The 90-Year-Old Royal Gamble
Published:
Joe Coral founded his bookmaking business in 1926, the same year in which the Queen was born. In those 90 years, betting on the Royal Family has proved to be the most popular non-sport betting event, with millions of pounds being gambled across the country.
To mark the Queen and Coral’s 90th birthday, the bookmaker has highlighted some of the biggest Royal gambles since 1926 and, to get into the spirit of the occasion is offering a selection of 90-1 royal shots. Bets include 90-1 odds on the Queen giving a one-to-one interview this year, the Queen to go without a hat at Royal Ascot and the Queen to give a pre-vote opinion on the EU referendum.
“The news agenda has a big impact on what we talk about and how we bet and the royal family is never too far away from the headlines. In the last 90 years the British public have bet on royal births, marriages, hat colours, heirs to the throne, abdications and even Harry’s beard!” comments Coral Spokesperson Nicola McGeady.
“There are plenty of punters who believe they can beat the bookies when it comes to betting on the Royal Family. Big bets in the Windsor area tend to be spot on and in the last 90 years there have been occasions when we’ve suspended betting when unusual patterns arise in the area,” says Nicola McGeady.
**Coral’s 90-1 Royal Bets
90-1 Kate and William to have triplets
90-1 The Queen to go without a hat at Royal Ascot
90-1 A tribute song for the Queen to go to number one in the charts on her birthday
90-1 The Queen to give a one-to-one interview this year
90-1 The Queen to star in another film
90-1 The Queen to give a standing ovation to this year’s BGT winner when they perform for her.
90-1 Give a pre-vote opinion on the EU referendum
**1926 – 2016. 90 Years of the Royal Gamble **
21 April 1926: The year the first royal gamble began at Coral with punters betting on the future monarch’s name. According to the archives, Elizabeth was the favourite at 2/1, with Victoria the second favourite at 3/1, ahead of Mary and Alexandra at 5-1.
21 August 1930: The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, is born. Once again, punters gamble on the royal baby name and weight.
11 December 1936: Edward VIII’s historic abdication sparked a flurry of bets; Would he abdicate and by doing so become the first British monarch to voluntarily do so? Would he give up Wallis Simpson and remain King? The story rightly grabbed the headlines and Joe Coral’s attention too.
22 July 1939: Princess Elizabeth falls in love with Cadet Captain Philip of Greece. Bookies take bets on what year she will marry.
10 July 1947: The Palace announces the engagement of Princess Elizabeth of Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten. Bookies offer odds on the wedding date and how many children they will have.
20 November 1947: Elizabeth marries Philip and bookies predict the colour of the Queen Mother’s hat and when the royal couple will announce the birth of their first child.
14 November 1948: Prince Charles is born. Bookies announce odds on the weight, gender and name.
15 August, 1950: Princess Anne is born. The Royal gamble on gender and baby names gather pace once again.
6 February 1952: Elizabeth II succeeds to the throne following the death of George VI. Bookies take bets on whether her reign will last longer than Queen Victoria’s.
2 June 1953: Coronation of Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.
19 February 1960: Prince Andrew is born and the bookies swing into gear offering odds on the baby’s weight and name.
10 March 1964: Prince Edward is born. Bookies take bets on gender and baby name and whether the Queen will follow in Queen Victoria’s footsteps and have 9 children.
7 June 1977: The Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrates her twenty-five years on the throne. Bookies take bets on the colour of Her Majesty’s dress. She wore Pink, which was 6/1.
24 February 1981: Prince Charles and Diana announce their engagement. Bookies make predictions on how many children they will have and what year they will announce they are expecting their first child.
29 July 1981: Charles and Diana marry. Bets were placed on the colour of the Queen’s hat.
21 June 1982: Diana gives birth to Prince William. Bookies open their books on our favourite baby bets offering odds on names, gender and weight.
15 September 1984: Prince Harry is born. Again bookies take bets on the gender of the baby and its name.
24 November 1992: The Queen gave a speech at London’s Guildhall marking the 40th anniversary of her accession in which she described the current year as an “Annus horribilis.”
9 December 1992: Announcement is made that Charles and Diana are to separate, bookies speculate on who will be first back up the aisle.
9 April 2005: Charles marries Camilla Parker Bowles. Bookies take bets on colour of her hat and the Queen’s hat.
21 April 2006: The Queen celebrates her 80th birthday. Coral takes bets on the colour of the Queen’s hat.
29 April 2011: Prince William and Kate wed. Bookies take bets on who the wedding party will be, who Kate’s dress designer will be, the colour of the the Queen’ hat, Camilla’s hat, and Carole’s hat, where they will go on honeymoon, and when they will announce they are expecting their first child.
2-5 June 2012: Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The colour of Queen’s hat each day is the favourite bet with punters.
17 December 2014: Bookies suspend betting on the Queen announcing she is abdicating during her Christmas speech as she relinquishes some duties to Charles.
25 December 2014: Bookies take biggest gamble ever on most watched Christmas TV programme being the Queen’s Speech following the abdication gamble.
