Penang punters not betting on MCA, Gerakan breaking duck in GE14: Bookies

PETALING JAYA: Bookies in Penang are accepting bets on the general election.
But so far the bet is on whether MCA and Gerakan could break their duck, rubbishing claims that punters can put their money on Pakatan Harapan (PH) losing up to 12 of the state seats it is holding.
At a PH ceramah in George Town after nominations, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said bookies were betting on PH losing eight to 12 seats, expressing his concern that betting might cause PH to lose power in Penang.
A bookie contacted by Nanyang Siang Pau to comment on the incumbent chief minister's claim said no bookies would believe PH's seat tally would be reduced by eight to 12.
He said bookies who think so and are daring punters to place their bets are asking for trouble.
"The Rocket (DAP) is still very 'hot' (popular). Such a bet will definitely have punters making a beeline for it.
"But for the bookies, it is like shooting themselves in the foot. None of them wants to do that."
He told the daily that bookies have in fact started accepting bets right after the Parliament was dissolved, "but it's on whether MCA and Gerakan could break their duck".
"To be exact, the bet is whether the two parties could win more than one seat between them.
"If they garnered two seats or more, the punters win. It's a draw if only one of them obtained a seat, and the bookies win if both parties fail to break their duck."
He said that due to the low payout rate (RM80 for every RM100 bet) and the fact that most people believe the two parties could not break their duck, hardly anyone has bet on it.
Even staunch supporters of Barisan Nasional dare not put their money on this bet, he said.