Punters load up on NSW in massive Origin 1 market swing

ONLINE bookmakers have recorded a seismic shift in State of Origin betting over the past week.

As BettingSite.com.au reported on May 22, punters at Sportsbet were all over Queensland to win game one of the 2017 series.

The bookie claimed it had taken three times more money on the Maroons than it had on New South Wales.

Since Laurie Daley named his Blues squad, however, things have taken a sharp turn.

NSW have roared in from +113 to become -114.94 favourites at Sportsbet.com.au for Wednesday night’s series opener at Lang Park.

That about-face can be traced back to the naming of the squads.

Johnathan Thurston’s absence is a big blow for Queensland, while the decision to leave out Billy Slater altogether raised many an eyebrow.

Punters seems to have much more confidence in the Blues roster, even though selectors have copped flak for the somewhat incongruous inclusions of Jarryd Hayne and Mitchell Pearce.

Hayne is expected to start at centre – a role he has filled only once in his decorated Origin career.

While the Gold Coast star has enjoyed some success there in the past, Cameron Smith made it clear Queensland would look to target Hayne’s left side.

“He was fantastic in that [2013] World Cup,” the Maroons captain told reporters this week.

“He didn’t start the tournament there [at centre], but he came into that position and absolutely played the house down.

“But a lot has changed since then. He went overseas and played a different game.

“He’s come back, but I think he’s only played three or four matches leading into Origin at centre.

“So we might be going down that edge a bit.”

The feeling from the NSW camp is that Hayne is primed to deliver the goods no matter what position he plays.

Coach Daley had no qualms admitting the former Parramatta Eel was picked on past Origin form, and captain Boyd Cordner echoed those sentiments when he spoke to the press this week.

“It’s pretty well known he’s a big-game player,” Cordner said.

“There’s something about Origin that makes him tick.

“It gives us a lot of confidence, that’s what sticks in my head.

“He can break a game open with one touch.

“You don’t get too many opportunities in Origin.

“Having a player like that in your team will be really good for us.”

Hayne is among NSW’s favourites in the Origin tryscorer betting for game one.

Sportsbet has him on the fourth line with Josh Dugan, Darius Boyd and Anthony Milford at +1400 to cross for the first of the match.

Queensland’s Corey Oates is the +900 top pick, while Dane Gagai, Blake Ferguson and Brett Morris all share an +1000 quote.

Origin 1 betting markets

All odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au

Head-to-head odds

-114.94 – New South Wales

-103.09 – Queensland

Handicap odds

-114.94 – Queensland +1.5

-105.26 – New South Wales -1.5

Margin odds

+150 – New South Wales by 1-12

+160 – Queensland by 1-12

+500 – New South Wales by 13+

+600 – Queensland by 13+

First tryscorer

+900 – Corey Oates

+1000 – Blake Ferguson, Dane Gagai, Brett Morris

+1200 – James Tedesco

+1400 – Darius Boyd, Josh Dugan, Jarryd Hayne, Anthony Milford

+1600 – Will Chambers, Boyd Cordner, Cooper Cronk

+2000 – Matt Gillett, Justin O’Neill

+2500 – Andrew Fifita, James Maloney, Josh Papalii, Mitchell Pearce

+3300 – Jack Bird, Tyson Frizell, Josh Jackson

+4000 – Josh McGuire, Michael Morgan, Nathan Peats

+5000 – Wade Graham, Dylan Napa, Cameron Smith, Sam Thaiday, Jake Trbojevic, Aaron Woods

+6600 – Aiden Guerra, Nate Myles

+10000 – David Klemmer, Jacob Lillyman, no try scored