Following the news that the Doomsday Clock has been moved back by one minute, reflecting a more optimistic view of the world’s chances of avoiding nuclear catastrophe, leading bookmaker Paddy Power are offering odds on which direction the hands of the symbolic clock will next move.
In seemingly bad news for planet Earth the bookies odds of 2/5 tip the clock, which is now set at six minutes to twelve, to move closer to midnight.
Betting is also available on what time the Doomsday Clock will be next set to with a return to 5 minutes before midnight the 11/8 favourite. More optimistic punters may be interested in the longer odds of 4/1 for the clock to be moved back to 7 minutes or 6/1 to be pushed back even further to 8 minutes to midnight.
Bets can also be placed on what year the white coats in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ will next change the clock with 2015 or later emerging as the 5/2 favourite.
Paddy Power said,
Betting trends so far point towards the boffins moving the clock back closer to midnight but obviously its in the lap of the gods.
Next Doomsday Clock Change
2/5 Closer to Midnight
7/4 Further from Midnight
Time of Doomsday Clock after Change
50/1 Midnight
33/1 1 Minute to Midnight
12/1 2 Minutes to Midnight
6/1 3 Minutes to Midnight
5/2 4 Minutes to Midnight
11/8 5 Minutes to Midnight
4/1 7 Minutes to Midnight
6/1 8 Minutes to Midnight
16/1 9 Minutes to Midnight
20/1 10 Minutes to Midnight
When will the clock be changed again?
8/1 2010
9/2 2011
7/2 2012
3/1 2013
11/4 2014
5/2 2015 or later
