ID :
28361
Tue, 11/04/2008 - 16:24
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/28361
The shortlink copeid
Punters bet big on Melbourne Cup
An economic downturn was the last thing on the minds of Australian punters as they splurged more than $150 million on Melbourne Cup bets.
Once-a-year punters were out in force to cheer on their fancy - and the Melbourne Cup legend Bart Cummings who won the race for the 12th time.
NSW punters wagered a whopping $51.2 million on the TAB while Victorians invested
$36.5 million.
The West Australian TAB took bets totalling $14.3 million - up more than 20 per cent
on last year's turnover.
UNiTAB, with betting pools in Queensland, South Australian and Northern Territory,
held $37.2 million on the Cup.
Australian bookmakers celebrated with Cummings, as his $41 chance Viewed repelled
the internationals.
"No big players wanted to back Viewed at all," Betchoice's Mark Morrissey told AAP.
"The rank and file, Bart's army, were behind him but all the big money went elsewhere."
Morrissey said the corporate wagering agency had set new betting figures on this
year's race.
"We've broken all records," he said. It's been a huge betting race for us."
Morrissey said the single biggest wager was $100,000 on the New Zealand galloper Nom
du Jeu.
But generally punters had placed their faith in the international challenge,
spearheaded by Aidan O'Brien's topweight Septimus.
"We had to stand Septimus [to lose]," Morrissey said.
"I can't believe punters keep falling for these overseas horses."
On course, rails fielder Alan Eskander described Viewed's win as an extraordinary
windfall for bookmakers.
"The Cup result was fantastic for bookies," he said.
TAB Sportsbet also reported a winning result on an all-time record turnover for a
sporting event covered by the agency.
Spokesman Glenn Munsie said $9.11 million was wagered with the fixed odds division
of Tabcorp.
This represented an 11 per cent increase on last year's race.
Viewed was a $35 chance when betting first opened on this year's race.
Betting exchange Betfair matched 85,000 bets on the race worth $6 million.
Betfair offered punters the chance to bet during the race with Bauer trading as low
as $1.56 when he emerged from the pack to challenge Viewed.
Once-a-year punters were out in force to cheer on their fancy - and the Melbourne Cup legend Bart Cummings who won the race for the 12th time.
NSW punters wagered a whopping $51.2 million on the TAB while Victorians invested
$36.5 million.
The West Australian TAB took bets totalling $14.3 million - up more than 20 per cent
on last year's turnover.
UNiTAB, with betting pools in Queensland, South Australian and Northern Territory,
held $37.2 million on the Cup.
Australian bookmakers celebrated with Cummings, as his $41 chance Viewed repelled
the internationals.
"No big players wanted to back Viewed at all," Betchoice's Mark Morrissey told AAP.
"The rank and file, Bart's army, were behind him but all the big money went elsewhere."
Morrissey said the corporate wagering agency had set new betting figures on this
year's race.
"We've broken all records," he said. It's been a huge betting race for us."
Morrissey said the single biggest wager was $100,000 on the New Zealand galloper Nom
du Jeu.
But generally punters had placed their faith in the international challenge,
spearheaded by Aidan O'Brien's topweight Septimus.
"We had to stand Septimus [to lose]," Morrissey said.
"I can't believe punters keep falling for these overseas horses."
On course, rails fielder Alan Eskander described Viewed's win as an extraordinary
windfall for bookmakers.
"The Cup result was fantastic for bookies," he said.
TAB Sportsbet also reported a winning result on an all-time record turnover for a
sporting event covered by the agency.
Spokesman Glenn Munsie said $9.11 million was wagered with the fixed odds division
of Tabcorp.
This represented an 11 per cent increase on last year's race.
Viewed was a $35 chance when betting first opened on this year's race.
Betting exchange Betfair matched 85,000 bets on the race worth $6 million.
Betfair offered punters the chance to bet during the race with Bauer trading as low
as $1.56 when he emerged from the pack to challenge Viewed.
