News

Mantel becomes first ever odds-on Booker favourite

06.10.09 | Catherine Neilan

Hilary Mantel is the "hottest favourite ever" to win the Man Booker Prize for her historical novel Wolf Hall, even though Simon Mawer has made a late burst.

Mantel has led the pack since the shortlist was announced a month ago, but is now the first-ever odds-on favourite, with Labrokes taking bets for her to win at 8/13 and William Hill at 10/11.

However, the bookies' favourite has not picked up the coveted prize in seven years, when Yann Martell's Life of Pi picked up the 2002 prize. JM Coetzee - also in the running this year - had been the favourite in 1999 for his winning novel Disgrace.

Simon Mawer has seen his book, The Glass Room, rise from 14/1 outsider to the second favourite at 7/2 at William Hill, but remains at 6/1 odds at Ladbrokes, where Coetzee's Summertime and Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger tie in second place at odds of 5/1.

Nick Weinberg, spokesman for Ladbrokes, said more than 80% of all wagers had gone for Mantel. "There's only one name on literary punters' lips. It will be a huge surprise if she fails to secure the prize."

But Graham Sharpe, William Hill spokesman, was a little more circumspect. Despite seeing a similar skew in betting - with Mantel taking more than 75% of the money - he highlighted the historic "curse of the favourite hitch".

"[This] has seen several strongly fancied contenders like David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas and Ian McEwen's Atonement fall by the wayside in recent years," he said.

"The last two winners - Aravand Adiga's The White Tiger and Anne Enright's The Gathering were both the complete outsiders, so for bookmakers the Booker has been very profitable for the last decade - and long may that continue."

Shortlist Odds at William Hill

Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall - 10/11

Simon Mawer The Glass Room 7/2

J M Coetzee Summertime - 6/1

Sarah Waters The Little Stranger - 6/1

A S Byatt The Children's Book - 8/1

Adam Foulds The Quickening Maze - 12/1

Shortlist Odds at Ladbrokes

Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall - 8/13

J M Coetzee Summertime - 5/1

Sarah Waters The Little Stranger - The Glass Room 6/1

A S Byatt The Children's Book - 8/1

Adam Foulds The Quickening Maze - 10/1


Latest Jobs

Managing Editor, Professional, London
This is a great opportunity for...
Competitive + benefits
Export Sales Executive
We have an opportunity for an Export...
Competitive
Indexed Content Manager
A professional publisher of a leading...
Competitive
 

TheBookseller