As we head in to the New Year – and a Happy New Year to all readers – a few bookmakers are looking into what the next 12 months have in store for us. You can even have a bet on the first notable achievement of 2015, sporting or otherwise. Do you think Phil Taylor is going to win the BetVictor World Matchplay? ‘The Power’ is 3/1 with the sponsors and has the first opportunity to make money for his backers in the What Will Happen in 2015 lists. If Taylor can’t get the better of Michael van Gerwen, how about Serena Williams winning the women’s singles title in the Australian Open later this month? She’s 15/8 with Skybet – or England to win the Six Nations at 5/2 with the same firm? Thinking more long term, William Hill are offering 25/1 that the BBC cancel soap Eastenders in 2015 with Coronation Street at 33/1 to suffer the same fate. They will also give you 2/1 that Lewis Hamilton marries celebrity girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger this year. Cash to be made there, Lewis, if you’ve already popped the question! (though he’s one of the few men on the planet who doesn’t need any extra pocket money right now) Among the more bizarre betting markets is the Pope to confirm the second coming by the end of the year – that is 500/1 with William Hill. Just as unlikely but a fraction of the odds is Ant and Dec to stop working together (12/1 with William Hill) but there could be some mileage in the 25/1 the same bookmaker offers about the Elgin Marbles being returned to Greece in their entirety. Let’s be brutally honest here, everyone knows that the marbles belong in Athens – there is even a new museum under the Parthenon in which to house them. For too long, the debate about where they belong has been too much about national pride and not enough about the actual art. But the nationalism argument has been re-ignited over the British Museum‘s decision to allow part of the collection to be exhibited in Russia – the Greeks have described it as an affront to their people given the Brits always maintained that the marbles were too delicate to be moved. Talking of politics and relics of the past, Skybet make Boris Johnson a 6/1 chance to replace David Cameron as leader of the Conservatives in 2015 – if that happened there would probably be a few racing the Elgin Marbles to the first boat out of the country!
New Year Specials – Novelty Betting
Is Britain about to lose its marbles?
2nd January 2015 /
