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April 18, 2015

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UK public bets the house on royal baby being a girl

Source: AFP | April 18, 2015, Saturday | Print Edition

PRINCE William and his wife Kate’s second baby will be a girl, bookmakers have predicted, with Alice tipped as the most likely name for Britain’s new royal baby.

A little sister for one-year-old Prince George is more likely than a baby brother, betting firms reckon.

Most bookmakers have Alice as their favorite name, closely followed by Charlotte and Elizabeth, as Britain awaits the baby expected later this month.

Paddy Power has Alice at 6/4, meaning a 4 pound bet would return 6 pounds for the win, plus the 4 pound stake back if the prediction proves right.

Charlotte is thought the next most likely baby name at 6/1, then Elizabeth at 7/1, Victoria at 14/1, Alexandra at 16/1 and Diana, the name of William’s late mother, at 20/1.

Ladbrokes has the chances of a baby girl at 8/13 and a boy at 6/5.

“Nearly 90 percent of all bets have been for a girl,” said Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge.

The firm prices the name Alice at 2/1.

“Those odds have absolutely collapsed from 20/1 about six weeks ago. The momentum has just been building and building and we’ve had to cut the odds every day,” Bridge said.

Among boys’ names, Arthur, James and Alexander are the common favorites.

William Hill quotes Arthur and James at 14/1, Henry and Richard at 20/1, with Alexander and Philip at 25/1. Albert, Edward and Louis are all 33/1 shots.

“Alice has been the name most punters have wanted to back in recent days and the gamble is showing no sign of stopping,” said Coral’s John Hill.

“We expect interest in betting to intensify the closer we get to Kate giving birth,” he said.

Bookmakers William Hill said that more than half the bets it has taken in the past week have been on Alice.

“We believe the name must be at the very least on the shortlist,” said spokesman Rupert Adams.

Bookmakers are also offering a range of other betting markets, such as the baby’s weight, hair color and who will be named as its godparents.

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