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Aussie
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Centrebet Capers
AMERICAN FOOTBALL Last week we mentioned how the draw had made it tough for the Patriots, however after their demolition of Indianapolis in last week’s Divisional play-off, guess what? They're favourites again, and don’t the punters just love it! There were no surprises in last weeks results, but perhaps the ease or otherwise with which some of teams went about their tasks, has helped re-shape the betting for Superbowl 2005. New England are now favourites at $2.40 after their comprehensive shellacking of the Colts. At the same time, Pittsburg, who host the Patriots this week, were far from impressive in their overtime win over the Jets. It was expected they would start marginal favourites this week, however being the fickle game it is, they are now 2 point outsiders to the Patriots, $2.20 to win, and are $3.65 to win Superbowl. In the NFC, both favourites were successful. Philadelphia were clinical enough against the Vikings, however the ease in which Atlanta defeated the Rams was perhaps the highlight. This week the Eagles are 5 point favourites over the Falcons and $1.40 to win, while they are $3.25 and $8.50 respectively for Superbowl. Oddly, the Falcons could hardly have been more impressive and yet are still quoted at $8.50. Given that form they appear good value. CRICKET The Aussies changed from their whites into their canary yellow, sorry Australian Gold, and continued on their domination of the Australian summer. Wins over both the West Indies and Pakistan see the Aussies on top of the table after 2 games. In the 1st game we had our Indian friends backing the Australians at both $1.33 ($30,000) and again at $1.30 ($50,000) before we saw some support for the Windies at the $3.50. With Gilchrist gone early for a duck the West Indies had a slight chance, but then the door was firmly closed with make shift opener Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting putting on over a hundred runs, then Ponting and Martyn carrying on with another 88 to give Australia a total of 301. The Windies were never in the hunt after Brett Lee ripped through the top order and then Brad Hogg cleaned up the tail with best ever figures of 5-32. And this was without the rested Hayden and McGrath. Onto Hobart where once again all the early money was for the Aussies at the short odds of $1.32, but this time there was no support for the Pakis despite Australia being backed into $1.25. Then with the withdrawal of Gilchrist and Gillespie , both injured, Australia drifted out to $1.30. Pakistan put a competitive total of 272 on the board and we were happy to lay the Aussies at the $1.45 during the change of innings. However along came the Australian find of the summer, Michael Clarke, this time together with Simon Katich, took the game away from Pakistan with a 107 run opening stand. Pakistan fought all the way, but a quick fire 30 from "fill in" Brad Haddin saw the Aussies home. Over in South Africa, an amazing test with England coming from what seemed like an unwinable position on the last day to snatch victory on the back of Matthew Hoggard's 7 wicket haul and a destructive 180 from Marcus Trescothick. Going into the final Day we offered $9.50 for an England victory, and there was at least one punter who would have been cheering along with the Barmy Army, having $1500 at this price. We were more than happy to pay him as once more the draw was heavily backed from $2.35 into $2.15 before the Test started, as the weather reports were far from good. They proved true, with some time lost due to bad light or rain on most days, yet England scored quickly enough on the final day to force the result. A little bit of Australia in their style of play? They would like to think so. Bring on the Ashes!!!! BASKETBALL A week is a long time in sport, and basketball is no different. After mentioning that we were experiencing a season of tight finishes and upset results, week 16 proved quite the opposite, with 10 from 10 favourites successful and all but one covering the line. A week where punters were on the ball such as last week was good preparation for this weeks All Star game. History suggested this would be an entertaining, high scoring game, and we weren't disappointed, with the Aussie All Stars prevailing 156-140 over the World All Stars. The World went into the game 5½ point favourites and $1.41 to win, with the Aussies $2.90 outsiders, however it was the Aussies which were all the rage carrying one wager of $5,000 at the start and a host of bets from the rank and file. It just seemed to put the iceing on cake in what had been a successful week for punters. Week 17 should be a tougher week for the punting public with several games which could go either way, but perhaps the game of the round will be Brisbane v Adelaide at the Convention Centre on Saturday night. The Bullets will be keen to avenge their 98-102 defeat to Adelaide there in round 15 and with the 36s travelling to Sydney on Friday evening, the Bullets may just get their wish. This match will go a long way in cementing the winners position in the top four so expect some fireworks from the likes of Kerle, Black and Farley. GOLF Vijay Singh may have been a forgotten figure after the Mercedes Championship, however the World number 1 showed why he is exactly that with a closing round five under par 65 to capture the Sony Open in Hawaii. The win was Singh's first of the season, his first at the breezy Waialae Country Club and his twenty-fifth on the PGA tour. There is not a lot more to add to Vijay's calculated final round other to say that Ernie Els was gallant in defeat, closing with a course record eight under 62, and that the likes of Shigeki Maruyama, Brett Quigley and Robert Gamez, who were unable to grasp the opportunity, which they may well rue, given the strength of the players on the tour this season. The win was also well received by Centrebet given that Els was backed to win in excess of $150k and managed to finish alone in second place, one shot behind the winner. It is also odd that in the first two events of the season, the winner has come from four shots behind the third round leader, further enhanced by the fact that there was some quality players in between. A fact that is probably not lost on either Stuart Appleby and Vijay Singh. Oddly, even in this early part of the year, there is a feeling of deja vu about the results. This week we head to Torrey Pines in California for the Buick Invitational, won last year by John Daly. Tiger Woods has been installed favourite at $4.75, from Vijay Singh at $6 and Ernie Els at $6.50. The big three dominate the betting, Woods being successful in '99 and '03 has been heavily supported by the rank and file, the largest wager being $6000. Singh and Els have been backed to win $150,000 by a client from Sydney, while Sergio Garcia is best backed of the others at $23. The player who punters seem to have forgotten is lefty Phil Mickelson, winner in '93,'00 and '03, at $11 he represents real value. Whatever the case, with five of the top six players in the world represented, this event will be no push over, whoever is victorious. The European tour kicks off this week with a co-sanctioned South African tour event, the South African Airways Open. Favourite is Darren Clarke at $6, backed to win in excess of $100,000, from two of the locals up and coming players, Tim Clark and Trevor Immelman, both at $10. Immelman, winner in '03 and '04 will become the first player since Gary Player, some forty years ago, to win the event three years in a row if he is successful. Clark also will prove tough to beat, being beaten in a play-off by Immelman in '03 after winning the title the previous year. Also in with a chance is consistent Englishman David Howell at $13, while twenty-one year old South African Charl Schwartzel, $15, winner of the Dunhill Championship last year in his first tour victory, should also prove tough to beat. This should also prove to be an enthralling event, and as the betting indicates, Clark and Immelman on their home soil, should prove toughest to beat. TENNIS Not too much has happened in the first couple of rounds of the Australian Open to change anybody’s' opinion that Roger Federer will not win the men’s Final. His price has firmed into $1.53 on the strength of nothing more than money. And plenty of it!! Seeds have been winning on a regular basis except for the unpredictable Tommy Haas, who went down to Slovakian, Karol Beck, in five hard fought sets, and a surprise loss to fifth seed Carlos Moya, who faltered to compatriot Garcia-Lopez in four sets. Oddly both players are in the Marat Safin quarter of the draw and he has been the only other firmer at $8.50, purely from results and not weight of money. A strange irony indeed but one which may lead to a semi-final showdown and repeat of last years final against the impenetrable Roger Federer. In the other half of the draw its business as usual with the likes of Roddick and Hewitt, both with tough second round matches, the most likely to make it through to the Semis. In the women’s section the story is similar. The only seeds to be bundled out are Mary Pierce (24), Ai Sugiyama (16) and Iveta Benesova (32), none of whom were seriously expected to threaten in the last three rounds. Strangely all players who have had some injury concerns have made it through the first three days, while there are still 10 Russians left in the draw. The bottom line is that the top of the betting has seen no change with Serena Williams still favourite at $4.25 from Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova at $5.50. A pattern which appears in women’s tennis at the Grand Slams each year!
Until next week, good punting. For further
information contact Gerard Daffy at Centrebet on 08 89555800 or
centrebet@centrebet.com.
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