TAB review Sept 21

[dave nz]

the week's big bets

The final stages of the US Open tennis tournament, the ITM Cup, the NRL playoffs and American sport, was where the larger punters put their focus over the past 7 days.

Rafael Nadal is now starting to challenge as one of tennis's great players after he completed a personal Grand Slam in winning the US Open. We had strong betting throughout the tournament and in the mens final, against Novak Djokovic, we took a winning $34,000 at $1.12 on Nadal. Also in the final there was another winning wager - $20,000 at $1.65 that the match would produce 39 games or more. While on the subject of tennis, another winning bet to report from the tournament in China, it was $10,000 at $1.80 on Kudrayvtseva to beat Jovanoski.

The big upset in the ITM Cup in the last round was Taranaki beating Canterbury and there was also the odd raised eyebrow when Southland accounted for Waikato. One punter combined Southland and Canterbury in a $35,000 multi at $3.00 but, of course, Taranaki spoiled that party. We also took losing bets on both Waikato and Canterbury - $12,000 at $1.86 on Waikato in live betting and bets of $10,000 at $1.40 and $9,350 at $1.40 on Canterbury. On the positive side though there was $8,000 at $1.95 on Southland. Otago have been having a mediocre season but that didn't deter one punter from putting $7,000 at $1.33 on them to beat Northland. They didn't win. There was also a losing wager of $10,000 at $1.45 on Tasman to beat North Harbour.

The NRL play off matches at the weekend attracted plenty of betting interest with the game between the Raiders and Tigers, in particular, popular with the larger punters. One punter was extremely bullish on Canberra leading at halftime and fulltime and placed $40,000 at a lay price of $1.90 that it would happen. Sadly, for the punter, the Tigers lead at half and full time. The Tigers lead by a margin early and one punter, in live betting, put $10,000 on them at $1.09. However, another investor had $6,740 at $1.48 on the Raiders.

The NFL (American football) season opened last week and we took several healthy bets on opening games. There was $10,000 at $2.35 on the Baltimore Ravens to beat the New York Jets ( winner), and $10,000 at $1.45 on the San Diego Chargers beating the Kansas City Chiefs ( loser).

The MLB (baseball) season is almost at the post season and teams are scrambling hard to make that part of the year. A couple of bets to report : $10,000 at $1.62 on The Giants and the Dodgers producing 7 runs or less ( winner) and $10,000 at $1,45 on the NY Yankees beating Tampa Bay in game 3 of that important series ( loser ).

A couple of other randon bets to report : $10,000 at $1.15 on St Kilda to beat the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Preliminary final ( winner ), and $9,700 at $1.33 on Real Madrid to beat Real Sociedad in Spanish football ( winner ).