The Newcastle Knights have been the big movers in betting to make the NRL top eight, firming from $5.00 into $2.75 with online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au.
The Knights opened the season at $1.45 to make finals, and had ballooned out to $17 by the end of June, but five wins from their last six games sees them join the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors at $2.75.
The Gold Coast Titans, who remain the best backed side to make the eight, firmed from $3.50 into $2.10 after beating the Roosters, while the Raiders have drifted from $4.00 out to $17, and the Sharks from $1.33 out to $2.10.
“One punter placed $10,000 on the Knights at $1.45 to make the finals the minute we opened the market, and after seeing them priced at $13 only a fortnight ago, will be buoyed by their hot run of form,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.
In premiership betting, the Bulldogs are now into $4.00, while the Rabbitohs have moved onto the second line betting for the first time this season, firming from $6.00 into $4.50, with the Storm next at $5.50.
After their emphatic win last night, the Eels have eased from $1.30 out to $1.67 to collect the wooden spoon, while the Roosters have firmed sharply, into $5.50 from $21.
Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au
To finish in NRL top 8
$1.03 North Queensland Cowboys (steady)
$1.04 Manly Sea Eagles (in from $1.07)
$1.08 Brisbane Broncos (out from $1.03)
$2.10 Cronulla Sharks (out from $1.33)
$2.30 Gold Coast Titans (in from $3.50)
$2.75 Newcastle Knights (in from $5.00)
$2.75 Wests Tigers (out from $2.10)
$2.75 New Zealand Warriors (out from $2.50)
$5.50 St. George Illawarra Dragons (in from $13)
$17 Canberra Raiders (out from $4.00)
$51 Sydney Roosters (steady)
$67 Penrith Panthers (in from $101)
2012 NRL Grand Final winner
$4.00 Canterbury Bulldogs (in from $4.25)
$4.50 South Sydney Rabbitohs (in from $6.00)
$5.50 Melbourne Storm (out from $4.50)
$7.50 Manly Sea Eagles (steady)
$9.00 North Queensland Cowboys (in from $10)
$9.00 Brisbane Broncos (out from $8.00)
$23 Cronulla Sharks (out from $21)
$26 Gold Coast Titans (in from $61)
$34 New Zealand Warriors (out from $23)
$34 Wests Tigers (out from $21)
$41 St. George Illawarra Dragons (in from $101)
$41 Newcastle Knights (in from $67)
$151 Canberra Raiders (in from $81)
$1001 Sydney Roosters (out from $501)
2012 NRL wooden spoon
$1.67 Parramatta Eels (out from $1.30)
$3.05 Penrith Panthers (in from $3.15)
$5.50 Sydney Roosters (in from $21)