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By Fergus Black
Wednesday October 01 2008
ROCKERS the Kaiser Chiefs had in mind a rowdy night out in their native
Leeds when they wrote their smash hit 'I Predict a Riot'.
But maverick bookmaker Paddy Power now predicts riots of a different kind
are about to sweep cities around the world.
The chain says it's only a matter of time before people take to the streets
in protest at the global economic crisis.
The bookmaker is now offering odds to punters on which major city will be
the first victim of riots motivated by the uncertainty sweeping the world's
economies.
The bookie chain has installed New York as its 9/4 favourite for the first
riot, just ahead of Paris at 3/1 with Washington at 10/3 and London 9/2.
"If people get even the slightest hint that their pensions or savings are in
jeopardy it's not a massive leap of faith to presume there will be
widespread civil unrest faster than you can say 'where did we leave the
water cannon?'" predicts Paddy Power.
Dublin is quoted at odds of 7/1 to fall victim to an economic crisis-inpired
riot -- a prediction dismissed yesterday by the Consumer Association of
Ireland.
"It may as well be odds of 7,000/1," said CAI vice-chairman Michael
Kilcoyne.
"It won't happen in Dublin because we are probably the most law-abiding
people in the world," he added. "We just take what we are given."
The Financial Regulator declined to comment on Paddy Power's betting on
riots, referring instead to the Government guarantee to safeguard all bank
deposits as a reason for optimism.
- Fergus Black
http://www.independent.ie/business/i...y-1486484.html
Wednesday October 01 2008
ROCKERS the Kaiser Chiefs had in mind a rowdy night out in their native
Leeds when they wrote their smash hit 'I Predict a Riot'.
But maverick bookmaker Paddy Power now predicts riots of a different kind
are about to sweep cities around the world.
The chain says it's only a matter of time before people take to the streets
in protest at the global economic crisis.
The bookmaker is now offering odds to punters on which major city will be
the first victim of riots motivated by the uncertainty sweeping the world's
economies.
The bookie chain has installed New York as its 9/4 favourite for the first
riot, just ahead of Paris at 3/1 with Washington at 10/3 and London 9/2.
"If people get even the slightest hint that their pensions or savings are in
jeopardy it's not a massive leap of faith to presume there will be
widespread civil unrest faster than you can say 'where did we leave the
water cannon?'" predicts Paddy Power.
Dublin is quoted at odds of 7/1 to fall victim to an economic crisis-inpired
riot -- a prediction dismissed yesterday by the Consumer Association of
Ireland.
"It may as well be odds of 7,000/1," said CAI vice-chairman Michael
Kilcoyne.
"It won't happen in Dublin because we are probably the most law-abiding
people in the world," he added. "We just take what we are given."
The Financial Regulator declined to comment on Paddy Power's betting on
riots, referring instead to the Government guarantee to safeguard all bank
deposits as a reason for optimism.
- Fergus Black
http://www.independent.ie/business/i...y-1486484.html
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