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Aussie
Rules
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Centrebet Capers
CRICKET The Australian domestic season is drawing to a close with the ING Cup Final already decided, and the highly fancied Queensland team being beaten by Western Australia. After heavy support for Queensland at the opening quote of $1.55, we continued to see money at $1.50, including 2 bets $3000 and $2000 from 2 Victorian punters. By time the first ball was bowled they had firmed into $1.45. Queensland got off to a flying start with Jimmy Maher and Stuart Law putting on 100 runs inside the first 13 overs, but,. From there though they struggled to maintain momentum and the final score of 244 proved very disappointing. Betting reopened at halftime, with punters getting interested in Western Australia, one wager of $5000 at $1.80 coming from a New South Wales punter. The chase wasn't convincing, but with Queensland bowlers getting injured and cramping up, Kade Harvey took matters into his own hands and completed the chase with 2 balls to spare. Internationally the One Day Series between Sri Lanka and Australia has come to an end, with Australia taking the series 3-2. We now look to the Test Series with interest, especially with the head to head duel of Muttiah Muralitharan and the Shane Warne. Both will be under extreme scrutiny as they both close in on 500 Test wickets, Warne even more so having had a 12 month holiday from the game. Both the Series and First Test prices are now available, with Australia ($1.60) favourites over Sri Lanka ($3.50) to win the series and the Draw $5.00. Our Indian punters have returned after being quiet during the One Dayers, with a bet of $10,000USD at $2.65 on the draw in the match, Australia are now $2.08 and Sri Lanka $5.00. As always, betting will be available during the Lunch and Tea intervals, as well as at the close of days play. BASKETBALL The NBL playoffs are underway with the first game going the way of the Cairns Taipans at home against the Wildcats. Turnover on this game reached near record levels for a single NBL game and with the favourite winning the punters have a little bit to play with. Astute clients stayed away from the 7.5 point handicap and opted instead to back Cairns at the 1.30, 1.28 and 1.25 which proved a wise choice as they won by a margin of 7 points. We introduced some new betting options for this match such as "Highest Scoring Quarter" and "Most 3 Pointers Head to Head" which were well received judging by the number of bets placed. These options will be available throughout the playoffs and we also plan to introduce other new bet types as the playoffs continue. With Foxsports promising to have coverage of all games some interesting side bets can add to your viewing pleasure. The new playoff format has raised considerable discussion with nobody prepared to speak out in favour of it. The main concerns are that eight teams making the playoffs in a twelve team competition devalues the achievement and four sudden death games is a little unfair especially on the teams that finished 3rd and 4th. The one aspect that has met with approval by all is the "Best of 5" Grand Final series. With the two best teams battling it out over a five game series basketball fans have a lot to look forward to. It is doubtful that this format will be around beyond this season anyway as the NBL seems set to introduce a Conference format next season. Looking ahead we have Melbourne hosting Adelaide on Friday night with the winner of that game travelling to Brisbane for a Sunday game against the Bullets. On Saturday night West Sydney host last night's winner, Cairns. The home teams have a decided advantage under this format and it will be no surprise if the top four become the final four and semi finalists. From this stage they go to a more recognisable 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 best of three series which begins in Wollongong next Friday and Sydney next Saturday. The power base of the NBL has definitely shifted from Victoria to New South Wales with the strong possibility that three of the four semi-finalists will be from that state. MOTOR RACING The 2004 F1 season roars into action this weekend in Melbourne. All the leading teams have new cars, and a lot of experts are tipping Williams to be the main challenger to Ferrari this season. The new McLaren car is rumoured to be fast but there are some doubts over its reliability. Last seasons young gun Fernando Alonso is rated by many to be a dark horse for this years championship. Ferrari and Michael Schumacher have in recent years started the season well in Melbourne, with Schumacher winning 3 of the last 4 events. The Williams team however have to go back to Damon Hill in 1996 for their last victory at Albert Park. AUSTRALIAN RULES : The Wizard Cup is always a tough competition to predict and after an opening round where six of the eight favourites were beaten, some emphatically, the second round produced three favourite winners, and a solidly supported Melbourne at $2.35 to defeat West Coast. The first match on Friday evening at Telstra Dome between a keen and enthusiastic bunch of young Demons taking on what had appeared to be an impressive Eagles unit, on the road but fresh from a drubbing of the Magpies at home. Betting opened with the Eagles at $1.60, the Dees $2.30, our first wager being $5,000 on Melbourne from an enthusiastic Victorian client. Money however was liberal for both teams in what proved to be a good betting affair, before the Eagles firmed into $1.58 by kick-off. The second game at Optus Oval on the Saturday had a young Carlton brigade tackle a fit Geelong coming off a stoic effort against Port Adelaide at Football Park the previous week. Betting was $1.90 your pick, with the fist salvo on Carlton coming as soon as betting opened, $5,000 at the opening quote. Betting settled soon after however with good support for both clubs, Carlton's home ground advantage being negated by a more experienced Geelong. Best betting game of the weekend was no doubt Essendon taking on the might of three time premiers Brisbane at Telstra Dome on Saturday night. Betting opened with the Lions $1.80 favourites and Essendon $1.95, however early news that Jonathan Brown, Brisbane's inspirational centre half-forward was out with an injury, saw a flood of money arrive for the Bombers forcing their price into $1.80 before the dust had settled. While there was some support for Brisbane the money continued for the Bombers up to kick off where their starting price of $1.70 was evidence of the deluge of support for them. If the Saturday night game was a blow for Centrebet, things did not improve on the Sunday where the young Saints were backed to the exclusion of the Tigers firming from $1.80 into $1.70. Their clinical dismantle of the hapless Tigers indicating this St Kilda outfit is the real deal and ready to launch an assault on this years Premiership. This weekend's Semi Finals commences Friday evening at Telstra Dome where an improved Melbourne are marginal favourites over Geelong, $1.88 and $1.92 respectively. The Dees have been impressive to this point defeating the Kangaroos by some 25 points and the West Coast by 12 points, indicating a real hunger for the preseason trophy and the $250,000 cash which goes with it. Geelong on the other hand have been equally impressive and must answer their supporters calls for improved showings in crunch games. The second final on Saturday evening should be a pearler as the Bombers take on a young and fired up Saints at Telsra Dome. The Bombers go into this game $1.70 favs on the strength on nine consecutive victories over the Saints however this a new and improved model, one which is expected to give the Bombers a tough encounter. Early money has been for the Bombers but expect the loyal St Kilda supporters to rally behind their young guns in what should be a brisk betting affair. It would have been a brave person to predict that only Victorian clubs would remain to fight out the Semi's of the Wizard Cup, and for those who are more comfortable to support them now, the betting is as follows : Essendon $2.25, St Kilda $3.50, Melbourne $5.00 and Geelong $5.25. GOLF: Well last week signalled the return of the 'Tiger' as Tiger Woods emerged from his den to produce another immaculate display of match play performances at the Accenture World Match Play title at La Costa Resort and Spa. After threatening to be eliminated in the first round by 200/1 shot John Rollins, Woods rallied to make the final and then come from being one down at the turn to defeat Davis Love 3 and 2. That is now twelve matches straight Woods has won at La Costa and twenty of all twenty-three matches played there, emphasizing his dominance at this format of the game. As mentioned last week Woods was well supported at $4.75, however other well backed players such as Vijay Singh, Mike Weir and Adam Scott had run their race by the completion of the quarter finals and had been eliminated. The other major event of last week was the Tuscon Open in Arizona which saw tour maidens Heath Slocum and Australian Aaron Baddeley battle out a high quality final round. Both players were five under par after ten holes and effectively snuffing out any potential challengers from the ensuing pack. The pair had led by two shots leading into the final day, a position Slocum was familiar with having been in the same position at the same event in 2002 however this time he held his composure, even to the 72nd hole where unfortunately Baddeley three putted to hand the title to Slocum. This week we head to Miami for the Ford Championship at Doral where defending champion Scott Hoch is $126 to retain his title. Betting has been brisk on this event with Phil Mickelson, $7.50, David Toms, $17 and Kenny Perry, $21 all backed to win in excess of $50,000 after solid performances at the Accenture match play last week. Others well supported have been Jesper Parnevik, $34, Bob Tway, $51 and Stephen Ames, $81, all players with the required attributes of accuracy and a deft short game which is required around Doral. Don't dismiss Joe Durant and John Huston, past winners of this event, who generally perform well here. On the European tour we head to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai Desert Classic where defending champion Jan-Robert Derksen will meet stiff opposition in the form of the world number one and three, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Woods has been installed favourite at $3.75 from Els at $6 and Irishman Padraig Harrington at $16 but don't dismiss Englishman Darren Clarke $16 and previous winner here Thomas Bjorn, $21. Money has been solid for all these players but best backed has been Els, fresh from a four week lay-off since winning the Heineken Classic in Australia and backed to win over $100,000 by a loyal follower. One thing is for certain, it will take more than exceptional golf to win the jewel in the crown which is the Dubai Desert Classic.
Until next week, good punting. For
further information contact Gerard Daffy at Centrebet on 08 89555800 or
centrebet@centrebet.com.
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