Centrebet to gamble on S&P/ASX 200 | Ipswich Investing | Investor News for Ipswich, Australia

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CENTREBET International Ltd will offer the chance to bet on movements in the local stock benchmark, as the company looks to further expand its financial betting business.

The listed online gaming company says it is an Australasian betting first to allow punters to bet on the monthly finish line of the S&P;/ASX 200 index.

The company plans to extend its financial betting to the oil price and individual stocks.

Centrebet's media chief, Neil Evans, said the new punt followed the introduction of betting on the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) official monthly Interest Rate moves in August 2008.

"Nearly $1 million has been bet with us on the RBA's rate decision," Mr Evans said in a statement on Monday.

"Last month we held $45,000 on the Reserve's decision on interest rates but we've had $100,000 some months, depending on the competitiveness of the market."

Mr Evans said betting on the S&P;/ASX 200 is expected to have similar success as the company attracts more white collar workers to the betting world.

"We've always been on the radar to really extend the financial betting world as a means of opening up a new type of betting and also attract new clients and different types of clients," he said.

In February, Centrebet booked an 18.6 per cent rise in first half net profit to $6.26 million.

Centrebet shares jumped 15 cents, or 10 per cent, to close at $1.63, while the ASX 200 gained 0.85 per cent to 4,807.9.