THEY say you should not bet with your heart.

But there seems to be plenty of punters who are pinning their hopes on an emotional farewell for future Immortal Johnathan Thurston.

Thurston plays his final home game in Townsville on Friday night when his North Queensland Cowboys host the Parramatta Eels in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

All the money has been for JT and his men, who were supposed to be challenging for the 2018 premiership but have had a horror campaign in Thurston’s swan song season.

No other side has been better backed with Ladbrokes ahead of this weekend, and there has been plenty of cash for the Cowboys to cover the line of 6.5 points.

Another team that has been well backed, quite surprisingly, is the Gold Coast Titans.

Ladbrokes have taken more money for the Titans at $2.85 in head-to-head betting markets than the Storm at $1.44, and they have been heavily backed to cover the line with a 5.5 points start.

The Sydney Roosters suffered a shock loss at the hands of the Canberra Raiders last weekend, but they remain favourites in the Ladbrokes NRL Premiership betting market at $3.

The Chooks have been well supported in head-to-head betting for Saturday night’s clash with Brisbane.

AFL
AUSTRALIA has changed Prime Minister seven times since the Demons last made the top eight but bookies do not believe the lack of experience in September will hurt Melbourne.

After upsetting the Eagles in Perth, the Dees were wound in to $12 for the flag and are certain to shorten further if they land a home final in week one.

Richmond is still a runaway flag favourite at $2.25 – it is theirs to lose at this point.

Collingwood, who can finish as high as second, is now a $7 second elect with West Coast easing to $9 to sit on the third line of betting.

The yoyo that is the Swans flag price continued to trend upward with Sydney, on the back of consecutive wins against fellow finals bound teams, now equal with the Eagles and

Hawthorn at that $9 quote.

The Giants drifted to $13 while the Cats are the outsiders in the eight at $15.

NETBALL
NO sporting team has had as much early success as the Sunshine Coast Lightning, and they are $2.20 to claim a second Suncorp Super Netball Championship in as many seasons.

The Lightning were always in control against the Giants last weekend and their impressive performance saw their title odds with Ladbrokes slashed.

It has been one-way traffic with punters, and the West Coast Fever have been absolutely friendless at their current quote of $1.65.

The line for this clash is only 2.5 points and it would be a big surprise if the decider was as one-sided as the 2017 edition between the Lightning and the Giants.

TENNIS
THE Big Four are all back in action and the 2018 US Open is set to be the most fascinating Grand Slam of the year.

Novak Djokovic returned to his scintillating best at Wimbledon and he went to the top of the US Open betting market after his comfortable win over Roger Federer in the final of the Cincinnati Masters.

He is now $3.50 to win the US Open for a third time.

Federer has been the big drifter and he is now out to $6, while Rafael Nadal is $4.33 to win back-to-back US Open Titles.

Alexander Zverev is yet to prove himself at a Grand Slam and looks under the odds at $10, while as much as $26 is available for the injury-plagued Andy Murray.

Nick Kyrgios is the most fancied Australian at $29, but he has never progressed past the third round in New York.

The women’s singles betting market is just as intriguing and this is another Grand Slam with a host of winning chances.

Serena Williams is currently a narrow favourite at $6 from Simona Halep at $7, Angelique Kerber at $8.50 and Sloane Stephens at $10.

Ash Barty has played well in recent weeks and does offer genuine value at her price of $51, while fellow Aussie Sam Stosur is $251 to replicate her incredible 2011 US Open success.

RUGBY
THERE was a very, very brief glimpse of positivity for the Wallabies in the first half last weekend and that could be the highlight of their Bledisloe Cup campaign.

The All Blacks class shone in the second half in Sydney and it should come as no surprise that the New Zealand are dominant favourites to account for the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday.

The Wallabies are $11 to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 2001 and claim their first win at Eden Park since 1986.

New Zealand are $1.04 to secure the Bledisloe Cup for another year and the line of 22.5 probably is not enough.

South Africa comfortably accounted for Argentina last weekend and they are $1.44 to beat the Pumas again on Sunday morning.

BEST BETS

San Domenico Stakes — Performer To Win @ $3.70
Performer showed plenty of raw talent as a two-year-old and he always looked like a horse that would be better at three. He has trialled nicely ahead of his return to the races and as long as he keeps his mind on the job, he will prove tough to beat.

NRL — North Queensland Cowboys To Cover The Line (-6.5 Points)
It is a massive occasion for the North Queensland Cowboys and the emotion of Johnathan Thurston’s last home game, should be enough to get them over the line. The Parramatta Eels have lost their past 12 games away from home and they have won only one of their past five games in Townsville.

AFL — Essendon To Win @ $2.35
This is a must-win game for Port Adelaide, but they are impossible to trust from a betting perspective. They have won only one of their past six games and they haven’t won at the Adelaide Oval for well over a month. Essendon have been a profitable betting play as away underdogs this season.

EPL — Bournemouth To Win @ $2.53
The home side has won the past five games played between Bournemouth and Everton and that gives the Cherries the edge. Bournemouth have made an excellent start to the season and they have lost only one of their past 12 games as home favourites, while Everton have won two of their past 17 games as away underdogs.