MAKE IT STOP: ‘Betting On Weird Shit’ Hits New Low With Budget-Themed Odds

Attn: betting companies of the world.

Stop it. STOP. This is getting ridiculous.

Today PEDESTRIAN.TV received an email from betting co. William Hill, informing us of the odds that Julie Bishop will give Scott Morrison a kiss on the cheek after his budget speech. FYI, they’re paying $1.02 for ‘yes’ and and $10 for ‘no’, the exact same odds as Malcolm Turnbull giving ScoMo a handshake or “a bit of a squeeze” at the end of his budget speech.

WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK? Betting companies jumping on the events of the day to convince you that gambling is a fun and not-at-all-destructive activity isn’t new, but christ. THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR AND IT NEEDS TO STOP. RIGHT NOW.

Aside from the pleasing thought that you could pocket some serious cash if either Turnbull or Bishop snubs Morrison hard, this whole thing is getting… weird. And specific.

“Yeah yeah,” we hear you say, “it’s not that weird, it’s actually pretty normal, you’re making a big of a mountain out of this whole–”

OH ARE WE NOW? Well about betting on whether ScoMo drops the word ‘tax’ more than 76 times in his budget speech? That is not hyperbole. That is a thing you can bet on.

Yes $1.60

No $2.10

Or whether he says ‘small business’ more than 42 times?

Yes $1.60

No $2.10

Why these numbers, you asked? Because that is exactly how many times then-Treasurer Joe Hockey used those words in his budget speech last year. Lord help us all.

Wildly concerning variables aside – if Turnbull goes in for a “bit of a squeeze” but trips and accidentally kind of hugs Morrison, will William Hill pay? – this is a terrible practice that should be stopped.

Photo: Getty / Stefan Postles.