If you live anywhere in the United Kingdom it’s nigh-on impossible that you won’t have been affected by the unprecedented amounts of snowfall that have befell every part of the country from Stornoway to Eastbourne. There may not have been any football, or sport at all for that matter, however, It didn’t mean that the bookies weren’t laughing all the way to the bank.
Every year it seems the annual race to see whether or not it will snow on Christmas Day becomes ever more feverish. As the country struggles with the most unpredictable of weather conditions – the most surprising thing is that they’ve been the same for the past three years. What our politicians actually spend all day doing should come under greater scrutiny. Although it could indeed be politicians keeping the bookies going in these “testing” times – until the next expenses scandal we may never know.
The Observer reported on the quirkiest of bets this weekend, as one punter managed to win a total of £5,050. Roland Orchard, of St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, hired a diesel train to take over 200 people to Olympia in London and had ingenious way of insuring himself. The staking of £50 at 100/1 on there being disruption on the Southeastern train line from London to Hastings paid off big time. He intends to give his winnings to charity.
A Ladbrokes spokesman was quoted over the weekend as saying: “Never before have we seen such betting activity pm a white Christmas. The nation might be struggling to drive, but they’ve gone into overdrive with their festive flutters.”
Both themselves and William Hill both have odds of 5/4 on there being snow on Christmas Day in London, the shortest they’ve ever offered. Other options for those still wanting a gambling fix involved virtual sports, like those designed by Inspired Gaming, as Ladbrokes reported that more than £24,000 had been staked on their site alone.
