A good final for $400,000 punter
PLUS: How QBE, Forsyth Barr fared with predictions | S&P data indicates an NZX bounce in the week ahead.
It was a good Rugby World Cup final for everyone in New Zealand and, in financial terms, for a punter who placed a last-minute $400,000 bet on an All Black win on Saturday morning at $1.35.
The bet was the largest the TAB's biggest wager since betting through the agency began in New Zealand in 1961.
The punter – who wasn't identified – made $140,000 as his or her bet returned $540,000.
The largest bet on an All Blacks win was $100,000 at $1.60.
Conversely, it was a bad day at the office for the punter known only as "Dave" who placed $130,000 on the All Blacks to lose.
Elsewhere in the prediction stakes, the scoreline (26-17) predicted by QBE's stochastic modellng was uncannily close to the 27 - 17 actual score with three minutes to go. However, Beauden Barrett ruined it for the business insurer's stats geeks with his last minute try, converted by Dan Carter (who managed to hold his place in the team despite a certain columnist's earlier call for him to go).
Forsyth Barr's number-crunchers successfully predicted an All Black win but didn't look too flash with their pre-tournament pick of the second strongest team (England).
Sharemarket bounce
What next? If Dave is looking to recoup some of his losses, he could try buying some NZX-listed shares.
S&P says, "As per data from S&P Capital IQ, the last three winners of the Rugby World Cup have all had material increases in their respective markets index in the week following the final: New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 up 1.4%, South Africa’s FTSE SA up 7.8% and England’s FTSE 100 up 0.5%."
So give it a whirl, Dave. But don't come crying to NBR if stocks actually fall.
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A good final for $400,000 punter
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