SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
UK bookmakers have claimed that an astonishing £80 million has been wagered on the BBC EastEnders Lucy Beale ‘whodunnit’ TV special, as UK TV audiences tuned in to find out who was behind the TV characters murder.
The wagering figures placed on the EastEnders live week TV plot line, celebrating the shows 30th anniversary has left UK bookmakers astounded, as TV punters and UK media have speculated daily on who killed Lucy Beale
Ladbrokes today stated that it had taken over 50,000 individual bets with money wagered on 77 different suspects
William Hill stated that its betting shops had recorded 10,000 bets on the TV special, and that it expected a further surge as the TV market enters its final hours.
Betfair announced on Twitter, that the EastEnders story had seen more bets wagered than the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
More bets were placed on #WhoKilledLucy tonight than 2014 Champions League Final. #EELive pic.twitter.com/t9nZ143lt4
— Betfair (@Betfair) February 19, 2015
On Thursday UK bookmakers feared that the shows plotline may have been leaked as betting markets saw a surge of bets placed on long term character Billy Mitchell (played by actor Perry Fenwick).
The popularity and success of the EastEnders liveweek has been described as a game changer for UK novelty betting markets, as the TV show is likely to smash all previous TV betting records.
