When the government went chest thumping about it’s resilience against the looming global economic downturn, gamblers who seem to have seen it coming were finally proved right this week, contrary to what opinion polls predicted earlier.

The governments censure of the online gambling group Centrebet: which placed wagers on the matter, has been proved to be baseless as the economy has shrunk in the two last quarters in a row. The big gamblers who bet that this would surely catch up with Aussies are smiling to the last tooth as they collect their winnings according to the periodical Monsters and Critics.

Centrebet financial analyst Neil Evans retorted that the winning bet was always on the slump of the economy, and shrewd gamblers had always maintained their doubts on the billion dollar stimulus package’s ability to keep the economy from tottering.

Evans remarked, “The positive aspect is that a majority of gamblers voted for the recession… together with being psychologically set for what was obviously coming down on us.”

The government seems to be beating a quick retreat on its earlier assertions about the direction the economy would go with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd accepting he was mistaken and the economy will no doubt slump in 2009. This all comes after strong criticism of Centrebet by the government, on claims they were being opportunistic and being outright reckless because it seemed to capitalize on anticipation of human suffering occasioned by sackings, mortgage foreclosures and bankruptcies.