A British bookmaker has picked Team New Zealand to hold the America's Cup, but rates former skipper Russell Coutts most likely otherwise to take the Auld Mug away.
Coutts' new Swiss team, Alinghi Challenge, has the shortest odds to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and challenge Team New Zealand for the
America's Cup next year.
Bookmaker William Hill tipped the three big-spending syndicates, Alinghi, Prada and Oracle BMW Racing, to provide Team New Zealand with the stiffest competition.
Team New Zealand's odds for holding the cup are very short, paying just $1.66 for the win.
Alinghi Challenge are paying $5 to take the cup to Switzerland, with former challengers Prada of Italy ranked third at $7.50. Oracle are tipped the next best punt, at $8.
New Zealand's TAB has not yet offered odds on either the Louis Vuitton Cup or the America's Cup.
William Hill's price for syndicates winning the America's Cup were:
Team New Zealand, $1.66
Alinghi Challenge (Switzerland), $5
Prada Challenge (Italy), $7.50
Oracle BMW Racing (US), $8
OneWorld Challenge (US), $10
Team Dennis Conner (US), $12
Victory Challenge (Sweden), $50
GBR Challenge (Britain), $50
Le Defi Areva (France), $100
Mascalzone Latino (Italy), $125.
* America's Cup reporter Julie Ash speaks to the skippers from Alinghi and Prada, Russell Coutts and FrancesCo de Angelis, in the America's Cup section tomorrow.
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
