New Zealand offers odd bet on its World Cup team

Jul 9, 2010, 2:48 GMT

Wellington - New Zealand's state-run betting agency, the TAB, opened an unusual book Friday on whether the national team will end up being the only unbeaten side in the World Cup finals.

New Zealand drew all three of their Group F matches and failed to progress beyond the first stage.

Yet with Spain unexpectedly losing its opening match 1-0 to Switzerland, the Netherlands is the only other unbeaten team in Sunday's final.

So if Spain wins the cup, New Zealand would be the only country unbeaten throughout the finals series.

Posing the question: 'Will NZ be the only unbeaten team at WC 2010?', the TAB is offering 1.57 New Zealand dollars (1.09 US dollars) for a 1 New Zealand dollar stake for 'Yes' (Spain wins) and 2.35 New Zealand dollars for 'No' (a Netherlands victory).

The TAB is also taking bets on how Germany's celebrated octopus, Paul, will do in picking the cup winner.

A 1 New Zealand dollar bet on Paul - who predicted the winner of every match featuring Germany, maintaining his ability to forecast the outcome of the final - will return 1.75 New Zealand dollars.

Punters who think Paul will fail this time will get a dividend of 2 New Zealand dollars if they are proved right.