Bookies Saved Bumper Payout

After a sweaty day, bookies William Hill were saved a massive £100,000 payout when the temperature in the United Kingdom failed to reach the all important 100f mark.

William Hill have now pushed out the price of temperatures hitting 100f in 2006 from 2/5 to 6/4 and offer 3/1 that a new record temperature will be recorded in 2006. William Hill also offer 8/1 for snow on Christmas day later in the year.

"All day we have been watching the thermometer rise and as you can imagine it has been a very stressful day. It will be cold comfort for punters who have wagered record sums but at least their bets run for the rest of the year!" said William Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.

William Hill Latest Temperature Betting:

6/4 Temperatures to reach 100f or more in 2006.

3/1 that a new record temperature of 101.4 or higher will be set this summer.

At the opposite end of the scale, 'White Christmas' betting has begun, with William Hill offering 8/1 on snow falling on December 25 in London, Cardiff or Glasgow.