An Auckland punter has punctuated another strong 24 hours for Opposition leader John Key as the Nationals take a grip on the market with leading bookmaker Centrebet for the NZ General Election.
 
Centrebet's media chief and political analyst Neil Evans said a regular client from Auckland had staked $5,000 on the National Party at $1.42 to defeat Helen Clark's embattled Labour government. He said several other smaller bets had also arrived for Mr Key's party since yesterday.
 
The Nationals have firmed from an opening $1.47 into $1.42 after dominating the first three months of wagering with Centrebet. Labour has drifted from an opening $2.60 to $2.75!
 
Evans said the Opposition had attracted twice as many bets, but as far as wagers from $1,000.00 to $5,000.00, they had just about "taken the lot"! Earlier in the week, separate wagers of $1,000.00 each were staked from Christchurch and Wellington clients.
 
"There's a whole host of smaller bets from both sides of the Tasman as well on the Nationals and some four-figure business from the Australian side - and with nearly $40,000.00 invested so far, the National Party has driven quite a wedge in the market," Evans said.
 
Evans said there had even been money staked from Europe on the NZ election result! "It's still early days, with Helen Clark trying to become only the second figure in history to lead the country through four terms, but the interest is really starting to build," he said.
 
 
NZ GENERAL ELECTION
 
$2.75    LABOUR (Helen Clark)
$1.42    NATIONAL (John Key)

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