Bookies Change Minds on GTA Odds

Market news causes a betting rethink.

Not long ago, bookmaker Ladbrokes teamed up with industry body ELSPA to release their predictions for the best selling games this Christmas. In light of recent sales performance, they have adjusted the odds to something that is more reflective of the current market.

Where the previous co-odds-on favourites to take the Christmas season were Call Of Duty: Finest Hour and GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, the newly updated list released this week tips Rockstar's record breaking crime-action game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as 7/4 favourite to come out on top.

The other major new mover is The Incredibles from THQ, which is currently racking up impressive sales thanks to its association with the Pixar movie just hitting cinemas in the UK.

"We've been taken a little by surprise by the interest shown in The Incredibles. We posted odds of 16/1 on Monday, had to cut the price overnight to 8/1 and this is bound to drop even further," said David McMorrow, marketing manager at Ladbrokes.

"Bearing in mind that last year's winner came from out of nowhere, then we think there is a good chance we could be looking at the 2004 winner. Especially when you look at all the hype the movie is generating."

The revised top ten contenders for the Official Computer and Video Games Christmas Number One positions are as follows:

7/4 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar)
3/1 - Need For Speed: Underground 2 (EA)
5/1 - Call of Duty: Finest Hour (Activision)
5/1 - GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (EA)
6/1 - Half Life 2 (Sierra)
7/1 - Halo 2 (Microsoft)
8/1 - The Incredibles (THQ)
25/1 - Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within (Ubisoft)
25/1 - SingStar: Party (SCEE)
25/1 - The Getaway: Black Monday (SCEE)

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games