Odds Are

Days after the presidential election, no one was willing to concede defeat. No one, that is, but the Paddy Power bookmaking chain in Ireland, which made a “judgement call” and decided to pay off on wagers that Bush would win. The bookies paid out 90,000 Irish punts (US$100,000) to customers who placed their bets on the Texan. (AFP) ...Probably mainly because to pay out on Gore would have cost them millions.