The Melbourne Cup is not just one of the great days on the racing calendar, but also one of the biggest days in Australian betting – and some of the staggering figures being wagered are eye-watering.
The biggest bets typically come on the Call of the Card, held on the Monday night before Tuesday’s race, and this year delivered some of the strongest betting action in years.
The standout was a $20,000 bet on Numerian at $91 placed with bookie Woodcock Racing to win $1.8 million. It was laid by a syndicate of cashed-up Sydney punters including Kingsley Bartholomew, Daniel O’Sullivan and Adam Sparrow, Richie Irvine and Scott Fitzsimmons, who operate under the name Wolfden.
“We’ll see tomorrow if I’m paying them, or they’re paying me,” bookmaker Warren Woodcock said.
Love Spring racing? Get Expert tips, analysis and race previews from Racing.com Form Analysts in the PointsBet App. Download the app today
FOLLOW LIVE: All the Melbourne Cup action!
Cup parade returns to Melbourne | 02:31
MORE FROM THE MELBOURNE CUP
EXPERT TIPS: 40 experts predict the winners – three stand out
LATE MAIL: Why every horse can and can’t win
CHEAT SHEET: Two-time winner Corey Brown’s ultimate form guide
It was not the only big bet placed by the syndicate, who also backed Duais to the tune of $20,000 across three bookies at odds of $31. That would win Wolfden $620,000.
Wolfden also reportedly splurged $20,000 at $18 on Smokin’ Romans, $16,444 on Without A Fight ($12), $15,000 on High Emocean ($61, to win $915,000), $10,000 on Grand Promenade ($101), $8,000 on Stockman ($31), $8,000 on Realm Of Flowers ($11), $6000 on Emissary ($51), and $4000 on Young Werther ($41)
But the biggest wager came from Steven Bradley, knows as ‘Fractions’, who revealed: “I had nearly $400,000 on the favourite at $3.70.” It would pocket over $1.4m.
Most of his betting on Deauville Legend was placed through bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse, with Mark Sampieri also accepting part of the action.
We’ll update this story with the biggest bets of Cup Day as they come!
Melbourne Cup latest odds: The big Aussie hope ready to upset red-hot favourite
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know
DUMMIES’ GUIDE: How to place a bet
LOOK FOR THE CLUES: All the Cup lead-up runs you need to see
MELB CUP FIELD: Who will run in the great race after late withdrawals
Pointsbet
Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $20,000 @ $8
Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $4500 @ $8
Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $4000 @ $6
Realm Of Flowers (No. 24) – $8000 @ $10
Smokin’ Romans (No. 19) – $5000 @ $16
Topsport
Deauville Legend (No. 8) – $3500 @ $3.90
Vow and Declare (No. 10) – $1500 @ $21
Knights Order (No. 3) – $1000 @ $23
Camorra (No. 7) – $1000 @ $61
Ladbrokes
10 Vow And Declare $4,000 place at $6.50
14 Daqiansweet Junior $2,000 place at $8.50
4 Montefilia $2,000 at $11
Betr
8 Deauville Legend $4,000 at $3.40
4 Montefilia $4,000 at $11
24 Realm Of Flowers $1,500 at $11
3 Knights Order $1,500 at $23
Swiftbet (Bookmaker Natalie Hinkley)
23 Interpretation $15,000 at $61
23 Interpretation $5,000 at $51
22 High Emocean $15,000 at $61
17 Emissary $15,000 at $61
16 Arapaho $2,000 at $101
15 Grand Promenade $7,000 at $101
8 Deauville Legend $50,000 at $3.70 (likely part of the Wolfden bet)
2 Duais $5,000 at $31
Expert tips for the 2022 Melbourne Cup | 03:42
TAB
1 Gold Trip $4100/$7750 at $17/$5
4 Montefilia $2,000 @ $13
6 Without A Fight $2,000 at $11
8 Deauville Legend $15,000 at $3.40
8 Deauville Legend $11,272 at $5
8 Deauville Legend $10,000 at $6
8 Deauville Legend $4,500 at $8.00
8 Deauville Legend $4,000 at $6.00
8 Deauville Legend $3,000 at $6.00
10 Vow And Declare $3,000/$5,000 at $21/$6
12 Hooya Mal $2,000 at $18
19 Smokin’ Romans $5000 at $16
23 Interpretation $2,500 at $51
24 Realm Of Flowers $9,000 e/w at $17/$5
24 Realm Of Flowers $8,000 at $10
Sportsbet
Stockman (No. 9) – $10,000 each-way @ $41/$8.50
Without A Fight (No. 6) – $5000 @ $11
Montefilia (No. 4) – $5000 @ $11
Vow And Declare (No. 10) – $4000 @ $20
Love Spring racing? Get Expert tips, analysis and race previews from Racing.com Form Analysts in the PointsBet App. Download the app today
