BETTING shops say the early signs point
to record action on tonight's Geelong/Hawthorn clash, and the big money
is coming for the Cats.
Geelong has been backed from $1.36 to $1.33 with TAB Sportsbet since Monday and the Hawks have eased from $2.90 to $3.10.
"All the money is still for the Cats," TAB's Gary Davies said
yesterday. "More than 80 per cent of what we're holding on the match so
far is on the Cats.
"That's a big discrepancy on a top-of-the-table match. This is going to be a huge betting match.
"The biggest of the season easily. Surely the Hawks punters will
have to step in at some stage and there is loads of interest in the
line betting as well."
TAB Sportsbet's line betting is 17.5 points - punters can get $1.90
for the Cats to win by 18 points or more. Alternatively, the Hawks are
$1.90 to win or lose by 17 points or less.
Darwin Sportsbet's Phil Hannah said early interest in tonight's game from large punters was enormous.
"The betting shop books will be bulging on this one," he said.
"We've already taken a stack of money on Geelong at $1.45, including
bets of $40,000 and $30,000, and have cut the odds to $1.43.
All of that without our biggest Cats punter - who averages at least a $100,000 bet each week on them - joining in yet."
Hannah, Lasseters Sports' Gerard Daffy and Sportingbet Australia's
Stephen Fletcher were all keen to take a stand against the Cats.
"We're going to make them a big loser. We think the Hawks can beat them through the midfield," Hannah said.
Fletcher said: "The Cats still don't have (Cameron) Ling and (Gary)
Ablett, and don't have the luxury of Skilled Stadium this week. We're
more than happy to take them on big-time."
Lasseters Sports is the only shop to report any money for the Hawks.
"We had a $4000 bet at $3.10 to win and another $6000 at the line of +18.5 points," Daffy said.
Flemington Sportsbet's Norm Short warned punters not to assess tonight's match on last week's results alone.
"Punters . . . have been, over-reactive to what happened last week. The odds should be closer together."
TAB Sportsbet will take the unusual step of betting "live in the run" on tonight's match.
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