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| Iraq |
| Saddam: (almost) all bets are on |
| 2003-03-03 |
| The odds are not looking good for Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi leader has a two-to-one chance of still being in power by the end of June but it is three-to-two that he will be either captured by the US or dead. Those, at least, are the odds offered by online bookmakers Tradesports. Wonder if Uday is laying off? Thousands of armchair punters have staked money on a variety of possible outcomes from the tensions in the Middle East, ranging from the timing of a US invasion to whether the UN security council will pass a second resolution authorising force against Iraq. "I'll put $2 on 'Mother of Enduring Freedom' for the 7th." Detailed bets are also offered for, say, the length of time between the start of a war and the ground attack. Trade is brisk - more than $1m of wagers have been made. Tradesports alone has taken $620,000 in war-related bets. David Curruthers, the chief executive of BetonSports, said he didn't think it was in bad taste to bet on war, but admitted there are limits. "I wouldn't put up a bet on how many casualties there will be," he said. Neither would he put up a bet on the next act of terrorism. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 two-to-one? I'd take that bet. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-03 09:17:57 |
| #1 Invasion: either tonight or Friday, March 7 Second resolution: nope Time between start and attack: 0, zed, zero |
| Posted by: Chuck 2003-03-03 08:08:10 |