Friday, November 20, 2009

Gold Salute a hot tip at Flemington

If you fancy Gold Salute, the advice from Sportingbet is to get in quick. I'm tipping the odds will be a little easier on the Tote.

The betting plunge on Victorian raider Gold Salute in the Railway Stakes has continued with some huge bets written at Sportingbet Australia.

The Mark Riley trained gelding shortened from $4.20 to $3.20 in the last 24 hours and Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the money was still coming for him.

“The move started with a bet of $25,000 each way at $4.20 yesterday afternoon and since then punters have just kept loading up into him,” Sullivan said.

“We took a string of big bets after that at odds between $3.40 and $3.80 as punters declared him the one to beat.

“His placings in the Toorak and Emirates suggest he will be hard to hold out here but I am happy to take him on at these odds.”


2009 RAILWAY STAKES
Sportingbet Australia Market
Gold Salute 3.20
All American 6.00
Ortensia 7.50
Grand Nirvana 8.00
Tarzi 13.00
Megatic 15.00
Eliotto 15.00
Snipers Bullet 17.00
Spirited One 17.00
Largo Lad 18.00
Famous Roman 21.00
Keytomoney 21.00
Colour Correct 31.00
Lords Ransom 31.00
Lambton Castle 61.00
Oroya Gold 71.00
Coconut Grove 126.00

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hayley still a good bet in Australian Idol

Following is a press release from Sportingbet. Maybe I've got it wrong, and plenty evidently think I have, but I said a long time ago in the competition it would be a battle between Stan and someone else.

Given that it's a game of demographics as much as it is talent, I still have Hayley an even money chance, which makes the $4.50 a good bet.

Gold Coast soul singer Stan Walker is a raging $1.18 favourite to be the new Australian Idol after another impressive display on Sunday night.

Walker is in a head to head battle with Sydney’s Hayley Warner who is a $4.50 outsider at Sportingbet Australia.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said weight of money had ensured Walker would go into next week’s finale as a clear favourite.

“The punters have spoken with all the big money going on Walker over the past couple of weeks shortening his price right up to $1.18,” Sullivan said.

“He does deserve to be favourite but Hayley has been brilliant as well and I am more than happy to be on her to cause an upset.

“Her single was arguably better than Stan’s and the contestant with the best single has generally gone onto win so the $4.50 is clearly the value for punters.”

Rees gets support from Aussie punters

An interesting view of New South Wales state politics, which evidently gives some support to Nathan Rees:

The government of Nathan Rees was given a boost today from punters, following a series of ‘shock and awe’ tactics by the Premier on the floor of the ALP’s state conference.

Labor’s odds to retain government at the next election shortened from $4.00 to $3.80 after a number of bets were placed on them at Sportingbet Australia.

The controversial moves, which saw Rees ridding his cabinet of Joe Tripodi and Ian Macdonald, has been seen as an effort to ‘stop the rot’ and also has the Premier’s odds shorten to lead the party to the next election.

Without fickle ‘king-breaker’ Tripodi in Cabinet, punters have read this as a plus for the Premier, cutting his odds back to $3.25.

Carmel Tebbutt is seen as the obvious danger and is equal favourite alongside the Premier at $3.25

Meanwhile odds on previous favourite Kristina Keneally have blown out the gate following the unceremonious exit of her political patron, Tripodi. Keneally is now paying $5.00.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said that the Premier’s decisive seizing of the Cabinet selection process and his crackdown on political fundraising have been interpreted as a sign that the government is willing to take risks and make sacrifices as it attempts to become electorally competitive.

“Punters seem to be telling us that they are considering taking the Rees Government seriously, after a long period of questioning who was really running the state,” said Mr Sullivan.

“We’ve certainly seen a few punters getting behind Rees and his team today,” he said.

“Some are even backing him to hold onto the leadership, which is a big call given he’s hung his enemies out to dry on the backbench, where they’ll be free to resume plotting his downfall.”
Meanwhile the Coalition’s odds to win the next state election have drifted slightly to $1.25 although they remain red hot favourites.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Aussie odds plummet for first cricket test

The West Indies odds of causing an unlikely upset in the first Test at the Gabba next week have blown further following Chris Gayle’s departure for family reasons.

The Windies were already $10 outsiders for the match but have blown further to $11 at Sportingbet Australia while their odds of drawing the match have also drifted from $3.75 to $4.25.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said it was nearly impossible to see the West Indies causing an upset without their captain who looks an unlikely starter.

“Chris Gayle was their one real X Factor who could produce an innings that could turn the game,” Sullivan said.

“He could score a ton very quickly and his bowling will also be missed.

“With Gayle in the side, you could see them being competitive in games if he, Sarwan and Chanderpaul all fired but without him it looks like only weather could get in the Aussies way.”

Australia shortened from $1.40 to $1.35 for the opening Test and are red hot $1.22 favourites for the series at Sportingbet.

Australia vs West Indies - Test Series Winner
Australia 1.22
Drawn Series 5.00
West Indies 17.00

1st Test - Australia vs West Indies
Australia 1.35
Draw 4.25
West Indies 11.00