I hate gambling and especially gambling in sports with a passion. I even hate and refuse to do footy tips for the simple reason that if I tip a team to win that I hate, I sort of have a vested interest in wanting that team to win. That would even be worse if I actually gambled on the game. I enjoy watching every game without any vested interest whatsoever and unreservedly barracking against the teams I hate the most!
When going to the games live, I hate seeing all these different odds not just regarding who will win, but what the line is or who will kick the first goal and all these other nonsense odds. At times it wasn't enough to just show them on the screen at half time, but we had to hear people discuss it over the loud speakers too. The AFL preach about being good and virtuous, yet they allow gambling odds and discussion to be shown on the screen for young and those that may have gambling addictions to see.
However given all that there is only one set of odds I would like to see (not that I'd want anyone to actually gamble on them). The odds I'd like to see is the odds of what team will win the free kick count. While we are at it, lets have the odds showing the line for free kicks too. For example, even though games are shorter and at a neutral venue, I would say the line for the Richmond vs West Coast game would be at least 8 in favor of Wet Toast getting more free kicks.
The only reason I'd like to see these free kick odds regularly is that it might actually start shedding light as to how certain teams get favoured with the free kick count no matter where games are played. If West Coast plays Richmond at the MCG, to actually see the odds well in favour of West Coast and the line being something like 10 in their favour MIGHT get the journos realising that some interstate teams especially West Coast, still win the free kick count away from home. This might stop them rambling about the excuse being the stupid noise of affirmation being the reason. Commentators and journos might actually start doing some research for a change and see that year in and year out the same teams keep getting the short end of the stick (ie Richmond), while other teams get favored greatly despite where they play (West Coast and Collingwood). West Coast in their 34 years in the competition has only lost the free kick count 1 time, and barely lost it that time. Collingwood too are winning the Free Kick count by huge margins for a number of years now.
So what might actually transpire by revealing the free kick odds is that over time, umpires start to finally adjust this farce somewhat due to the constant discussion on how certain teams keep getting the raw end of the stick compared to others.