TONY BLAIR‘s new book is 1/50 to sell more copies in the first week copies than Peter Mandelson’s The Third Man, according to Ladbrokes. The bookies offer even money about “A Journey” selling more than 200,000 copies this year.

David Williams from Ladbrokes said: “The frenzy surrounding Blair’s book has been enormous. He’s still got huge box-office appeal and we’re convinced it’s going to carry on flying off the bookshelves.”

Ladbrokes betting:

First week sale beating Peter Mandelson’s The Third Man – Yes 1/50 No 7/1

Total Sales Figure 2010:

Under 175,000 copies 2/1
175,001-200,000 copies 3/1
Over 200,000 copies Evens

Sales First week:
Under 30,000 2/1
30,001-35,000 2/1
35,001 11/8

TONY BLAIR’s chances of becoming European President have been written off by political punters, say bookmakers William Hill, who have not taken a single bet of £10 or more for him since Gordon Brown made a public statement of support for him. ‘I don’t whether the two are connected or it is pure coincidence that Mr Blair’s odds have drifted since he was handed Mr Brown’s support’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Which Blair Project?

Hills, who had installed Blair as 4/7 odds-on favourite, have rapidly lengthened his odds to 2/1. ‘We’d push his odds out even further but for a shortage of declared candidates’ said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.’If the odds for a fancied horse drifted in this manner you’d suspect one olf his legs had dropped off!’

William Hill odds EU Presidency: 2/1 Tony Blair; 3/1 J-P Balkenende; 7/2 J-C Juncker; 10/1 Felipe Gonzalez; 10/1 Wolfgang Schlussel, 11/1 Paavo Lipponen; 16/1 Anders Fogh Rassmussen; 16/1 Guy Verhofstadt; 20/1 Aleksander Kwasniewski; 20/1 Giuliano Amato, 33/1 Jose Maria Aznar, 40/1 Carl Bildt, 50/1 Bertie Ahern