Hill's say Mirren's Oscar already on Mantelpiece

Bookmakers William Hill have already begun paying out to punters who have backed Helen Mirren to win the Best Actress Oscar - it is the first time in over twenty years of Oscars betting that Hills have paid out on a winner before the announcement has actually been made. Hills will fork out in excess of £50,000 to Mirren fans who have been backing her since the Oscar betting opened. At the close of betting Helen Mirren was the 1/66 favourite with Meryl Streep 12/1 second favourite. "Our customers think the 'Best Actress' race is already over and, following Mirren's recent success at other Award ceremonies, we are inclined to agree with them. With a bit of luck, once punters have collected their winnings they will reinvest on other more competitive Oscar markets, said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams. If Helen fails to win it will be the biggest upset in Oscar betting history". In the other categories Hills rate Forest Whitaker as their 1/5 favourite to win the Best Actor Oscar, Martin Scorsese the 2/9 favourite to win the Best Director and Even money that his film The Departed will win the Best Film award. Latest Oscar odds from William Hill: Best Film: Evens - The Departed, 9/4 Little Miss Sunshine, 7/2 Babel, 10/1 Letters From Iwo Jima, 14/1 The Queen. Best Director: 2/9 Martin Scorsese ( The Departed ), 7/1 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel), 8/1 Paul Greengrass ( United 93 ), 10/1 Clint Eastwood (Letters From Iwo Jima / Flags Of Our Father ), 20/1 Stephen Frears ( The Queen ). Best Actor: 1/5 Forest Whitaker (The Last King Of Scotland), 10/3 Peter O' Toole (Venus), 16/1 Leonardo Di Caprio (The Departed/Blood Diamond), 33/1 Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson), 33/1 Will Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness).