By ALAN PERROTT
Bookmakers in all major rugby nations have ignored the bluster from the English and Australian camps to establish the All Blacks as universal World Cup favourites.
But keen punters will have to bet huge amounts to make an income out of John Mitchell's men, as the prices on
New Zealand range from a minuscule R$1.10 in South Africa to a piffling A$2.40 in Australia.
In New Zealand, the TAB has gradually dropped the All Blacks from NZ$2.85 to NZ$2 to avoid serious losses on the flood of money being laid on them. Their price will inevitably fall further if the team's form runs hot into the knockout stage.
The money swinging in behind New Zealand has led Australia's Centrebet to make the All Blacks their shortest-priced favourite ever for tonight's game against Italy, with odds of 1-250 on. But this hasn't deterred one Aucklander, who has laid $5000 on the All Blacks to win the princely sum of $20.
Even English bookie William Hill has fallen in line, offering £2.25 on an All Black win, compared with £2.50 for the England team.
If prices vary slightly, the order for the top five is the same everywhere, with New Zealand leading the usual suspects England, Australia, France and South Africa.
Then it's clear air to the best of the rest, with Ireland marching at the head of Argentina, Wales, Scotland and Fiji.
The French seem to hold little hope of repeating their 1999 semifinal shock over New Zealand as Malta-based mrbookmaker.com is running odds on when the team will be eliminated.
The shortest price of FF$1.55 rests on a semifinal loss, probably against England, followed by losses in the quarter-final, FF$3.50, and the final, FF$5.
Bookmaker Helen Quirke said the TAB had taken $400,000 on the World Cup so far, a figure that was budgeted to swell to $8 million before the end.
Money was being laid on all the favoured teams except Australia, whom she described as "completely unloved" by gamblers.
To increase interest, she said the TAB was offering new options for match betting. For instance, final score margin bets had been expanded from the usual from 13 and over and 12 and under.
For tonight's game with Italy, the TAB has offered odds for a New Zealand victory in 10-point jumps from 1 to 10 points up to 111 and over.
Full World Cup coverage
By ALAN PERROTT
Bookmakers in all major rugby nations have ignored the bluster from the English and Australian camps to establish the All Blacks as universal World Cup favourites.
But keen punters will have to bet huge amounts to make an income out of John Mitchell's men, as the prices on
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