1.01 beaten in cricket

Yesterday's Result: £19.10

Yikes. Looks like the final ODI between Pakistan and South Africa was some match on the trading front. Infact only the second time I can recall off the top of my head that a 1.01 in the cricket match odds markets has been overturned. (here's the other 1, 2) Just over £71k was matched at 1.01 - with nearly a quarter of a million being matched at 1.04 or below. Ok, maybe not the highest liquidity figures but enough to cause some headaches I'm sure!

Which makes it all a bit gutting that I wasn't more involved in the match. Truth is though that I still wasn't feeling 100% so didn't get up for the pre dawn start. In fact, didn't look in on the game at all until well into the Pakistan run chase. It then took a bit of time to catch up with the match and get a feel for the pitch and conditions etc. When I was up to speed I got on Pakistan. Didn't do much more than take a few ticks here and there a few times before having a small but lumpier bet on Pakistan to win. At that point I left the match and just had it and the match odds market on in the background.

The plan was to wait to collect on Pakistan, or green out if their price drifted to a set point. Well drift it did as they lost a few wickets so I greened out and left it. Was busy with some other work and was happy to make the £20 or so.

Think it's fair to say I got a big shock a little later when I realised what was happening. Pakistan had just one wicket left and needed 14 runs. Turns out they'd lost 6 wickets for 20 runs in around 6 overs! Tempted as I was to pile into South Africa at 1.5 I just left it. That's an incredibly volatile market situation and I'd basically missed the action. No point in chasing it. One edged four and the market would move with pace against me. Best to leave for me.

The game didn't last long after that. In fact Shoaib Akhtar was out first ball and South Africa wrapped up a remarkable 3-2 series win to go with their 1-0 test series win.

So well done to all those who got up early, saw the match through, recognised the short-priced Pakistan laying opportunity and made a nice profit on it. Ouch to the guy who had around $12k on Pakistan at 2.3x with a bookie and didn't lay off on Betfair because he had "nothing to lay off" money wise in Betfair. Hindsight's a wonderful thing but there's a lesson there.