Politics By  Graham Sharpe
BOOKMAKERS William Hill have cut their odds for the General Election to result in a Hung Parliament to the shortest odds they have ever quoted for that option - 1/7 - meaning that a £7 bet on the possibility would return a profit of just £1.
'On the last General Election polling day in 2010 a Hung Paliament was quoted at 4/7, but when we started betting on the 2015 Election the odds were 10/11, before drifting out to as long as 2/1 in December 2010. Since then they have consistently shortened to their current level' said William Hill spokesman, Graham Sharpe.'It looks like we'll be hung out to dry - literally - on this market'
One William Hill customer from South West London has staked the biggest ever General Election bet of £200,000 on a Hung Parliament, and stands to make a profit of £44,444 having placed his bet at odds of 2/9.
However, even if there is a Hung Parliament, negotiations between the various Parties will produce a government, and Hills are anticipating that it will be a Labour minority government - their current 7/4 favourite. Hills also offer:
OUTCOME OF GENERAL ELECTION.......1/7 Hung Parliament; 74 Lab min; 11/4 Con min; 6/1 Con maj; 6/1 Con-LD; 13/2 Coalition involving SNP; 8/1 Lab-LD; 16/1 Lab maj; 16/1 Coalition involving UKIP; 25/1 Coalition involving Greens; 25/1 Coalition involving DUP; 33/1 Con-Lab; 200/1 Ukip maj; 1000/1 LD maj
Hills have opened a market for how many seats each Party will win:
  • Tories- 10/11 285 or more......10/11 284 or fewer
  • Lab-    10/11 273 or more......10/11 272 or fewer
  • LD-     10/11 27 or more........10/11 26 or fewer
  • SNP-   10/11 44 or more........10/11 43 or fewer
  • UKIP-  6/5    5 or more...........8/13 4 or fewer
  • PlaidC- 11/10 4 or more...........4/6 3 or fewer
  • Green-  1/3 1 or more...............9/4 None
PARTY TO WIN MOST SEATS.....8/15 Con; 6/4 Lab; 200/1 Ukip; 1000/1 LD
PARTY TO WIN MOST VOTES......1/3 Cons; 9/4 Lab
PM ON AUG 1, 2015- 10/11 Cameron; 10/11 Miliband; 16/1 Any other.