EDDIE Betts is officially a Crow after Carlton announced on Friday afternoon it would not match Adelaide's lucrative offer to the restricted free agent.

Adelaide lodged its official offer to Betts with the AFL earlier on Friday, with the deal believed to be for four years and worth about $2 million.





Carlton had 72 hours to match Adelaide's offer, but took just hours to confirm it would not block the small forward's passage to West Lakes.

Betts said the decision to leave the club he had called home for the past nine seasons was tough.

"No matter what happens, deep down inside I will always be a Blue boy," Betts said.

"I want to say thank you to the Carlton Football Club for giving me the chance to play footy. I was overlooked in the national draft and they gave me the opportunity.

"Over the years the club has done a lot for me and my career, especially Shane O'Sullivan, who has been like a father to me. Whenever I was down and out, Shane sent me in the right direction."

Betts, who turns 27 in November, debuted in 2005 and went on to play 184 games for the Blues and kick 290 goals.

In his first season under new coach Mick Malthouse this year, Betts could not match his career-best form of 2011-12, but still managed to kick 27 goals from 18 games.

Carlton football manager Andrew McKay praised Betts' contribution to the Blues, but said the club had simply been unable to match the Crows' offer.

"It has been exciting to watch his development over the past nine years, his presence at the football club will be missed and we wish him nothing but the best," McKay said.

"We would have liked Eddie to stay, however our list management strategy of putting the club's best interests first comes above all else."