SPORTINGBET Australia is celebrating Richmond's drafting of Ben Cousins by offering a unique Brownlow Medal market. Cousins is a $7 outsider in a three-way Brownlow market, competing against his former premiership teammates Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr. Judd is the $1.50 favourite with Kerr next in the market at $2.80.
"At his peak Ben Cousins would have been favourite in this market but age, well-documented personal issues and a suspect hamstring throws up a few question marks about him," said Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan. "Chris Judd will open as one of the outright favourites when we start betting on the Brownlow so it's no surprise he is short odds in this field. We're anticipating a big 2009 from the Carlton skipper after a full pre-season coupled with a Blues side that should win more games."
Cousins' recruitment has prompted a number of bets on the Tigers winning the 2009 premiership. "We haven't taken any massive bets but there's been enough money to force Richmond's price in from $34 to $29," Sullivan said. "They're now the third-best backed side behind Hawthorn and Geelong." The par and the glory
The most relieved TAB Sportsbet punter of the week was the one who wagered $100,000 at $2.15 on South African Tim Clark to win the Australian Open last Sunday.
The bet was placed as Clark and Mathew Goggin were on the range preparing for a possible play-off. Clark won the title when he got up and down from a bunker for par on the play-off hole, while Goggin three-putted for a bogey. It's raining Kat and Pup
Centrebet's Neil Evans reports continued strong backing for Australia to win the opening Test against South Africa despite their poor start.
"The Proteas enjoyed $2.15 favouritism for five minutes when Australia slumped to 3-15 but even then punters launched tens of thousands on Australia from a high price of $2.65 down," Evans said. "The Katich-Clarke fightback ignited an Australian plunge. By the start of day two, Australia had roared back into $1.80 favourite, with the draw out to $4.25, and the Proteas drifting alarmingly to $3.75."
Betezy.com.au&# 39;s Tino Trung said Australia firmed from $2.11 into $1.90 before yesterday's second day began after "a string of huge bets on the Aussies".
"There has only been a sprinkling of money for the South Africans," Trung said.
TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie said: "Our biggest winners so far have been the customers who plonked on Australia to get over 365.5 runs in their first innings.
"Basically all the money ($55,000) invested on this market was for the over and with Australia 9/341 at stumps on day one we were feeling quite good. But much to our disappointment Peter Siddle and Jason Krejza stuck around long enough to nudge the total to 375."
A bet of $10,000 at $1.65 was the largest.
Munsie said TAB Sportsbet customers were "really picking the eyes out of the markets" with winning bets of $4500 at $2 on Australia's first dismissal being caught by any other player except the wicketkeeper. "There was also a $22,000 bet at $1.90 on Neil McKenzie to score under 36.5 runs in the first innings," he said. Punters love backing Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos, at $13, remain the best-backed team with Centrebet to win the 2009 NRL premiership.
"We've taken several thousand on the Broncos and punters confidently believe they are over the odds," Evans said. "One punter has wagered $2000 on first-up success in the post-Wayne Bennett era."
Manly are Centrebet's $3.85 favourite ahead of Melbourne at $5. THE BEST BET
Fulham to win against Middlesbrough at $2.15 with Sportsbetting.com.au.
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