While Carlton will start as $1.33 favourites to win the NAB Cup with online bookmaker sportsbet, several smart punters will be desperately hoping the Lions can cause an upset after placing a number of bets with big returns on the Brisbane in the lead up to the NAB Cup.

Now priced at $3.20, one punter stands to collect over $5,000 after placing a $100 bet at $51 when the market first opened.

Other punters have jumped on board this week, with one betting $1000 at $3.00 to collect $3,000.

One punter also liked Carlton’s hopes from a long way out, betting $500 at $14 on the Blues to collect over $7,000.

In head to head betting, while Carlton are clear favourites, the betting has been almost 50/50.

“Being played in Melbourne obviously sees the Blues start as favourites, but punters have been on the Lions since the market opened and the betting has been virtually even,” said sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson.

Brisbane’s pre-season form has also seen them firm in their round one match against the Western Bulldogs from $1.76 to $1.70, while Carlton have also firmed from $1.72 into $1.60 for their round one blockbuster against Richmond.

Markets courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au

NAB Cup Winner
$1.33 Carlton
$3.20 Brisbane

Notable bets
$100 on the Brisbane Lions at $51 when the market first opened to collect over $5,000
$600 on the Brisbane Lions at $3.00 to collect $1,800

$1000 on the Brisbane Lions at $3.00 to collect $3,000
$200 on Carlton at $8.00 to collect $1,600
$1,000 on Carlton at $1.40 to collect $1,400
$500 on Carlton at $14 to collect $7,000

2013 Premiership winner
(Prices in brackets from Friday 8th March)
$4.75 Hawthorn (out from $4.50)
$5.50 West Coast (steady)
$7.50 Collingwood (in from $8.00)
$7.50 Sydney (steady)
$10 Carlton (steady)
$11 Geelong (steady)
$12 Adelaide (out from $11)
$14 Fremantle (steady)
$22 Essendon (steady)
$23 Richmond (steady)
$34 St Kilda (steady)
$34 North Melbourne (in from $41)
$101 Brisbane (steady)
$151 Port Adelaide (out from $101)
$251 Melbourne (steady)
$401 Western Bulldogs (out from $251)
$751 Gold Coast (out from $501)
$1001 GWS (out from $501)

Round 1
(Prices in brackets from Friday 8th March)
$1.45 Adelaide (in from $1.51)
$2.75 Essendon (out from $2.50)

$1.60 West Coast (in from $1.66)
$2.32 Fremantle (out from $2.15)

$1.62 Carlton (in from $1.73)
$2.25 Richmond (out from $2.05)

$1.70 Brisbane (in from $1.76)
$2.12 Western Bulldogs (out from $2.00)

$1.05 Sydney (out from $1.02)
$10 GWS (in from $13)

$1.24 St Kilda (out from $1.18)
$4.00 Gold Coast (in from $4.80)

$1.62 Melbourne (out from $1.55)
$2.30 Port Adelaide (in from $2.40)

$1.55 Collingwood (steady)
$2.40 North Melbourne (out from $2.35)

$1.50 Hawthorn (in from $1.53)
$2.55 Geelong (out from $2.45)