By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
LOCAL seats should remain in the same hands after tomorrow’s state election, bookies tipped yesterday.
The closest margin was in South Barwon, with betting agencies Sportingbet and Centrebet offering $1.65 for Liberal Andrew Katos retaining the seat against $2.10 for Labor’s Andy Richards.
Sportsbet widened the odds in South Barwon to $1.45 for the coalition and $2.50 for Labor.
Sportingbet and Centrebet offered $1.36 for Bellarine incumbent Lisa Neville holding her seat for Labor against coalition challenger Ron Nelson, at $2.90.
Sportsbet was a little less generous, with Labor at $1.15 to the coalition’s $4.80.
The seat of Geelong, which Labor stalwart Ian Trezise has handed to protege Christine Couzens, also appeared immune from a Liberal challenge, the agencies tipped.
All three had Labor at $1.14 or $1.15 against $5 for Liberal Paula Kontelj.
Only Sportsbet offered any odds in the Labor safe seat of Lara, with John Eren at $1.01 against $12 for Liberal Tony McManus.
Bookies noted significant betting interest in the election but most of the money had backed Labor.
If premier – and racing minister – Denis Napthine wanted to place a bet on the outcome of tomorrow’s state election he would get long odds on his party to win.
Punters could get coalition odds of between $5.25 and $5.50, while Labor was a short-priced favourite of $1.15 on various markets.
The odds represented an 85 per cent chance of a Labor win.
The figures could convert to a win of five or more seats for opposition leader Daniel Andrews.
Although polls showed an ALP ascendancy as far as six weeks out from polling day, the bookies’ odds shortened toward a Labor win as the campaign ramped up.
And that could be the worst poll of all for Mr Napthine and his colleagues because betting markets have been reasonably accurate on election outcomes.
Story continues, more election coverage, page 5
