Betting tips / Mathew Thompson / 31 October 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Mathew Thompson highlights to punters that Betfair is providing clearly the best odds for those wanting to back favourite Americain for tomorrow's Melbourne Cup, with the defending champion currently trading at $5.30.

Americain has eased from an initial matched price of $4.80 in the final field market, a drift that contradicts the strong support for the horse with rival bookies, some of which are offering odds as short as $4.40.

Smart backers who utilised Betfair's ante post markets are also sitting pretty, with Americain backed at a high of $44 to win and $10 to be placed.

While Americain is the horse to beat, he has to carry top weight and history shows that winning the great race back-to-back is a rarity. His form is obviously terrific but punter cant be blamed for not wanting to take less than $5 about the favourite. That is rock bottom odds and the Betfair layers look set to oppose the reigning champion.

The very nature of the betting exchange, where punters from around the world bet against each other to back and lay runners, dictates that Betfair will always offer the best prices on a major event like the Melbourne Cup.

There is no bookie taking a liability, just a massive community of conflicting opinions, so if the masses decide Americain is a risk, they'll want to lay him at top odds.


Other highlights from Betfair's Melbourne Cup market include:

* Constant support for Dunaden from $9.60 to $8.

* Punters clearly showing respect for Bart Cummings with his German import Illo firming from $28 to $25.

*Godolphin's Modun shortening from $32 to $27.50.

* In-form Lloyd Williams stayer Mourayan now $18 after being matched at $50 prior to finishing second in the McKinnon on Saturday.