Big Money Starts To Flow For Eels, Sea Eagles And Storm

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday June 20, 2008

John Schell

PARRAMATTA are popular with punters to continue their form when travelling to Cronulla to take on the Sharks on Sunday.

TAB Sportsbet punters dived on the $2 on offer about an Eels victory when betting opened on Wednesday, with last weekend's demolition of Wests Tigers and a great recent record against the Sharks playing on minds.

Bets of $50,000 at $2 and $20,000 at $1.90 brought the Eels into favouritism at $1.83 while the Sharks have drifted from $1.80 to $1.97.

TAB Sportsbet's biggest bet of the round came in late on Thursday when a punter wagered $89,000 on a double of Manly to win against NZ Warriors into Melbourne to beat North Queensland for a potential win of $154,000.

Sportsbook.com.au's Larry Hawke said Melbourne were expected to run havoc over the Cowboys with the $1.91 handicap on the match shifting from 19 1/2 to 22 1/2 points. "All the money is on Melbourne to cover the start," Hawke said.

Alan Eskander's Betstar.com.au clients have settled on St George Illawarra to continue their winning form against Penrith at ANZ Stadium tonight.

"The Panthers have been plagued by injuries this week and will suffer at the hands of an improving Dragons side," Eskander said. "The most popular option is the Dragons to win by 13-plus."

Centrebet's Neil Evans said Souths' disastrous season was set to continue if betting on Monday night's game against the Gold Coast was a guide. He said the biggest bet so far had been $12,000 on the Titans.

Meanwhile, the absence of Sonny Bill Williams from the Bulldogs team to play Canberra tomorrow has resulted in the Raiders being well supported to reverse their shocking away form.

"One punter placed $10,000 on the Raiders as outsiders, and they are firming by the minute," Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan said.

DOCKERS POPULAR Hamish Davidson's Sportsbetting.com.au was inundated earlier this week by punters wanting to back Fremantle to win against St Kilda in tonight's match at Telstra Dome.

"The money was out there to suggest St Kilda would be without some of their big-name players," he said. "Every bet was for Fremantle to win, so much so they are now favourites at $1.80."

Hawke said Sportsbook.com.au initially had St Kilda as slight favourites and they were even conceding a 6 1/2-point start at $1.91. "The Saints have since eased to $2 to win, and Fremantle are in from $2.20 to $1.80," he said.

VETERANS A DRAW Tuesday's Jeff Fenech-Azumah Nelson fight could the biggest boxing betting event since the May 2006 Anthony Mundine-Danny Green clash.

Sullivan said Sportingbet Australia punters had been keen to support Fenech.

"We've taken a $10,000 bet on Fenech at $1.90 as well as $4000 at $2.15 and two $2000 bets at $2," he said. "Fenech is now the $1.85 favourite after starting off as the outsider."

THE BEST BET

Parramatta (-1.5) against Cronulla at $1.91 with Sportsbook.com.au.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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