TAB review March 9

[dave nz]

From time to time, some of the bigger bets during the week go astray and the sportsdesk can do some muted celebrating. That celebrating doesn't carry on for long because we know that those punters who have suffered will be back, bigger and brighter. Last week was one of those weeks when several sizeable wagers went west. A couple of big bets on the Chiefs to beat the Reds were no good : $90,000 at $1.14 and $50,000 at $1.10 being the most prominent.Staying with the Super 14 and it wasn't all bad news for the rugby punters : there was $41,321 at $1.27 on the Waratahs to beat the Sharks, which they did, $40,0000 at a lay price of $1.65 on the Brumbies-Lions game to be 51 combined points and under.In the same match there was $20,000 at $1.06 on the Brumbies head to head. However the investor who spent $10,000 at $2.05 on the Waratahs giving away a 10 and a half point start, missed out.

After the $90,000 on the Chiefs, the next biggest bet of the week was a successful $60,000 at $1.16 on the Boston Celtics to beat the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA. Basketball betting, in particular NCAA betting, is very strong at this time of the year as we close in on "march madness". A couple of successful wagers to report : $60,000 at a lay price of $1.12 on Ohio State beating Illinois and $26,000 at $1.75 on Florida and Vanderbilt scoring 146 points or less.

Our next largest bet of the week was a random tennis wager from the WTC tournament in Monterey. It was $52,145 at just $1.07 on Jankovic to beat Sevastova and it was a loser.

The international one-day cricket series between Australia and New Zealand is underway with honours shared in the first two games, New Zealand winning the first and Australia the second. In game 1 there were a number of losers on the Aussies : $10,000 at $1.37, another $10,000 at $1.37 and $10,000 at $1.40. One punter took home the bacon in game 1 with a bet of $10,000 on the Kiwis at $2.25. In game 2 a couple of winning bets on Australia : $20,000 at $1.15 and $18,000 at $1.14.

Several huge races over the weekend with the New Zealand Derby for the gallopers and the Inter Dominion Grand Final for the pacers.Military Move won the Derby but we took a $20,000 bet at $2.80 on the favourite Zarzuela, who was out of the placings. The amazing Blacks A Fake won his fourth Inter Dominion title from Monkey King and we had a bet on the second-placed horse of $20,000 at $2.20. However on a much brighter note - $10,000 at $13.00 on Military Move to win the Derby. A big winner.