Wagering on a royal wedding? Britons say you bet
Published 12:01 am Saturday, January 22, 2011
LONDON — Two of the favorite pastimes in Britain — royal-watching and betting — are morphing into one raucous market centered on the royal wedding.
Prince William and Kate Middleton aren’t even married yet — that will take place April 29 — but some Britons are already betting they will end up getting divorced.
The odds are unlikely, the topic is disrespectful but when two people disagree on a subject, it’s time to lay some money down.
“There’s a real tradition of betting on what the royals will do next,” said Darren Haines, a spokesman for bookmaker Paddy Power. “The U.K. has a strange fascination with the royals.”
One of the most popular wagers for the past several years has been on if, when and where Kate and Wills would marry. After news of their engagement broke in November, the when — as in, what month — brought in $48,000 worth of bets for Ladbrokes, spokesman Alex Donohue said. The where — now confirmed as Westminster Abbey — drew about $24,000 worth of wagers for the betting firm.
With those questions answered, bookmakers are looking to capitalize on the royal wedding mania by adding novelty bets before more details emerge. The market is small now, but expected to swell as the big day draws near.
Middleton will arrive at her wedding ceremony by car and leave by carriage, so she won’t have to worry about the current odds of a Tube strike on her wedding day. Will she walk into Westminster Abbey right on time, be three minutes late, or make guests wait 11 minutes for a glimpse? How long will the train of her dress be? Gamblers are invited to place bets on all the above.
Most bookmakers are running a variation of the divorce question, with almost certain odds that the couple will make it to their 10th anniversary.
London retiree Lisa Barret thinks that’s an “awful idea” for a market.
“You don’t gamble on something like someone’s marriage,” the 55-year-old said while out shopping for groceries in London.
