An Australian journalist’s sartorial sabotage has made a mockery of a novelty bet offered by online betting operator Sportsbet.

Saturday’s federal election was a nail-biter that is still being contested via the counting of overseas and absentee ballots. It remains to be seen whether the Liberal-National coalition maintains its grip on power or whether Labor will take the reins.

Both parties are furiously lobbying the handful of elected independent senators whose support may be required to tilt the balance of power. One of these senators is notorious anti-gambling campaigner Nick Xenophon, who could extract further gambling restrictions – like, say, eliminating prop betting – as the price for his support.

Election coverage on Nine Network was led by veteran political journalist Laurie Oakes, whose election night choice of tie color was the subject of a prop bet offered by Paddy Power’s down under division Sportsbet. And when Nine’s election coverage began, the punters who’d wagered on a red tie were celebrating their hard-won spoils.