Bet you haven’t heard the latest one about Ryanair

WILL Michael O’Leary quit his job at Ryanair this year? Wanna bet? You can: he’s 15/1 to go.

The latest entrant to the Irish online bookmaking sector gamebookers.ie has opened a book on Ryanair and Mr O'Leary.

Taking a tactic right out of rival bookmakers Paddy Power's marketing playbook, gamebookers is offering odds of just 7/1 on Ryanair starting trans-Atlantic flights this year.

The company's Sligo-based Irish manager Ed Lee said the bets on Ryanair are just fun bets.

He said: "Michael O' Leary has been riding a rollercoaster for as long as we can remember: rapid increases in passenger figures, plummeting share prices, matrimonial bliss, legal wrangling with the EU the list goes on. Gamebookers is adding a little spice to the low fares price war by speculating on the future prospects of the budget airline industry."

Among the other bets offered on Mr O'Leary are: 50/1 to be on the British Queen's birthday honours list this year and 150/1 to run for President this year.

Another interesting bet being offered is: Ryanair and Aer Lingus to merge by the end of 2005 at 500/1.

Mr Lee said that up to now the vast majority of Irish internet bookmakers process Irish punters' bets abroad so the State's exchequer has not benefited from the millions of euro gambled online.

"Gamebookers.ie will maintain tax-free betting, but by absorbing the Irish betting levy on behalf of our customers, we are in effect keeping Irish punters' money in the country.

"I hope it will herald some much overdue sensible legislation on taxation and online betting in Ireland, bringing us in line with the UK model," he said.