AFL GRAND FINAL: $2.33 THE SAINTS TOO TEMPTING FOR PUNTERS!

22nd September 2009, by Daniel Hillege

It seems punters cannot resist the $2.33 high price on Centrebet about minor premier St Kilda claiming its first AFL flag in 43 years, piling into the opening price, with Geelong put up a $1.61 favourite!

It seems punters cannot resist the $2.33 high price on Centrebet about minor premier St Kilda claiming its first AFL flag in 43 years, piling into the opening price, with Geelong put up a $1.61 favourite!

Centrebet media chief Neil Evans said the first near $30,000.00 in the Grand Final book had nearly all been for the Saints, a clear statement from punters they are over the odds! “They barely took a breath before charging in, but from what we’ve seen through the finals, the squad’s relative clean bill of health, and the form of Geelong big guns like Brownlow Medal favourite Gary Ablett, the Cats deserve to open favourite,” Evans said.

Evans said bets already on St Kilda included $5,000.00 from a Perth client, another $3,000.00 from Perth, $4,000.00 from Sth-East Qld and $2,500.00 from Sydney! Although there is $5,000.00 in bets back the Cats way at the – 7.5 Line at $1.91!

“We’ll look to hold St Kilda’s price for as long as possible, but once Geelong get to a certain price the big-timers will step in, and they’re all cashed up after the 73-point romp over Collingwood,” Evans said.

"The Cats were the most heavily backed team in AFL preliminary final history on Centrebet, shortening from an opening $1.50 to start the match a hot $1.30," Evans said. "It was an avalanche of money that didn't stop for five days!" At the same time, Collingwood blew like a gale from $2.60 out to $3.70! And the Line which opened at 13.5 was obliterated out to 20.5 by the time the game started!

Early outright bets on the Cats included $10,000.00 at $1.50, $5,000.00 at $1.50, $5,000.00 at $1.47, $5,000.00 at $1.45 and $10,000.00 at $1.42! But most of the damage came with the big Line punters, including a sharp client who wagered $75,000.00 ( - 13.5) at $1.91 and another who came in with $30,000.00 ( - 16.5) at $1.91! Then in the last 48 hours up to the bounce, Centrebet took hundreds of bets on Geelong, including $20,000 at $1.38, $15,000.00 ( - 16.5) at $1.91, $10,000.00 ( - 16.5) at $1.91 and $5,000.00 ( - 17.5) at $1.91, and countless more! The lone sizeable bet on the Pies was $12,000.00 at $3.55!

Meanwhile, star Geelong on-baller Gary Ablett has charged into a heavily backed $2.50 favourite on Centrebet to claim his long-awaited first Brownlow Medal tonight!

The money continues to swing heavily Ablett’s way, with a Victorian punter a short time ago unloading $10,000.00 at $2.75! But, Evans said, late backing has also come for Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt and Western Bulldogs’ consistent Matthew Boyd, now $21.00, but was $251.00 before the season started! Collingwood’s Dane Swan is $5.00 second-elect, with former two-time winner Adam Goodes blowing to $9.00 alongside Saint Nick dal Santo!

FOR ALL THE MARKETS www.centrebet.com AUSTRALIAN RULES

last update : 22nd September 2009 12:01