Elvis lives! 10 events that the bookies thought were more likely than Leicester winning the league.

When fantasy becomes reality

Vinnie Jones will receive an Oscar in the category for ‘Best Actor’ – 2500/1

Before becoming an actor, Vinnie Jones played football at a professional level. He was known as a tough guy and ‘bonecrusher’, causing injuries left, right and centre. After he retired from football he starred in Guy Ritchie films ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ and ‘Snatch’ where he played ‘Big Chris’ and ‘Bullet Tooth Tony’ respectively. After that, Jones became popular in Hollywood, starting in many well-known box office films, including ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ ‘Eurotrip and ‘Escape Plan’. However, he never played the main role and hardly anyone would call him a versatile actor. To be the best in Hollywood and receive an ‘Oscar’ is even tough for those in lead roles and who are admired around the world. Leonardo DiCaprio is a typical example (he only received his statue in 2016). It is not surprising that the odds on Jones to win an Oscar are so high as nobody sees him as a great candidate.

The ‘King of Rock and Roll’, Elvis Presley, will be found alive – 2000/1

One of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ Elvis Presley suddenly died in 1977. It was at this point that Elvis showed the fatigue of living in the epicenter of show business. On the day of the death, 16th August, the musician took a sedative dose, and some time later was found lifeless on the floor. Straightaway there were theories and suppositions that The King is actually still alive. According to one version, he faked his death and retired from show business. There is evidence favor of this fake death as, for example, there are a lack of photos of Presley’s dead body. In addition, there have been constant reports that Elvis has been seen alive in different parts of the world. Do not forget that the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ was close to the US authorities, and even had the status of an honorary FBI agent. All these facts and assumptions have long turned Elvis into a mythical character.

However, this ‘disclosure’ regarding Elvis seems to be something from the realm of fantasy. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power offered odds of 2000/1 on Elvis still being alive, which means the following: Elvis has long been in the hereafter sipping whiskey in the company of John Lennon, Jim Morrison and the rest.

Kim Kardashian becomes U.S. President – 2000/1

Of course, in recent years, to be a woman in the highest echelons of power in the United States has become fashionable, and Hillary Clinton has a very high chance of becoming President of the country. However, in the past she was Secretary of State rather than a model and, despite the enormous popularity of Kim Kardashian, this is definitely not enough for her to qualify for the post of Head of State. Kim’s husband, the famous hip-hop artist Kanye West, meanwhile, in 2015, announced his intention to run for US president in 2020. Bookmakers then estimated his chances of becoming President at 20/1. Among a backdrop of rumors and news about Kanye and Kim’s family, Paddy Power must have decided that Kardashian has some kind of superman syndrome and suggested odds of 2000/1 that the American model of Armenian descent will become president of the United States. We also note, judging by quotes from Paddy Power, that the chance of Kardashian becoming the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is much higher than of becoming the leader of her country. These odds were placed at 500/1 (the same amount, for example, as Wayne Rooney, Sepp Blatter and Kanye West).

Sir Alex Ferguson will take part in the TV show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ – 1000/1

British entertainment television program Strictly Come Dancing was first shown on the BBC in 2004. The show has become very popular, and dozens of versions of ‘Strictly’ have been broadcast on TV around the world. In Britain, football stars Peter Schmeichel and David Seaman have both participated, but failed to win the competition. In August 2015 the newspaper Manchester Evening News published an article in which they studied possible candidates to participate in the new season of Strictly Come Dancing, and among them, was Manchester United legend and the club’s former coach Sir Alex Ferguson. Ladbrokes then reacted to the publication and assessed the chances of 74-year-old, now resting in retirement, winning the popular TV show at odds of 1000/1.

Film about Leicester Jamie Vardy wins an Oscar – 1000/1

The history of Jamie Vardy is unique and very cinematic. His personal story is a great plot for a Hollywood movie as it shows how someone is transformed from a loser into a winner. ‘The Boy from Nowhere’ Vardy has a lot of life experience: house arrest, expulsion from the academy of his hometown club Sheffield Wednesday, working in a factory. He played his first match in professional football at 25 years old but has gone on to break goal records (Vardy scored in 11 straight games and set a new Premier League record). Furthermore he has earned a call to the England national team and scored a back heeled goal against the World Champions and finally has won the title with Leicester.

Back in February, the British writer of the movie ‘Goal!’ and ‘Goal 2: Living the Dream’ Adrian Butchart spoke of his plans to create a full-length film about Vardy and his transformation. If the idea is embodied into a good movie, it will certainly have a chance to win the love of moviegoers. However, to win an ‘Oscar’, as we have noted, is very difficult. By the way, the latest sports film to win ‘Best Film’, is ‘Rocky’ and that was back in 1977. A football movie has never claimed the award. Therefore odds of 1000/1 on it happening is probably correct.

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner declares himself to be a virgin – 1000/1

It would be hard to believe that the 90-year-old founder and chief editor of the world-famous Playboy magazine Hugh Hefner is in fact a virgin. If you are the editor in chief of Playboy magazine, the sexual atmosphere prevails around you 24 hours a day. Everyone knows that Hef is constantly meeting with different models, and, from 2000, he lived for ten years in his mansion with 7 different girls ranging from 18 to 28 years old. However in 2012, he married model Crystal Harris. You have to try incredibly hard to be surrounded by beauties for an entire lifetime and remain a virgin.

David Beckham will take charge of Manchester City – 750/1

It is inconceivable that David Beckham, who made his debut in professional football  for Manchester United and was at the club for ten years from the age of 17, would be in the camp of the principle, arch-rival club Manchester City. History, of course, knows cases when former Red Devils became Citizens (for example, Carlos Tevez and Owen Hargreaves). However, no recognized legend of Manchester United could ever never afford to do it. Beckham has no reason to delete itself from the hearts of Manchester United fans so he would surely never work for Manchester City.

The 1969 American Moon landing turns out to be fake  – 500/1

The world is full of supporters of the ‘lunar conspiracy theory’. They believe that the photographs and other documentary materials relating to the lunar expeditions were rigged. However, this conspiracy theory has plenty of opponents. In particular, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the theory of falsifying statements regarding the Moon landing ‘nonsense.’ Paddy Power, meanwhile, estimates that the probability of the Moon landing, led by Neil Armstrong, to be fake at a factor of 500/1. Only the US government can confirm or deny this theory and, in 2010, President Barack Obama proposed to Congress that they should curtail the funding for the program of returning man to the Moon. However, it is certainly foolish to consider the Moon landing as fiction.

Jamie Vardy or Dele Alli to play the next James Bond – 500/1

They would not only have to reincarnate as James Bond but change their job. Everyone has their job: the actors in films, the players out on the field. Leicester forward Jamie Vardy (about who, as we mentioned above, they are planning to make a film) and midfielder Tottenham Dele Alli have both got into the England squad and are playing for the most successful clubs in the country this season so it is too early to think about what they will do after their football career. Of course, they can follow the footsteps of Vinnie Jones. However, he never has never played the role of James Bond. Only jokers from Paddy Power are considering Vardy and Alli to be the next James Bond.

The existence of aliens is proven in 2016 – 26/1

US presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, once hinted that if she wins the election then White House materials about aliens and UFOs could be declassified. Upon this news, the odds from Paddy Power of aliens being proven to exist fell sharply from 1000/1 to 26/1. This means that we are probably very close to the disclosure of the truth about aliens. In this case the chance of the declassification of these materials in 2017, 2018 and 2019 are estimated at odds of 81/1. It is said that Hillary Clinton has a very high chance of becoming US president in 2016 and bookmakers are in virtually no doubt about this.