Douglas doubts Sportsbets odds that have him losing Gold Coast seat

BETTING agency Sportsbet is standing by its advertised odds for Gaven — despite strong criticism from the MP who represents the area, Alex Douglas

Alex Douglas press conference at his Nerang parliamentary office following his dramatic resignation from the Palmer party. Photo by Richard Gosling

ALEX Douglas has been cleared to make a $3000 wager on himself to retain the seat of Gaven.

Dr Douglas said he tried to place the bet online but was rebuffed by Sportsbet which offered long odds of $5.50 on the MP, well behind challengers from the LNP and Labor.
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The independent, who has held the seat since 2009, said the odds were wrong and he wanted a piece of the action.

Sportsbet head of communication Ben Hawes yesterday said he was unsure why Dr Douglas’s bet was not taken but said Sportsbet would “happily take his wager”.

Mr Hawes that the company’s “political markets were framed by experts in the field” and the company was happy to take Dr Douglas’s money.

“We believe they (the odds) are supremely accurate,” he said.

Dr Douglas yesterday issued a puzzling press release claiming a page one report in The Bulletin was incorrect and that the only reason he was lagging behind in the odds was because “until late last night Sportsbet was not accepting bets on him winning the seat”.

Mr Hawes said that was not the case and that multiple bets had already been placed in the seat.

So far only three per cent of punters had backed Dr Douglas to win.

He refuted another claim by Dr Douglas that the agency had “been informed that the GCB would retract their story but they have not done so”.

The MP’s bizarre statement also claims he’d spoken to Griffith University political scientist Paul Williams about his quotes in the story who “contradicts what was stated in the article and said he hadn’t spoken with the Bulletin in three days”.

Contacted again by the Bulletin yesterday, Mr Williams did not know what Dr Douglas’s statement meant and confirmed his quotes.

The Bulletin stands by the article.

Sportsbet lists LNP candidate Sid Cramp as the favourite for Gaven with odds of $1.85. Labor’s Michael Riordan follows on $2.80.