Sports Betting Market moves in favor of Argentina in 2008 Davis Cup Final against Spain

Mar del Plata, Argentina – At the close of the semi-final round of Davis Cup betting over a month ago, and the emergence of Argentina and Spain as the finalists, sports betting markets were unanimously tipping Spain as the heavy favourites in the market – even though they would be making the trek to Argentina. At the time, a Rafael Nadal inspired Spain was deemed indomitable even without home advantage.

Smart money was on Spain. The consensus in the sports betting market: Spain would follow the United States as Davis Cup champions. And all that was left was the simple matter of rubber-stamping the sports betting event.

Now barely a day away from the 2008 Davis Cup final and the tennis betting market has done an about face with Argentina coming forward as the favourite.

So what happened?

Argentina still has home court edge so obviously that hasn’t affected the odds swinging in their favour all of a sudden, even though there was a whole brouhaha over the choice of venue to host the Davis Cup final. The back-story: the original stadium in Buenos Aires was deemed unfit by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), so the Argentine camp had to offer up a suitable replacement that would be in keeping with ITF standards. Mar del Plata passed inspection.

What happened was a Spain sans Nadal.

World No.1 Rafael Nadal’s season came to an abrupt end when knee tendinitis forced him out of the Paris Masters semi-final against Nikolay Davydenko and also sidelined him from the upcoming Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.

With Nadal out of Spain’s Davis Cup line-up, the Spanish contingent was weakened. Argentina, a perfect 13-13 in Davis Cup ties played on home soil emerged the overwhelming favourite to win the best of five series.

So with Spain’s current line-up: David Ferrer as skipper and Feliciano Lopez, Fernando Verdasco and replacement Marcel Granollers, Spain slips to +300 in the sports betting market.

Argentina at -500 on the money line counters with David Nalbandian at the helm, along with Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri and Juan Martin Del Potro.

Check out all the Davis Cup tennis betting action, lines and odds you could hope to find at BetUS Sportsbook.

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room