Sports Betting Blog

July 1, 2009 by Ben Filed under: Sports Betting 

This Saturday sees the start of the Tour de France 2009. The big news is that 7 times winner, Lance Armstrong is returning.

Armstrong is the 11/2 second favourite to win the Tour De France behind hot favourite Alberto Contador at 11/10. As with many sports Paddy Power has seen a firm split between the head and the heart in the betting. The emotional money has been firmly toward Armstrong whilst Contador, winner of the Tour two years ago and considered the best rider in the world, attracts the serious wagers.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: “Lance winning an eighth Tour De France would be the second greatest achievement by an Armstrong after the moon landing so it would be a travesty for cycling and Armstrong himself were he to add to the long list of failed drugs tests in the sport.

“But his backers would also be hard done by to see their punts suffer a puncture having gambled in good faith.”

With Armstrong and Contador riding for the same Astana team they are just 4/9 to top the team classification come the end of the race.

Britain’s Mark Cavendish, seen by many as the best sprinter in the world, is the hot Evens money favourite to win the green sprinters jersey. The world champion is 5/2 to win five or more stages during the Tour whilst its 10/3 he repeats last year’s performance with four stage wins and 9/2 for an unexpected zero. Cavendish, largely due to his lengthy odds to win the Tour at 300/1, is Paddy Power’s worst result in the book with a payout currently in the region of £150,000.

For the other jerseys David Moncoutie is 6/4 favourite to be crowned King of the Mountains, ahead of race favourite Contador at 5/1, whilst Andy Schleck is just 4/9 to win the white jersey for the younger riders.

Money Back Madness
If Lance Armstrong is banned during the tour for a failed drug test, Paddy Power will refund all losing outright bets on him.

Personally, I think this is not going to payback at all. No way on earth is Lance Armstrong going to be banned for drug taking. The allegations have dogged his career and he’s not going to return to get banned. All evidence suggests that he doesn’t take drugs so chances of him failing a drug test are practically nil.

Tour De France Yellow Jersey Winner Odds

11/10 Contador
11/2 Armstrong
13/2 A Schleck
8/1 Evans
14/1 Menchov
16/1 Sastre
25/1 Leipheimer
33/1 Gesink
33/1 F Schleck
40/1 Kreuziger
40/1 Rogers
40/1 Vandevelde
50/1 Kloden
50/1 Efimkin
50/1 Sanchez
80/1 Millar
300/1 Cavendish

Bet with PaddyPower