Betting On 2007
What odds could you have got that during 2006 an MP would team up with a Cheeky Girl, the Deputy Prime Minister would be criticised for playing croquet, England would hand back the Ashes without a struggle and Keith Richard would fall out of a palm tree?
Bookmakers William Hill traditionally quote odds about each forthcoming year and reckon that during 2007 it is an odds-on shot that another sporting personality will win Strictly Come Dancing, 4/7 that Tony Blair steps down in May; an Even money chance that Wayne Rooney will wed, 5/2 that we discover Lord Voldermort has bumped off Harry Potter, just 3/1 that Madonna will file for divorce; 5/1 that the Queen will abdicate and 40/1 that John Prescott runs off with 'the other' Cheeky Girl.
Here is a full list of William Hill's bets for 2007:
1/10 Gordon Brown to become Prime Minister (11/2 not to)
1/7 FA Cup Final to be played at Wembley (4/1 not to be)
1/3 Michael Vaughan to skipper England in Cricket World Cup
1/3 Zara Phillips to get engaged (9/4 not to)
1/3 Tiger Woods to win a Major
1/2 next winner of Strictly Come Dancing To Be Sports Personality
1/2 British driver to win a F1 Grand Prix
4/7 Tony Blair to stand down as PM in May
4/6 Paula Radcliffe to win the London Marathon
4/6 One or more Golf Majors to be won by playoff
Evens Wayne Rooney to marry Colleen
11/10 No golf major to be won in a playoff
5/4 Kauto Star to finish unplaced in the Totesport Gold Cup (must be under orders)
6/4 next winner of Strictly Come Dancing to be non sporting personality
6/4 No British driver to win a Grand Prix
7/4 147 scored during the snooker World Championships
2/1 Beckham to play a Premiership match
2/1 Irish trained winner of the Grand National
2/1 Kate Middleton & Prince William get engaged
2/1 Louis Walsh to leave The X Factor
2/1 Charlotte Church to marry Gavin Henson
9/4 Tiger Woods NOT to win a Major
9/4 Godolphin to win a British Classic
9/4 British team to win Champions League
9/4 Steve McClaren to no longer be manager of England manager
5/2 Lord Voldermort revealed to be killer of Harry Potter
3/1 Madonna and Guy Ritchie to file for divorce in 2007
3/1 Hilary Benn to become Deputy PM
3/1 British winner (driver) of British Grand Prix
3/1 British trained winner of the Arc
3/1 Victoria Beckham to become a judge on the X Factor
5/1 Posh & Becks to adopt a child
7/2 Scotland to receive the Six Nations Wooden Spoon
7/2 Beckham to play again for England
4/1 Chelsea NOT to win any of four major trophies
4/1 Eastenders' Queen Vic to burn down
4/1 FA Cup not to be at Wembley
4/1 Prince William to have a state wedding in 2007 (one punter already bet £30 at 66/1 they will wed on July 19)
4/1 World Record highest test cricket score broken
4/1 Frankie Dettori to win Epsom Derby
5/1 Jordan and Peter Andre file for Divorce
5/1 Queen to abdicate
5/1 European winner of A Golf Major
5/1 England to win the Six Nations
5/1 Mourinho to leave Chelsea
5/1 100 metres sprint record beaten
5/1 'Ming' Campbell to cease to be Lib Dem Leader
5/1 Terry Wogan to give up his R2 Breakfast Show
6/1 Britney Spears to remarry
6/1 FA Cup Final to go to penalties
6/1 Red Card shown in the FA Cup Final
6/1 Charlotte Church to announce she is pregnant with Gavin's baby
6/1 Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to divorce
6/1 Posh & Becks To file for Divorce
6/1 Paula Radcliff to beat world record marathon time
13/2 England to win final Test v Aussies
7/1 A non celebrity version of I'm A Celeb
7/1 Roger Federer to win the tennis grand slam
8/1 Audley Harrison to win version of World Title
8/1 Corrie's Rovers Return to burn down
8/1 David Cameron to Lose his job as leader of the Conservative Party
8/1 Premiership title to be decided on goal difference
8/1 Amir Khan to win a Version of the World Title
8/1 England to lose to Italy Rugby Union
8/1 Temperatures to go past 100 degrees F mark
8/1 Robbie Williams to rejoin Take That
8/1 Colin Montgomerie to win European order of merit
8/1 Tony McCoy to ride the Aintree Grand National winner
8/1 Paula Radcliffe to win BBC Sports Personality of Year
9/1 Madonna and Guy Ritchie to adopt another baby in 2007
10/1 Andy Murray to win BBC Sports Personality of Year
10/1 Abramovitch to leave Chelsea
10/1 Snow at Christmas
10/1 Ferguson to leave Man Utd
10/1 Beatles to have a No.1 single
10/1 England bowler to get 10 wickets in a test match Innings
10/1 Dry fortnight at Wimbledon Tennis
10/1 Dumbledore to be brought back to life in final Harry Potter book
10/1 Harry Potter - Ron & Hermoine to marry
10/1 David Blunkett to return to the Cabinet. 10/1 Rovers Return to change its name permanently
12/1 John Terry to resign as England football captain
12/1 Jenson Button to win F1 Championship title
12/1 Robbie Williams to have laser tattoo removal
14/1 A player to shoot 59 or less in a golf major
16/1 Andy Murray Win Wimbledon
16/1 Daniel Craig to win Best Actor Oscar
16/1 Record Temperature recorded over Summer
16/1 England To win the six nations wooden Spoon
16/1 George Michael and Andrew Rigley to tour as Wham
20/1 Monty Panesar to win BBC Sports Personality of Year
20/1 Hat-trick scored in FA Cup Final
20/1 Kate Moss to marry Pete Doherty and have their first child in 2007
20/1 Chelsea FA Cup & Champions League
20/1 Lennox Lewis to box again
20/1 George Bush to resign as President of USA
20/1 Wenger to leave Arsenal
25/1 Big Ben to fail to chime due to adverse weather
25/1 Lembit Opik to be the next leader of the Lib Dems
25/1 Ant & Dec to be contestants the Jungle
25/1 Casino Royale to win Best Picture Oscar
25/1 Kevin Federline to reach number one in the UK charts in 2007
25/1 Prince Harry to announce his engagement
25/1 Robbie Williams to marry or 'come out'
25/1 Spice Girls to reform (minimum 3 original members) and have a No.1 single with new material
33/1 Jonathan Ross to have a crew cut
33/1 Cliff Richard to have Christmas Number 1
33/1 Lemit Opik to marry either of Cheeky Girls
33/1 147 in final of World Championship Snooker
33/1 Queen to own the Derby winner
33/1 Rain every day at Wimbledon
33/1 Jordan and Peter Andre to top the album chart
40/1 John Prescott to run off with the other Cheeky Girl
40/1 Tiger Woods to win all four Majors
50/1 Tiger Woods hole in one during Open Championship
50/1 London Congestion Charge to be abolished
50/1 George Michael to marry a female in 2007
50/1 Monty to win open
50/1 Ant & Dec To be knighted in 2005
50/1 Prince Andrew gets married to a glamour model
50/1 Posh Spice to have No.1 single
50/1 Simon Cowell & Louis Walsh get married in a Civil Ceremony
50/1 Prince Charles to become a vegetarian
66/1 Tony Blair to grow a moustache
66/1 Michael Jackson to appear on I'm a celebrity get me out of here
66/1 Andy Murray world number 1
66/1 Lembit Opik and Cheeky Girls to have a number 1 with cheeky boy
80/1 Tim Henman to win Wimbledon
100/1 Official confirmation of current existence of intelligent extra terrestrial life
100/1 Prince Andrew gets married to glamour model
100/1 Simon Cowell to marry X Factor winner Leona Lewis
100/1 Ant & Dec to host Top Of The Pops ITV
100/1 David and Victoria Beckham to appear on I'm a celebrity get me out of here
100/1 Abi Titmus to become a bond girl (Non Speaking)
100/1 Cricket ball to go through press box window at Lords
100/1 Female Jockey to win either the Derby or the Aintree Grand National
100/1 Linford Christie to win Strictly Come Dancing
100/1 All British Final Wimbledon Final
100/1 Euro to be worth more than Pound
100/1 Sharon Osbourne leaves Ozzy for Simon Cowell
100/1 Jose Mourinho to stand as London Mayor
100/1 British final at Wimbledon
250/1 proof that the 1969 Lunar Landings never happened
200/1 Rolf Harris to win the Turner Prize
200/1 Prince Charles to win Turner Prize
200/1 Snow at Wimbledon
250/1 Simon Cowell to win Strictly Come Dancing
250/1 Wenger to become Mourinho's assistant
500/1 Buckingham Palace sold off for affordable housing
500/1 Prince Harry to be dishonorably discharged
500/1 Conclusive proof that Nessie is alive and well
500/1 London Congestion Charge to be abolished
500/1 England to score 100 points in a single six nations match
1000/1 Arsenal-Spurs to announce official plans to amalgamate as London FC
1000/1 Archbishop of Canterbury to confirm the Second Coming
1000/1 London Eye shut down after being sued for invasion of privacy by nearby residents
1000/1 National Service to be reinstated
1000/1 Kate Moss to ditch Pete Doherty and become a nun in 2007
1000/1 Prince Harry gets engaged to Kate
