Bookies close market with Londonderry backed into 5/2 and 9/4

Back in April Londonderry was the outsider to take the title at 4/1. Ladbrokes were then offering odds on favourite Norwich of 6/4, whilst Sheffield was tipped at 9/4 and Birmingham was 3/1.

But the Sentinel contacted the bookmaker again as speculation over the announcment of the winner increased this week.

Ladbrokes spokesperson Nick Weinberg explained that Derry/Londonderry bid "was backed into 5/2 before the market was taken down."

The paper asked the reasons for the closure of the betting on the culture title and Mr Weinberg said it was the nature of such novelty markets that they only remain open for a week or so.

Graham Sharpe of William Hill told the paper that it had closed the book on the bid.

Londonderry had been backed from 4/1 into 9/4 and the leading bookies were unaware at what stage the judging had reached last Friday.

"The book has remained closed as we have no idea what stage the judging has reached. It is not impossible that the winner has already been chosen," said Mr Sharpe.

The Sentinel asked if this was due to a lack of interest in the title as was witnessed by Irish bookies Paddy Power who reported a poor level of betting back in April.

Mr Sharpe explained it was not due to a lack of interest, rather concerns about inside information.

He said: "The lack of interest is because we are no longer betting - if we were you can be sure that someone with an inkling of the outcome would be desperately trying to get on!"