Massive Bets Placed on Melbourne Cup Favorite Vauban
The famous Melbourne Cup Call of the Card – an event where big-spenders lock in massive bets with the bookies – has delivered a raft of stunning wagers.
The favourite Vauban drew some remarkable bets, including one of $320,000 split between odds of $5 and $4.80, $230,000 at $4.80 and $200,000 at $5.
Two bets of $50,000 as well as bets of $25,000, $20,000, and $10,000 were all taken on the hot favorite.
In total, Vauban would pocket the Call of the Card bettors over $3 million.
One punter attempted to make a bet of $400,000 at $5 on Vauban, but no bookmaker would accept the bet.
The favorite has closed into odds around $4.60-$4.80.
Absurde, Vauban’s stablemate, was backed to win a total of $2 million, including a big bet of $20,000 each-way at $12.
Professional gambler Kingsley Bartholomew backed the horse to win $500,000.
Also at the event, held at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, a punter backed True Marvel to the tune of $4,000 at odds of $251, which would pocket them exactly $1,000,000 in profit should the rank outsider stun the field.
Robbie Waterhouse took that bet, with the Matt Smith-trained horse firming to $201.
Two punters – Tom Waterhouse and Bartholomew – both backed 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare with $5000 bets at $31.
The only mare competing in the Cup, French raider Lastotchka, was heavily supported – with the combined total winnings around $1.5 million should she salute.
Her price shortened quickly from $26 to $21.
The majority of the bets came from bookmakers like Tom Waterhouse looking to cover their losses should a horse win, by betting with other bookmakers.
Another punter will be having some sleepless nights as they wait for the Melbourne Cup, with an almost million-dollar collect waiting for them if the favorite Vauban salutes.
A Ladbrokes customer outlaid $1000 on a five-leg multi on September 23 and has nailed the first four legs.
They kicked things off with star Kiwi sprinter Imperatriz cruising home in the Moir Stakes at $2 (September 29).
That weekend, the multi was kept alive as Collingwood won the AFL premiership at $1.70 (September 30), before Ace Impact landed the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France at $4.33 (October 1).
The penultimate leg was Without A Fight in the Caulfield Cup market at $8 (October 21), and the Anthony and Sam Freedman stayer was able to run down West Wind Blows in thrilling fashion.
The final leg is Vauban to win the Melbourne Cup – securing a juicy price of $7 given he’s now into $3.70 – with the five legs coming to $824.43.
But the punter wasn’t settling for that, extracting some extra value by using the odds boost multi promo to increase that to $989.12, so they stand to collect $989,120 if Ryan Moore can guide Willie Mullins’ stayer home on Tuesday.
They’ve got a few nervous days ahead of them before Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.
Meanwhile, one punter has wagered $20,000 on Vauban at $4.20, according to Ladbrokes.
The top punt on Vauban at TopSport on Monday morning was $10,000 at $3.30, while one risky punter put $1,000 on Lastotchka at $21.
