Budget 2016: Bookies at Ladbrokes seem distracted…they’re betting on Cheltenham coming up in George Osborne’s Budget speech
The UK's bookmakers seem a little distracted this week – as George Osborne tweaks his speech before the Budget tomorrow, Ladbrokes seems more interested in fiscal activity at Cheltenham than Westminster.
Ladbrokes is offering odds as part of its annual Budget Buzzword Bingo tradition. While "magic money tree", "referendum" and "long term economic plan" are all suggested for tomorrow's topics, bookies suspect that this week's races might get a name-check in the Commons.
Cheltenham is 20/1 to get a mention, and the bookie reckons there's an outside chance the chancellor will be dressed for the grandstand; straight-laced Osborne is 50/1 to wear a tweed tie. So distracted are gambling experts, they've said it's not that unlikely the Tory minister will wear a red tie instead of a traditional blue hue, with odds of 12/1.
Remember, chancellors are allowed a drink alcohol while they give the big speech. William Hill and Ladbrokes both made offers on how many sips of water he would take at the Autumn statement last November, but this time Ladbrokes have forgotten about sobriety, offering an admittedly skinny 500/1 that he'll be supping a Guinness in keeping with the festivities in the Cotswolds.
No odds have been offered on Osborne wrapping things up quickly to hop on the next train to Gloucestershire. [custom id="135"]