blonde poker forum

Tucked away in the Racing Post today there are prices on this.

I think there is outstanding value in 2 of selections, but I'm interested in what other people think.

2/1 Redgrave
8/1 Coe
10/1 Reigning Monarch
12/1 Kelly Holmes
25/1 Princess Anne
33/1 Beckham
33/1 Prime Minister
33/1 Grey-Thompson
50/1 Jonathan Edwards
50/1 Amir Khan
50/1 Denise Lewis
50/1 Andy Murray
50/1 Pinsent
50/1 Radcliffe
50/1 Daley Thompson
66/1 Gunnell
66/1 Christie

Thoughts anyone?

I dont know what the standard is for who lights the flame (ie, Olympians, celebs, politicians), I assume it varies from country to country, but Becks at 33/1 seems like awesome value given he is our most recognisable sportsman

Some of the past lighters include:

Muhammed Ali, Cathy Freeman and Li Ning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Flame

becks looks like amazing value

grey-thompson looks the value to me. either that or a max lay of the monarch/prime minister, both would be completely against the olympic spirit

don't like becks with him not being an olympian

hard to see beyond redgrave though

Kelly Holmes at 12/1 looks better value than some of the others imo.

Not sure Becks really has the relevance to the event to light the flame.

Radcliffe at 50 would be my next choice at that price.

I am really warming to Becks to do it, I think there is so much pressure on the opening ceremony because it was so amazing at the last one, I cant see the UK replicating such a spectacle and have thought for a while we would be using lots of celebrities to compensate for it.

I pretty much totally agree with all of this.

While I wouldn't usually put anyone off backing a 33/1 shot, Becks has never been an Olympian and unless GB has a football team in this Olympics (do they?) and Beckham is involved I doubt he will get picked.

I think Redgrave is a genuine odds on shot, maybe as short as 1/3. He is the greatest ever Olympian, popular in the Uk and popular with the powers that be too.

If he doesn't get picked Tanni Grey-Thompson must have a decent shout and is overpriced at 33/1 imo.

These odds are with Hills, and not available online, so I'm not sure how much they will lay at 2's.

Picked out these 2 as well without reading the replies - I guess some kinda concensus don't make it nailed on but may have a tickle - out of interest, any idea when they announce their pick ?

Keith's right - Redgrave is nailed on. Coe (as organiser) and Queenie are non-starters.

Beckham is just lol - it's an Olympics, an he isn't an Olympian. Grey-Thompson loses out because Barcelona have already had the archer in the wheelchair light theirs and she wouldn't top that.

Mind you, it is being held in Hackney so probably value in backing some random youth to torch it before the ceremony even begins.

In fact, I would make second favourite 'some ten year old kid who won a competition on Blue Peter' or similar.

It's usually kept secret until the night..

I know that was the case with Freeman and Ali. I well remember the cheer going up in Atlanta when Ali appeared.

Yeah, David Coleman's voice went so high when Ali appeared that only dogs heard him.

This is an excellent call.

Wonder what price they'll lay?

If they give 25/1 or bigger that would be worth a decent bet.

What price Boris Johnson?

Only joking

Probably this

Got to be Redgrave but after that i'd have Edwards. Current WR holder isn't he? Olympic Gold medalist who still holds a record shows pedigree

Can only be Redgrave imo

im going for..

7/2 greekstein

or.... 50/1 neil channing

Agree Redgrave should be odds on.  Example of Fav-longshot bias at its best here.  Not sure of 1/3 Keith but would definitely be a backer at 4/6

Given the history of who has lit it I am surprised Jessica Ennis isn't listed.  Wouldn't mind backing her at a decent price given she might be our best hope of a high profile Olympic gold in 2012.

The more I think about it, the more I like Andrew's idea.

I'll enquire with Hilla what price any unnamed kid to light the flame is.

Ennis/Addlington/Pendleton must have a greater chance than some of the ropey old timers in Hills list.

Redgrave odds-on for me

On the Cathy Freeman precedent (Sydney went with their highest profile current athlete and a cert for Gold), Jess Ennis as an outsider

Jess Ennis...oh yeah

Don't reckon they will go for a current athlete. Brits tend to like things that have created history/legacy. That points to Redgrave or someone else of similar stature that hasn't been mentioned yet..........

Bobby Charlton?

David Bryant?

Ray Reardon?

surprised nobody fancies daley, he's still world renowned despite not being in the public eye anymore.

I think it will be an olympian of some description, a few others........

Mary Peters- Mmmm, not sure
Daley Thompson- mentioned already?
Steve Ovett- not popular enough
Pinsent- Nah, Redgrave if either of them, maybe both?
David Wilkie- nah

Nah, it will deffo be someone already mentioned or a random local kid..........

A good outsider imo, well known and everyone likes him..........

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What about a surviving British gold medalist from the London games of 1948? I believe there is one although he would be 90 by the time of the games and I have no idea of his state of health.

*insert tikay joke here*

What about Roger Bannister as a long odds effort?  Is he still alive?

Chances of 1 of the boxers?

yes...good call.

no olympic form though has he? finalled once but didn't medal?

What awesome symmetry a Coe/Ovett olympics would make.

I don't think you can underestimate David Beckham, he was instrumental in the winning London bid and was also the person chosen to represent us at the Beijing closing ceremony.

I think they could go yoof rather than prestigiousness, to represent vibrancy and optimism and shit like that.

A lot of the bumf I've read that comes from the 2012 organisers seems to be hot for yoof. It talks about what effect the legacy of the games and the facilities will have on the countries yoof, the logo was apparently designed to appeal to the global yoof.

Yoof

If you can find out who the youngest member of team GB is likely to be, and if the price is right, slap a small wodge on them. Then stick a quid on that boy what does the diving. He'll no be the youngest right enough, but it's worth a quid imo as he's still yoof and TV friendly. The youngest member might be some spotty fat bird with no chance of a medal even though she competes  a low profile sport like archery. The powers that be might think tank and say, what about that diving kid.

Just a thought and possibly a bit of a long shot, but what about Paul McCartney or someone of that ilk?

I wouldn't watch the Olympics in protest if this happened. 

Looks like all us 'Redgrave is nailed on' merchants would have done our money and it's looking very much like Rich Stevenson was the only one who spotted the true value, with Maxriddles spotting the other long shot that's gained momentum.

A real tragedy that Rich isn't here to see if he was right.

It would be out of step with previous games to have an 'Olympic great'. Arguably it hasn't been assigned to such since Nurmi/Kolehmainen in 1952.

Last week it was rumoured to be a straight choice between Redgrave & Thompson, but I don't think that either of them has helped their case, so I actually now think it is unlikely to be either of them. Not sure why Thompson is such long odds in the OP though.

I also think that Bannister, David Bond (the 1948 gold medallist) or some young athlete is the most likely. Holmes is certain to be involved. Talk of a "mutually agreeable solution" having been found suggests a group lighting, but looks like a deliberate leak, so it might be a smokescreen.

James Bond or Mr Bean is my late guess

David Beckon to kick a blazing football into the torch to light it imo  :)

some gymnast is the youngest - lots of potential, but I just can't see it working to have basically an unknown do it.

FWIW I reckon in some way Beckham is going to be the one who hands over to whoever the person is who does the actual lighting.

What time is the ceremony on TV?

Starts 9pm, but the build up on tv is a bit earlier.

5live this morning were saying roger bannister

Kirsty Howard


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsty_Howard

I've got a funny feeling it's going to be some kooky joint lighting.  Personally I'd like to see it being Bannister or Thompson.

In an unrelated note, have you noticed how in the build up there has been as far as I can tell zero mention of Linford Christie, former 100m Gold medalist.  I know he got caught on the drugs but that was well after the 92 games and in his 'farewell year.'

All bets off? Void?

FML - picked it.

All bets losers.

Stunning if not profitable!

oh no, i get the feeling that 'others on request' might be in the rules which will be a terrible way to settle.

lol that's exactly what I was thinking - how can it be a void bet?

I think goodwill is the only way anybody gets their bets back.

Mate of mine that owns an independent bookies in Bournemouth just tweeted:

At Jem Racing all customers will be refunded on torch bets. Anyone who backed one of the actual 7 lighters will have their account closed !!

yes i agree but technically everybody in the world was runner if you use others on request.

The winners were all a gazillion/1 to be the winners but were  available if you asked for them by name.

looks horrid.

haha brilliant. in fact it is so good I have nicked it.

I was thinking voided because it's a bet you couldn't honestly win.

Ladbrokes paying out on Redgrave

Paying out on all 7 of the handers-over I believe.

*may have made up a word there

Weird, Redgrave was last but seven.

David Williams says Ladbrokes will pay out on the seven nominators.

https://twitter.com/magicsignman/status/229000613248245761

Sky Bet have refunded already, fair play.

They were really sweating this result - I understand they had a liability of nearly £10

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

0920: Bodog have paid out on Sir Steve Redgrave as the winner of the Who Will Light The Olympic Flame market that kept punters up past midnight.

A group of seven young athletes were given the final honour of lighting the ceremonial flame in the Olympic Stadium, but the firm felt such a result shouldn't represent a winner for them.

"As it turned out that result would have been a total skinner for us but as Redgrave was clearly the last of our quoted runners to carry the torch we've made the call to pay out on him," said the firm's Nick Gray.

Redgrave was a 6/4 chance with the firm yesterday afternoon, and traded as short as 1/4 to light the flame with Bodog as Danny Boyle's spectacular opening ceremony got underway.

Sky Bet, William Hill and Betfred meanwhile have decided to refund all bets, while Paddy Power claim to have paid out on seven winners although it's unclear who those seven are.

Stan James are paying out on the seven who lit actually lit the flame while voiding all other bets (!?).

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Not quite but Stan James are following Ladbrokes' lead in paying out on the 'ambassadors'. https://twitter.com/roryjiwani/status/229129158607900672

I've no idea if Ladbrokes and Stan James are paying out on full odds or 'one seventh' of the odds though.