Weller Slashed To 1/10 For Mercury Music Prize After "Unprecedented Gamble"

6 Sep 2010

William Hill have slashed the price on Paul Weller winning Tuesday’s Mercury Music Prize from 20/1 to just 1/10 following an “unprecedented gamble”.

Hills have reported a huge number of big wagers of £100 or more, predominantly in shops around the Birmingham area, over the weekend, forcing the price down to just 1/10 at time of writing.

The XX are offered at 7/4 with Wild Beasts 5/1 and Laura Marling 7/1.

The bookmaker claimed that the bets may be the work of a syndicate who have “clubbed together” to back the 52-year-old, who has never won the award before, and Hills spokesperson Rupert Adams believes that the bets are not based on any sort of insider knowledge.

"We have a long history with the Mercury Prize, where the judging panel is beyond reproach,” said Adams. “We also know that the winner is not decided until Tuesday night, therefore we feel that the gamble is based on a sentimental belief that Paul was robbed back in 1994 and the judging panel will attempt to right that wrong this year," said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.

At time of writing, Weller was trading at 16/9 on Betfair. Bet365 are 6/4 with Paddy Power 6/5.