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2012 Olympics - Record interest predicted for London Olympic Games

The countdown to London 2012 is on... (credit: Wikipedia)
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With a year to go until the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games, bookmakers are expecting record interest.

British bookmaker William Hill are predicting that the amount gambled on the 2008 Olympics will be DOUBLED for next summer's London Olympics.

Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams told Crunchsports.com: "We believe that in the region of £25million was gambled on the Olympics in 2008 and are predicting that at least double will be gambled in 2012.

"Our biggest bet in 2008 was £40,000 on Usain Bolt and he is 8/11 to win the hundred metres in a new world record time!"

The firm make Team GB odds-on to manage to win twenty or more gold medals next summer, while Sir Steve Redgrave is favourite to be given the honour of lighting the Olympic flame, leading Daley Thompson in their Who Will Light The Olympic Torch market.

The 19-day event starts with a preliminary match for the women's football on July 25th, 2012 - two days before the official opening of the games - at 16:00 BST at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The first events to take place in London will be the unticketed men's and women's archery individual ranking round at Lord's cricket ground on July 27th, just a few hours before the formal opening ceremony takes place.

A worldwide audience of over four billion are expected to tune in during the Games, with around 80 per cent of the British population predicted to watch the London Olympics at some point.


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2012 Olympics - Record interest predicted for London Olympic Games

With a year to go until the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games, bookmakers are expecting record interest.

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