Betting odds against Potter in UK
October 19, 2003 at 9:13 PM ET
Geri
Wizard News (via The Scotsman)
The shortlist of BBC’s Big Read
includes only one of J.K. Rowlings book from the Harry Potter series Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire per the rules. But it seems that bookies in Great Britain don’t think it will do well over all.
It seems that betting against Potter is in full swing with the odds on favorite being Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen’s classic romantic tale Pride and Prejudice is 4/1 favourite with Ladbrokes to win the contest, ahead of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis, Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings, and George Orwell’s 1984. The fourth instalment in the blockbusting Harry Potter series, the Goblet of Fire, is 7/1 to emerge on top.
Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush said:
"The Mr. Darcy factor from Pride and Prejudice is likely to play a big part in this contest and we laid bets weeks ago on a Jane Austen triumph. However, there is no way we are going to underestimate the power of Pottermania."
It seems that voting for any of the books on the list is for UK citizens only.