Royal Baby Bets Suddenly Favor A Boy

Are Kate Middleton and Prince William having a boy? The odds are higher than ever, at least for gamblers. The British-based gaming company, Ladbrokes, has seen a surge in bets on a prince this past week. They estimate that 72% of all betters on the baby's sex have been opting for a boy, but only in the past seven days.

That's a change from the popular bet throughout the year. Since Kate Middleton's pregnancy was announced in December, the majority of betters have been putting their money on a future princess. This week, however, things have inexplicably changed.

“It’s been one-way traffic for a girl all year, but money talks, and the punters cash suggests a boy is back on the cards,” Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes stated in a press release on Wednesday. Meanwhile,William Hill, another British-based gaming company, currently quotes the odds of a male being 5/4, similar to Ladbrokes' 6/4 odds.

Gamblers aren’t only guessing the gender of the baby.The name, due date, hair color, and even whether William or Kate will be the one holding the baby as the family leave the hospital are all categories open and available for betting. Last month, the Intertnational Business Times reported that a mysterious man in a top hat and tails put £100 ($152) on the name Mary after the Royal Ascot race. Since the event is attended by many Royal relatives and associates, this led conspiracy theorists to wonder whether the man was going on more than just luck.

So will we soon meet Princess Mary? Maybe not. The most recent betting odds published by Ladbrokes shows that the name Mary has fallen firmly into the middle of the pack, with Alexandra being the name with the best odds. And it may seem like just a game, but those who guess right can make a few bucks. Back in 1982, William Hill had to pay out about $45,000 to the people who picked William as the name for the future prince.