Punters placing bets on Harry Potter perishing Tue Dec
26, 11:35 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - The evil Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter himself are
leading the field in betting on who will kill the schoolboy wizard
in the last of the popular book series, British bookmaker William
Hill has said.
Author Joanne "J.K." Rowling said last Thursday that the final
instalment of the adventures is to be called "Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows", sparking speculation that the hero will meet his
end.
"J.K mentioned that Harry might be killed off and the general
consensus seems to be that... to ensure that Voldemort dies he will
need to be sacrificed," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams on
Tuesday.
"Most of the early money has been for Harry, who has been cut from
10-1 to 6-1 and Voldemort remains the odds-on favourite (at
4-5)."
The first time William Hill opened a book on a "whodunnit?" was for
the US television series "Dallas", with betting on who shot Texas
oil baron J.R Ewing.
That proved so popular that wagers on the possible culprit
outstripped money placed on horse racing in the last days of
betting.
Also at 6-1 to pot Harry were his nemesis Draco Malfoy and his
ginger-haired best friend Ron Weasley.
The bookmaker has pledged that all bets will be void and stakes
returned if Harry survives.
It also revealed that money has been placed on Ron Weasley and
school swot Hermione Grainger getting married with Harry as best
man; Ron and Hermione to have a child called Harry; and Ron to kill
Draco Malfoy in a duel.
The first six books in the Potter series have sold more than 300
million copies worldwide and been translated into 63 languages,
making Rowling Britain's highest-earning woman.
The first four books have been adapted into hit films starring
Daniel Radcliffe as the bespectacled boy wizard.
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the fifth movie in the
series, is currently being filmed and is due for release next
year.
