Bookies are ashen as England close in on Glory

August 28, 2005

NOW BOOKIES ARE ASHEN FACED AS ENGLAND CLOSE IN ON GLORY.......With an all-time cricket betting record of some £50 million being gambled on the Ashes Series bookmakers William Hill are bracing themselves for a massive patriotic payout to punters who never lost faith in England regaining the Ashes, even when they lost the first match of the series.

'England's odds were 3/1 before the Series and they spiralled up to 10/1 after they lost the first match, but tens of thousands of patriotic punters kept the faith and have been pouring fivers, tenners and hundreds on them throughout the series - including one customer who has a bet of £3000 on an England triumph and another who staked £2500. We are looking at potentially our biggest patriotic payout since England's rugby players won the 2003 World Cup.' said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

England are now 8/15  favourites to win the Ashes with Hills who make the Aussies 11/8 to get the victory they need in the final match to draw the series and retain the Ashes.Hills offer England at 2/1 to win the final match with a drawn game 7/4.

**Andrew Flintoff is now 1/3 favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award with William Hill who have Michael Vaughan at 8/1

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