this week. A Sydney client placed $10,000 on New Zealand at $9, but the Kiwis are still a chance of missing the next stage, and we also took a $5,000 bet for England at $16 before they were beaten by India. AUSTRALIAN RULES Punters, in an unfamiliar role, came off second best in the battle with bookmakers on the first round of the Wizard Cup. As we said last week, we intended to tread warily, but that didn't stop plenty of 'one sided' action, with two of the winners, Brisbane and Collingwood, being big firmers. Brisbane fielded a near full strength side, and came in from $1.67 to $1.50 before giving Sydney a hiding. A Victorian punter place $8000 on Brisbane at $1.65, also finding a winner with a $9000 bet on Collingwood ($1.60) who handed out a football lesson to Carlton. All other matches went our way. Adelaide landed a bet of $4500 at $2.30 in their 'last kick' win over Port, but the bigger money was for Port, who started at $1.55 after opening at $1.75. As well as that, Port were easily our worst result to win the final, so at least they are out of the road. Adelaide take on the West Coast tonight in Darwin, where the humidity will be a telling factor. The Eagles will be missing several players from last week, and for that reason, Adelaide have been installed as favourites at $1.55. The rest of the round will be available later today. Two of the best backed sides to win the wooden spoon, Richmond and Sydney, put in inglorious displays last week, and while this isn't the 'real deal' just yet, it was enough to bring them in a few points to $13 and $11 respectively. The other team we 'cut' were Essendon, now into $21. The critics are saying that the Bombers are too slow. We hope they are correct as bets of $12,000 and $7500 have been placed on Essendon to make the final eight at $1.60. Melbourne's Travis Johnstone has been the best backed Brownlow medal chance this week. Our $51 was snapped up with bets totaling a payout of just over $40,000, while Geelongs’ emphatic victory over the Western Bulldogs would have given one Victorian punter thrill as he placed $2000 on the Cats last week to win the day premiership at $41. Geelong are now into $28, but they have a habit of letting supporters down after impressive starts to each year. BASKETBALL The final round of NBL has nine games with matches being played every day from Tuesday to Sunday. Last week's results saw the play-off hopes of Cairns and Canberra finally extinguished so the battle for sixth spot comes down to just Melbourne and West Sydney. Melbourne simply need one more win to ensure they see final's action and get two chances to get that win when they first host Cairns on Wednesday then travel to Townsville on Saturday. There were would be some nervous Tigers if they slip up against Cairns and need to upset Townsville as the home team attempt to equal the league record of 16 consecutive wins. Although five teams are certain finalists, their all important finishing position is far from settled with every game this week having the potential to have an influence on the eventual make-up of the final six. If Melbourne can dispose of Cairns then West Sydney's final two games against Brisbane and Canberra would become meaningless but if the Taipans knock over the Tigers, the Razorbacks would need those two wins to stake a claim for sixth position. Most interest centres around the battle for the number one seeding. If Sydney beat Adelaide the Kings retain top position but that is far from a foregone conclusion as Adelaide have the league's second best road record and need two wins this week to keep their hopes of snatching back third position from Townsville alive. If Sydney fall at this last hurdle then Perth Wildcats will regain the number one spot, assuming the Giants don't spring another major upset by beating the Wildcats in Perth. That is not likely but in a season that has produced many form reversals and shock results it would not be the biggest shock we have seen. Wollongong finish the season with an away/home, Tuesday/Thursday double against Canberra. Even though a climb up the ladder is not possible they need these wins to restore some confidence after dropping three straight and to prevent a further slide down the ladder. The top six could remain exactly as it is but expect some reshuffling as this final round unfolds. GOLF Last week saw Mike Weir win his second PGA event of the year with the Nissan Open, and head the Tour Money List. After trailing leader Charles Howell 111 by 7 shots entering the final round, Weir shot a solid five under par as Howell began to self destruct on the inward nine. Howell still held it together enough to take it to a play off but Weir was too solid with the blade, sinking a seven foot putt on the second extra hole for birdie and the title. Howell still had the opportunity to take it to another hole but his six foot putt missed to the left, the area of his game which folds under pressure and indicative of his standing of 106 on the PGA Tour putting stats. This week we go to La Costa Resort in California for the WGC Accenture Match Play, which features the top ranked golfers in the world, and a potential head to head between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Already both Tiger and Ernie have been well backed to win the event with one client from the UK placing £1500 on Woods at $5 and one from Sweden placing 8000 SEK on Els at $7. Also well backed have been Peter Lonard at $67, Chris Riley at $61 and Thomas Bjorn at $81, and if recent history of this event is any indication with upsets such as Darren Clarke over Tiger Woods in 2000 and Kevin Sutherland winning last year, then it would not surprise to see a well backed ‘roughie’ win. Also well backed has been Brad Faxon to make the semi finals, with one client from South Africa placing $1000 at $18, and Phil Mickelson, $1500 at $4.50. Also last week was the Carlsberg Malaysian Open, which saw Arjun Atwal secure his second title on the European with a post to post victory over Retief Goosen and the other fancied starter, Padraig Harrington, who failed to flatter on the final day. Another surprise result was the ANZ Ladies Masters, at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, which saw Laura Davies come from one shot behind Karrie Webb in a shortened 54 hole event. Tied for second was promising Australian youngster Rebecca Stevenson with a further shot back to Mexican sensation Lorena Ochoa who was backed to win over $50,000. This week on the Ladies Tour is the AAMI Australian Open with Webb favourite again at $3 from Laura Davies at $8. Best backed have been Rachel Teske, ($600 at $21), Stevenson ($500 at $41) and Iben Tinning (1500 SEK at $61). Expect to see Webb Davies and Ochoa hardest to beat again. The final event this week is the IGA Tour Chrysler Classic in Tuscon, which will be a great opportunity for players to record their first win of the season of for players such as up and comer Chad Campbell their first on Tour. With the cream of the tour participating in the WGC Accenture Match Play, punters have seen this as an opportunity to find a winner at value, with Tim Henman ($1000 at $18), Harrison Frazer ($500 at $41) and 2000 NOK at $34, Jonathan Kaye ($500 at $61) and Glen Hnatiuk ($300 at $126) best backed. Defending champion Ian Leggatt has been friendless at $67, but if a ‘roughie win” this event Centrebet will be certain to have laid him. RUGBY UNION The first week of the Super 12’s season saw punters open their purse strings after eight months of hibernation, with large bets wagered on all games, and plenty of them. The season kicked off with the Chiefs and Highlanders in Hamilton and the first wager was $10,000 on the Highlanders at $1.33 but that was followed by two bets of $10,000 on the Chiefs at +9½ points. Punters looked to have our measure with the scores tied at 16 apiece with 10 minutes to go, but the Highlanders kicked into overdrive to finish up comfortable winners 29-16. The second game was a betting frenzy with over $25,000 placed on the Blues to defeat the Waratahs in Sydney at $2, but with the late withdrawal of Carlos Spencer, punters then rallied for the home side with one bet of $15,000 from South Africa at $1.75 and another $10,000 at -3½ points to suggest the ‘Tahs’ would cover. The Blues proved their pre-season form was no fluke as their backs gave the Waratahs backs, with 7 ex league players, a rugby lesson. The next two games in South Africa on Friday night saw the Bulls pull off an upset over the injury depleted Cats 34 to 26, while the Stormers, best supported of the South African sides gave the Sharks a 40 to 20 lesson in Capetown. However the highlight of the weekend was an Australian Derby, as the Reds took on the Brumbies at Ballymore in woeful conditions. The Brumbies opened at $2 and the Reds at $1.75, but several $10,000 wages on the Brumbies saw betting reversed by kick off. Centrebet could not have wished for a better start with Reds fullback Chris Latham, scoring a try in the first 20 seconds of the game. The game then developed into a hard slog in the conditions, with Joe Roff scoring a try for the Brumbies in the second half in his comeback Super 12’s match. With five minutes remaining the Brumbies led 22-19 but much to our horror, Reds kicker Julian Huxley missed penalty shots in the 75th and 77th minute which would have either drawn or won the game for the Reds. As the saying goes in punting ‘You win some, you lose some’. BOXING The biggest fight in Roy Jones Junior’s career, at least in terms of money! Roy Jones Junior, an Olympic silver medalist, is in many people’s eyes the greatest and most skillful boxer pound for pound in the world today. He has dominated his light heavyweight opponents with speed and latent power, and as a result many of his bouts have been called mismatches after the end of the fight. Now Jones fights a real heavyweight, Ruiz, (the first Latino Heavyweight Champion ever). The Puerta Rican comes in at over 220 pounds and is hungrier than ever as losing the WBA Heavyweight belt could cost him potential millions. He has size, history and most importantly Don King on his side. Punters have backed Jones in, also taking him for the KO which might be value as Ruiz has only gone the distance six times. The largest bet so far has been $8000 for Jones at $1.55 and $3000 for him to win by KO at $4. GREYHOUND RACING West Australian sprinter Twain is Centrebets $2.60 favourite to win Saturday nights Australian Cup final at The Meadows. Twain has come up with the red box following a super performance in her heat to down No Shame in 30:14. Punters agree as of the first dozen bets on the Cup final, ten have been for Twain. Excite Ability gave us a big result when winning 'The Temlee' two weeks ago, has drawn awkwardly in box five, but one Victorian has backed Excite Ability to win $4000 at our quote of $9. There is plenty of early pace in the race, and should either Hot Agent ($8) or Blackjack Tom ($6) get the lead into the first turn, they could prove hard to run down. If there is to be an upset, it could come from NSW 'powerhouse' Most Awesome, whose performance to win his semi was just that. Most Awesome will more than likely be tailing the field in the race to the first turn, and while he hasn't attracted a bet at $7, we aren't too concerned about that as if there is a scrimmage, he will be steaming home. We will also be covering the Australian Stayers Final, where Boomeroo is favourite at $2.75. Boomeroo got into all sorts of trouble last week, and isn't really suited to inside boxes, but holding mantle as Australia's best stayer, he has to be favourite. A bet of $1600 has already arrived at that quote, but most of the early bets have been for the red runner, Oh Behave ($4.50), who looks the early leader but the last 50 metres might be a problem. ENTERTAINMENT Nicole Kidman says that she would never gamble on herself winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role but Centrebet punters are continuing to back the Hours star following her timely victory at Sunday’s BAFTA’s in London. Kidman should have more confidence in herself because the Oscar is hers to lose. Julianne Moore’s campaign is losing momentum with every ceremony, Catherine Zeta Jones steals the limelight from Renee Zellweger in the Best Picture favourite, while Diane Lane and Salma Hayek are rank outsiders. Centrebet cut its offers on the major BAFTA winners, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Christopher Walken, Roman Polanski, The Pianist and Zeta Jones attracting support after their triumphs in the United Kingdom. Punters endured a Grammy Awards nightmare with Norah Jones defeating odds-on favourites Bruce Springsteen and Eminem to win Album of the Year and Record of the Year respectively. Kylie Minogue lost to Dirty Vegas in the third category on which Centrebet took wagers, Best Dance Recording. FOOTBALL The confrontational nature of the gambling game means that bookmakers and punters are sworn enemies but Centrebet offers its condolences to those football fans who backed Milan to defeat Torino on Saturday. Three goals to the good at half time and seemingly coasting to their 14th victory in 22 Serie A starts this season, Milan's army of supporters were counting their winnings when the unthinkable happened. Torino fans tore up seats, ripped up perimeter fencing and ran into the Delle Alpi pitch, leaving Luca Palanca with no option other than to abandon the game midway through the second period. Italian soccer authorities awarded three championship points to Milan three days after the disgraceful scenes but Centrebet's rules stipulate that wagers are void unless football matches run their full course. The abandonment hit thousands of punters, not least a German client whose €2000 accumulator returned €8500 instead of €15,000. It just goes to show that soccer betting can be a very cruel game. However, at least he made a profit on the weekend's action. Not so fortunate were punters who lumped on Southampton at $1.33 and Bolton at $1.40 seconds before Centrebet suspended its in-running service on two of Saturday's English Premier League fixtures. Unbelievably, the Saints contrived to lose at Goodison Park after leading Everton with six minutes remaining. Betting closed with the Toffees at $9 to pick up maximum points, a feat that they achieved through Canada striker Tomasz Radzinski's two goals. Wanderers drew 1-1 versus Manchester United, for whom Norway forward Ole Gunnar Solskjær netted in stoppage time. Never write off the Red Devils is a punting maxim well worth remembering but it is difficult to see Alex Ferguson's side overtaking Arsenal and regaining the title. Centrebet would not mind if they did, though. A United win is a good result in that book! Away from the British Isles, Barcelona justified phenomenal punter confidence in their ability to beat Betis at Camp Nou, while the failure of Bremen and Rostock to register victories dampened the spirits of Bundesliga gamblers. Following Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's remarkable dismissal during Dortmund's draw against Schalke, Centrebet framed a market that invited punters to bet on the controversial character's behaviour versus Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League clash. Lehmann kept his cool, just as well given that punters backed him at $8 to pick up a card. 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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