LADBROKES LOWDOWN
AUSTRALIAN OPEN EDITION
It can be a tough game, tennis. Not so much the playing of a 5 set epic in 40 degree heat at the height of Melbourne’s often fickle summer. I’m talking more about finding a winner … or 10 … during the 14 days of competition consisting of 252 singles matches across the men’s and women’s draws. Throw in the doubles, mixed doubles etc, and at least there is a lot of opportunities to find a winner.
MEN’S SINGLES
NO DJOKE – NOVAK IS ALL THE RAGE
Combing through the bets, it appears as if we should just call Novak Djokovic up to the podium and present him with a 6th Australian Open title on Monday morning.
Well, that would take all the fun out of it and also cost many a tennis ‘fan’ 14 chances to enjoy a quality afternoon in the Heineken Beer Garden on the grounds of Melbourne Park.
In all seriousness, the flood of money headed in the Serb’s direction is staggering. He represents 80 per cent of Ladbrokes total hold on the men’s singles event. The next best are Nick Kyrgios and Rafa Nadal with 3 per cent.
THE MOVES
The draw saw a slight market shift with a couple of other proven performers. The tennis gods weren’t exactly shining on Roger Federer with the Swiss Master copping a seemingly nasty route to the title. On the back of this, he has been wound out from $11 to $15, while four time finalist Andy Murray has firmed from $7 into $6 with what looks a handy path to at least the semis.
THE BIG BETS
One punter is hoping the Joker will have him laughing all the way to the bank, outlaying $20,000 at $1.73, while another bet $9000 at the same quote. Three days out from the event and Djokovic is now into $1.67.
Another punter is hoping for a Rafa renaissance placing $1000 on the Spanish superstar at $13 while Nick Kyrgios has also attracted a little love in the form of a $500 bet at $51. The temperamental Aussie is now a $26 chance.
LOVE WINS?
Well, sometimes it does, but one romantic multi looks a little ambitious. The rumoured relationship between Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic prompted one punter to have a cheeky $10 multi on the ‘couple’ lifting the respective single’s trophies. At the time, Kyrgios was $51 and Tomljanovic $501. Should love win at Melbourne Park, said punter will be more than a quarter of a million dollars richer.
AUSSIES OUTLAYS
While Nick Kyrgios has attracted reasonable interest, the biggest bet Ladbrokes has received for Lleyton Hewitt farewelling competitive tennis in the ultimate fashion is $20 at odds of $501. There’s been lots of $1 and $2 bets but it seems most aren’t keen on parting with more than a gold coin on the former world number 1.
WOMEN’S SINGLES
ANOTHER SERENA SLAM?
She’s won one more Australian Open crown than Novak Djokovic but punters don’t see Serena Williams as such a hot contender as they do her male counterpart.
Aiming for a 7th (yes, 7th) Aus Open crown, the world number one has attracted 33 per cent of bets with Ladbrokes on the women’s event. She is, by a considerable way, our worst result.
Both Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova are responsible for 10 per cent each of the total hold, while many others have been backed in some capacity with the women’s draw appearing more open than the men’s.
THE MOVES
Sharapova has drawn to play Serena in the quarter finals and, as such, she has drifted since that was announced. The Russian is now $9 out to $11.
Simone Halep got a fairly favourable path through on paper and is $10 in to $8, while Monica Puig, who has made her way through to the final of the Sydney International, has been wound in from $501 to $101.
THE BIG BETS
It appears punters aren’t so keen to part with large sums on the ladies at the Australian Open with the biggest bets so far a $2000 wager on Williams (Serena) at odds of $4.50. She is now $4.
Before Victoria Azarenka saluted in Brisbane she was listed as an $8 chance, which someone thought juicy enough to part with $500. She is now a $4.50, 2nd favourite.
Ladbrokes also took bets of $500 on Agnieszka Radwańska at $21 and young American Sloane Stephens at $51.
