London - Punters are placing all manner of wacky bets on Britain's royal baby, chancing their cash on everything from the name of the new prince or princess to who gets their congratulations tweet in first.
With the baby due any day now, bookmakers are taking wagers on whether Prince William or his wife Kate will carry it out of the hospital, and whether their first-born, toddler Prince George, will join them on the maternity ward steps.
Bets are on too for the baby's weight, godparents and hair -- and even the time it will be born.
Punters think the baby will be a girl, with Alice the clear favourite for the name -- though bookmakers have been taking a late flurry of bets on James.
Bet365 has a baby girl at 1/2 -- a two in three chance of occurring, meaning a £2 bet would win £1 plus the £2 stake back if the prediction proves right. A boy is 6/4.
"The money has just been relentless for a girl -- nearly 90 percent of all bets," Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge told AFP.
Bookmakers William Hill have Alice at 6/4, followed by Elizabeth and Charlotte as the next most likely names at 11/2. Then comes Victoria at 12/1, Alexandra and James at 14/1 and Diana, the name of William's late mother, at 16/1.
AFP
