Around this time last year I had a look at the betting for the All-Ireland hurling championship so I thought I’d repeat the exercise before the start of the 2010 campaign. Here are the odds from 3 different bookies:
2010 Liam McCarthy cup odds (1)
2010 Liam McCarthy Cup odds (2)
2010 Liam McCarthy cup odds (3)
All 3 bookies have the same top 4 as they did in 12 months ago:
However Kilkenny are not fancied as strongly - last year they were odds on with most bookies but this year they are at evens or longer. Not too surprising given their lacklustre league campaign and the minor detail of trying to make history by winning the 5-in-a-row. Tipp are second favourites; their odds are hover around the 2/1 mark. Galway and Cork are both priced at approximately 5/1 and 7/1 respectively. So as far as the bookies are concerned, it will probably be Kilkenny lifting Liam on September 5th but Tipp may spoil their party.
There are some weird odds in there. Bookie number 2 has Limerick and Dublin both at 66/1. Are they aware that Dublin put 6-30 past Limerick a few short weeks ago? Bookie number 1 has Wexford at 150/1 but Clare at 80/1. Did they watch the division two League final?