With the third leaders debate taking place tonight and Bigotgate we look at the latest politcal betting odds.

BOOKMAKERS William Hill say that political punters aren’t sure who to back to win the final TV debate – but they do know they don’t want to back Gordon Brown.

‘Nick Clegg and David Cameron are attracing equal amounts of support – but noone is interested in backing Gordon Brown’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Hills have lengthened Mr Brown from 5/2 to 7/2 outsider, while shortening both Clegg and Cameron from 6/4 to 5/4 joint favourites.

Hills say the debates will have produced a £1m-plus betting turnover when the third one is over. ‘Political punters believe the debates have been a tremendous innovation’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

AND HILLS HAVE CUT THEIR ODDS ABOUT AN OVERALL CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY FOLLOWING ‘BIGOT-GATE’.

‘We have shortened our price for the Tories to win with an overall majority from 15/8 to 6/4 as we have seen a rush of support for them following Gordon Browne’s gaffe, and we have legnthened the odds about a Hung Parliament from 8/15 to 4/6, while a Labour majority has been lengthened from 12/1 to 16/1 while the Lib Dems are 20/1.

7/1 NO TIE IN LEADER DEBATE



WILLIAM HILL are offering 7/1 that one of the three Leaders will NOT wear a tie during the final televised Leaders’ debate on Thursday – but it is 4/7 that ALL three Leaders wear ties in Party colours (Brown -plain pink/red; Clegg plain yellow/gold; Cameron plain blue), and 5/4 that one at least does not.
Hills make Nick Clegg 11/8 favourite to mention his own wife first, with Gordon Brown and David Cameron both 15/8 to be the first to mention their own wife. (Stakes refunded if no ‘own’ wives mentioned).

NICK CLEGG AND DAVID CAMERON ARE 5/4 JOINT FAVOURITES TO WIN THE FINAL DEBATE WITH WILLIAM HILL WHO MAKE GORDON BROWN 7/2 OUTSIDER.(Decided by YouGov.com poll

Most Seats, Industry Prices;

WILL THESE PHRASES BE UTTERED BY ANY OF THE PARTY LEADERS DURING TV DEBATE?
‘I agree with Nick’…………5/2 YES’
I agree with David’………..6/1 YES’
I agree with Gordon’………5/2 YES
‘Two old Parties’…………..1/2 YES
‘Coalition’……………………EVENS YES
‘Get real’…………………….EVENS YES
‘Bigot/bigoted’……………..4/7 yes

David Cameron is on course to win the third and final leaders’ debate, according to Ladbrokes.

The bookmakers put the Conservative leader at 5/4 to top YouGov’s post-debate polling of which of the three leaders will most impress in tonight’s debate in Birmingham.

Nick Clegg, who Ladbrokes correctly predicted would win the first debate, is second favourite at 7/4 whilst Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to end a nightmare few days with the wooden spoon at 5/2.

Ladbrokes spokesman Richard Royal commented “David Cameron snatched last week’s debate from the previous winner Nick Clegg and we think he will maintain this lead. Gordon Brown made a strong display last time but his gaffe yesterday is bound to have an impact on voters’ perceptions.”

Several other markets on the debates are available through Ladbrokes, including specific phrases to be mentioned and viewing figures. Amongst the phrases that could be uttered in this economic debate are “double dip” at 1/6, “triple-A” at 2/1 and “bigoted woman” at 6/4.

Since the first debate in Manchester and the surge in money being placed on the Liberal Democrats, Ladbrokes has slashed its odds on related markets. The party is now 16/1 from 200/1 to win the most seats on May 6th, only 7/4 from 7/1 to have a member in the next cabinet, and Vince Cable is now 7/2 from 10/1 to be next Chancellor. Nick Clegg is 10/1 to be Prime Minister by June 6th.

The last week has however seen punters backing Cameron’s Conservatives once again, and they are still favourite to win most seats at 1/6, although they are expected to be shy of a majority with odds on a Hung Parliament at 4/6.

“There are signs that the initial surge of Liberal Democrat betting has peaked and that backing the Tories is the popular punt again” added Richard Royal.

LATEST BETTING

General Election

Conservatives 1/6
Labour 4/1
Liberal Democrats 16/1

Conservative Overall Majority 11/8
Labour Overall Majority 20/1
Liberal Democrat Overall Majority 25/1
No Overall Majority/Hung Parliament 4/6

Third debate

Who will win

David Cameron 5/4
Nick Clegg 7/4
Gordon Brown 5/2

What will they say

Jobs’ Tax 1/16
Northern Rock 1/10
Double Dip 1/6
Hung Parliament 1/4
Greece 1/4
Proportional Representation 4/6
Big Society| evens
Bankers Bonuses 5/4
Get Real 6/4
IMF 6/4
Bigoted Woman 6/4
I Agree With Nick 2/1
Triple-A 2/1
Lehman Brothers 2/1
Opinion Poll(s) 2/1
Five More Years Of Gordon Brown 5/2
Rubbish 5/2
Crazy 5/2
Tory Cuts 3/1
I Agree With David 3/1
I Agree With Gordon 3/1
Savage Cuts 3/1
No More Boom and Bust 3/1
Hard Working Families 3/1
Began In America 4/1
Fat Cats 4/1
Age Of Austerity 4/1
Three Horse Race 5/1
Golden Economic Legacy 6/1
Skint 8/1
Elvis 10/1
World Cup 10/1

Viewing figures

0-4.99m 25/1
5-9.99m 11/4
10-14.99m 5/4
15-19.99m 9/4
20-24.99m 14/1
25m plus 25/1

CHANCELLOR FUELS WINNING BUDGET GAMBLE

BOOKMAKERS William Hill have begun paying out to punters who gambled on the scheduled increase in fuel duty being delayed in the Budget.

‘Pumped-up punters jumped on our odds of 4/1 that the fuel duty increase would be delayed and backed it down to half those odds at 2/1. We took several three figure bets and the winners will be able to afford a few full tanks of fuel at our expense as a result!’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.’Still, we dodged a potential betting bullet from punters who backed the speech to finish in 55minutes or under. The winning bracket of 56-60m was a 5/1 chance.’

Hills do not believe that the Budget will affect the outcome of the General Election and have left their odds unchanged. ‘Although the Budget seems unlikely to harm Labour’s Election chances it is equally unlikely to enhance them’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

WILLIAM HILL…GENERAL ELECTION RESULT……

4/6 Con Overall Majority; 5/4 Hung Parliament; 15/2 Labour Overall Majority; 300/1 Lib Dem Overall Majority.

DARLING 8/1 TO RETURN TO DELIVER NEXT BUDGET

WILLIAM HILL make Alistair Darling an 8/1 chance to be responsible for the first Budget following the next General Election, but make George Osborne odds-on favourite at 4/11 to be the politican making the next Budget speech.

Hills also offer 10/1 that Vince Cable will be the Chancellor when the next Budget is delivered. ‘If we do get the Hung Parliament many pundits are predicting then there is every chance that Vince Cable could be the next Chancellor’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.’Even if Labour were to win the Election we are pretty confident that Mr Darling will not remain as Chancellor in Gordon Brown’s Cabinet.’

WILLIAM HILL…..Who will deliver the next Budget?…….4/11 George Osborne; 8/1 Alistair Darling; 10/1 Ed Balls; Vince Cable; 16/1 Philip Hammond; 20/1Michael Gove; Ed Miliband; 25/1 David Miliband; 33/1 Yvette Cooper; Alan Johnson; 50/1 William Hague.