Friday, November 27, 2009

Hockey to lead Liberal Party: Punters

The punters usually have a fair idea when it comes to forecasting leadership issues. It might not come as soon as Monday, but it looks like Joe Hockey is a good thing to take the Liberals to the next election.

Below is a press release issued today by Sportingbet:

As the Coalition leadership hangs in the balance, punters have unequivocally backed Joe Hockey to lead the Coalition to the next election.

Embattled incumbent Malcolm Turnbull meanwhile languishes in third place in the Sportingbet Australia market – a devastating judgement by punters that is sure to compound his current woes.

With Hockey suddenly shortened to $1.80 and Turnbull drifting out to an improbable $3.50, the instigator Tony Abbott is enjoying a resurgence in the eyes of punters, shortening into $2.75.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said that the market had been completely upended by today’s events, but that he expects some wise punters will be happy they backed Joe Hockey come Monday.

“Over the last six months, Hockey has paying upwards of $3 for most of the time as he has not been keen to make a grab at the leadership – and wisely so,” said Mr Sullivan.

“Now punters are getting behind him as it seems that Turnbull’s day is done and Abbott will keep his powder dry – for now at least,” he said.

Meanwhile other leadership contenders in the Sportingbet Australia market are Andrew Robb ($17), Peter Dutton ($21) and Julie Bishop ($21).

Who will lead Liberals at next Federal election?
Sportingbet Australia Market

Hockey $1.80
Abbott $2.75
Turnbull $3.50
Robb $17
Dutton $21
Bishop $21
Any Other $7

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Brisbane test cricket novelty bet

Isn't it interesting how bookmakers now must follow the news? It's a great way of getting people interested in their product.

The latest "gimmick" (I couldn't find a better word) is based on comments from the West Indies coach that fast bowler Jerome Taylor has the better of Ricky Ponting.

Yes, Taylor has gotten Ponting out a couple of times. But will the mind games fool the punters?

Given that the Australians are only likely to bat once, it really is a matter of "will he or won't he?".

Sportingbet Australia is offering odds on how many times Jerome Taylor can pick up the scalp of Ricky Ponting in the First Test after West Indies coach David Williams claimed his opening bowler had the Aussie skipper’s measure.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the option of no times was the favourite despite Taylor’s recent statistical dominance.

“We have no dismissals at $1.45, One at $2.65 and Two as a $9.00 outsider given that there’s every chance the Windies won’t even bowl twice,” said Sullivan.

“Ponting is a class act and while Taylor has got him eight times, we’ll back him in a head to head on home soil any day.”

TAYLOR v PONTING
Sportingbet Australia Market
Taylor does not dismiss Ponting 1.45
Taylor dismisses Ponting Once 2.65
Taylor dismisses Ponting Twice 9.00

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Australia unbackable in Brisbane cricket test

The following press release got me thinking. Just what is "unbackable odds"? Is there such a thing?

There was an article in one of the daily newspapers this week which spoke of mug punters: people who'll take 1% return in the run, only to lose it with a freakish touchdown inside the last minute.

But is $1.26 really unbackable? The bottom line: It is if you don't think Australia can win four tests in a row against the West Indies.

Sportingbet Australia punters don’t expect the First Test against the West Indies to last until Sunday.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said punters had decided the value in this Test was on the match duration.

“We can’t write a bet on the Windies and the $1.26 about Australia has the punters looking for some other options,” said Sullivan.

“The match ending on Saturday’s third day has been backed in from $4.50 to $4.00 with nobody expecting the visitors to provide any opposition.”

FIRST TEST – AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES – MATCH DURATION

Sportingbet Australia Market

Days 1&2 21.00

Day 3 4.00

Day 4 2.00

Day 5 3.00





FIRST TEST – AUSTRALIA v WEST INDIES

Sportingbet Australia Market

Australia 1.26

Draw 5.35

West Indies 12.00

Academy Awards winners tough to pick

According to early markets, the Academy Awards is a wide open market. Now, if only we could watch them all to judge. And therein lies the biggest problem with punting on such markets - most of us need to do it on heresay, rather than acute knowledge.

Bookmakers rate Abbie Cornish as Australia’s best chance to pick up an Oscar at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said Cornish was right in contention for her role as 19th century poet John Keats’ love interest Fanny Brawne.

“Abbie Cornish has already been nominated in the Best Actress category at the British Independent Film Awards and looks a shoe in to earn an Oscar nomination,” said Sullivan.

“But she faces stiff opposition to win from the likes of Carey Mulligan, Gabby Sidibe and veterans Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren and we have her at backable odds of $9.00 as a result.”

Up In The Air and Invictus are joint $4.50 favourites in what looks a wide open Best Picture Market while Colin Firth is a $2.50 favourite to score the Best Actor Oscar.

2010 ACADEMY AWARDS – BEST ACTRESS
Sportingbet Australia Market
Carey Mulligan - An Education 2.00
Gabby Sidibe - Precious 2.50
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia 2.50
Helen Mirren - The Last Station 5.50
Abbie Cornish - Bright Star 9.00
Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones 12.00
Penelope Cruz - Broken Embraces 26.00
Marion Cotillard - Nine 31.00
Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air 41.00
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side 41.00

2010 ACADEMY AWARDS – BEST ACTOR
Sportingbet Australia Market
Colin Firth - A Single Man 2.50
George Clooney - Up In The Air 2.75
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart 3.50
Morgan Freeman - Invictus 5.00
Daniel Day-Lewis - Nine 5.50
Viggo Mortensen - The Road 10.00
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker 10.00
Matt Damon - The Informant 26.00
Robert De Niro – Everything’s Fine 26.00
Sharlto Copley - District Nine 34.00
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station 34.00
Michael Stuhlberg - A Serious Man 41.00
Sam Rockwell - Moon 41.00
Nicholas Cage - Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans 51.00

2010 ACADEMY AWARDS – BEST PICTURE
Sportingbet Australia Market
Up In The Air 4.50
Invictus 4.50
The Hurt Locker 4.75
Precious 5.00
Nine 6.00
Up 7.50
An Education 10.00
Inglorious Basterds 10.00
The Lovely Bones 11.00
A Serious Man 11.00
Avatar 16.00
The Road 21.00
Julie & Julia 31.00
A Single Man 31.00
The Last Station 41.00
The Messenger 51.00
The White Ribbon 51.00
Where The Wild Things Are 67.00
District 9 67.00
Crazy Heart 67.00
Bright Star 67.00
Star Trek 101.00

2010 ACADEMY AWARDS – BEST DIRECTOR
Sportingbet Australia Market
Jason Reitman - Up In The Air 2.00
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker 3.50
Clint Eastwood - Invictus 4.00
Lee Daniels - Precious 4.50
James Cameron - Avatar 7.50
Rob Marshall - Nine 9.00
Quentin Tarantino - Inglorious Basterds 11.00
Lone Scherfig - An Education 14.00
Peter Jackson - The Lovely Bones 14.00
Ethan & Joel Coen - A Serious Man 21.00
Pete Docter & Bob Peterson - Up 31.00
Tom Ford - A Single Man 31.00