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In recent years, bookies across the world have steered clear of taking bets on murder trials. This week it was observed that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power had begun to take bets on the outcome of South African paraplegic runner Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial.
He is charged with killing his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year. His trial is set to begin next week, 3 March 2014.
Pistorius claims he shot into a locked bathroom believing an intruder had entered the residence he shared with Steenkamp. Instead he fatally wounded his girlfriend.
News of Paddy’s offerings lit up the Twitterverse.
“Paddy Power are a shrewd, inventive and colourful bookmaker. But offering odds on the Oscar Pistorius murder trial beggars belief...,” read one tweet.
Paddy had offered 2-5 odds of a “Not Guilty” verdict and 7-4 “Guilty” verdict. The odds were quickly removed. It was not immediately clear if the betting option would continue at a later date.
In the past, Paddy Power has been lambasted for offering assassination odds on US President Barack Obama and for its mocking of little people.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
