Coronavirus: bets tumble as punters keep their distance

Victoria’s coronavirus second wave has claimed another economic victim, with betting on Tuesday’s 160th Melbourne Cup taking a steep dive.

TABCORP Wagering & Media Managing Director Adam Rytenskild with bay filly ‘Dorothy of Oz’ from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Stables Kensington. Pictures: Chris Pavlich

Victoria’s coronavirus second wave has claimed another economic victim, with betting on Tuesday’s 160th Melbourne Cup taking a steep dive.

Early TAB figures revealed Victorian wagering on the race that stops the nation fell to $28m, down 17.7 per cent on last year, suggesting the lack of a 100,000-strong crowd at Flemington and concern about the economy hit hard.

TAB outlets reopened only last week after being closed, along with much of Melbourne’s economy, as the pandemic raged through the suburbs.

It’s also believed that social-distancing crowd limits at pubs and retail centres with TAB outlets also helped suppress betting among Melbourne punters.

TAB said preliminary figures showed there was about $100m wagered with its outlets on Tuesday, down 6 per cent nationally.

“It was a Lexus Melbourne Cup like no other,” Tabcorp managing director wagering & media Adam Rytenskild said. “I want to pay tribute to the hotels, clubs and TAB agents for managing such a difficult day so well and allowing punters to rediscover the joy of their local TAB.”

Mr Rytenskild said the pandemic had accelerated a shift to online betting, and the number of new customers was up 70 per cent on 2019.

In addition to giving punters who backed Twilight Payment a massive payday, the 27-1 shot also gave former Crown casino founder and owner Lloyd Williams a seventh Melbourne Cup, and $8m in prize money.

There were plenty of lucky stories on Tuesday, including one punter who turned $1 into $30,000 with a longshot first-four bet on the second race at Flemington.

The TAB announced the NSW punter picked the finishing order of the first four horses in the 1400m World Horse Racing ­Desirable Stakes, including putting their hard earned on No ­Restriction to win at $41. Then came Pride Of Jenni, Ripper Rita and Sweet Reply, delivering the punter a little more $30,000.

One punter put a $5000 bet Twilight Payment, pocketing about $130,000. Other betting plunges, TAB announced, ­included $20,000 on Sir Dragonet and $10,000 on Surprise Baby.

Punters.com.au reported another NSW punter turned just $24 in a first-four bet into almost $65,000.

“The shrewd operator had only Twilight Payment for the win and boxed Anthony Van Dyck, Prince Of Arran, The Chosen One and Tiger Moth for second, third and fourth,” the online betting site said.

Online betting agencies were also swamped, with Sportsbet ­reporting more than one million Australians chanced their luck on the first Tuesday in November.

“Very different Melbourne Cup this year but it seems punters have still managed to enjoy the race that stops the nation and enjoy a win in the process,” Sportsbet spokesman Rich Hummerston said.

He said turnover and bets with Sportsbet increased more than 100 per cent from 2019 results, with more than 5.5 million Cup bets.

Demand peaked just 15 minutes before the race, with more than 60,000 bets being logged per minute.