PaddyPower.com Offers Betting On Endangered Species, Next BP CEO In Wake Of Oil Spill

PaddyPower.com is cashing in on the recent oil spill disaster by offering gamblers the chance to place bets on environmental and corporate fallout in the wake of the Gulf oil spill.

The Ireland-based bookmaking website, whose "mission is to make 'risk-based entertainment' more accessible and fun," has opened betting on a macabre environmental concern: which endangered species will become the first to perish because of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Those wagering bets have put Kemp's ridley sea turtle at the head of the running with 4/5 odds of becoming extinct. The Kemp's ridley is considered the most endangered species of sea turtle and its migration patterns take the turtles to the Gulf of Mexico during this time of year. The species made a "fragile recovery" after a 1979 oil spill, but estimates peg the turtle's adult population at just 8,000 individuals.

Other animals on the list include Louisiana's state bird, the brown pelican, bluefin tuna, and the leatherback sea turtle. Sperm whales and Blue whales have 16/1 odds for becoming extinct first against species such as the loggerhead turtle.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Paddy Power said, "We hope this betting will highlight the environmental catastrophe unfolding right now as a result of the BP oil spill. It's a sure bet we'll lose some marine species, the only question is which ones."

In addition to betting on the extinction of entire species, PaddyPower has opened betting on BP's next CEO.

Should the oil giant decide to replace current CEO Tony Hayward, those betting on the company's next leader have placed the best odds on BP regional director Iain Conn.

Last year, PaddyPower began taking bets on the estimated global population of polar bears in 2011. Global warming poses a huge threat to the animals.

For its results, PaddyPower plans to consult the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an environmental organization that tracks the world's most endangered species.

The website's other betting opportunities range from the World Cup to the results of upcoming elections.

Comments

[WYHKTai-Tai]

10:48 PM on 05/26/2010

Bottom-feeders. The very basest instincts of humanity.

Reminds me of that scene in the old 'Rollerball' with (James Caan) movie where they rich people fire grenade-launchers at the few remaining trees for fun. We are dooomed.

[Blixa]

06:12 PM on 05/26/2010

Paddy Power. You can always count on them...

Gawd, I've gotta get out of this thread. This is making me cry.

[had-enough]

04:09 PM on 05/26/2010

WHAT DO WE DO WITH TONY HAYWARD?????????? BRITISH PUNK!!!!!!

[Dannyisme]

02:40 PM on 05/26/2010

I wonder if Goldman is betting...

[WYHKTai-Tai]

10:46 PM on 05/26/2010

They don't seem to play 'games of chance'. If they 'invested', (bet!), they'd do it after they personally gutted all those turtles themselves.

[RButler]

09:16 AM on 05/26/2010

On Leno last night, he said the first species to go extinct will be .......................Democrats.

[dannypt]

09:09 AM on 05/26/2010

I'll take fifty on humanity...

[smile13]

11:33 AM on 05/26/2010

Me too!

[LHoney]

09:08 AM on 05/26/2010

Going short on your own existence... how 21st century.

[GonzoBrawler]

08:58 AM on 05/26/2010

.......The Ireland-based bookmaking website, whose "mission is to make 'risk-based entertainment' more accessible and fun," . . . . .

Yea, because betting on what species is going to die, and become extinct is entertaining & fun. What the heII is wrong with people. They should donate all of the profits to try and save these poor animals for extinction, because BP sure as heII doesn't give a rats a*s about them, or anything else except for money, for that matter.

[WYHKTai-Tai]

10:50 PM on 05/26/2010

fanned & faved. totally agree.

[4KixAfter6]

08:42 AM on 05/26/2010

Isn't Wall St. doing the same thing? They bet on anything.

[4KixAfter6]

08:45 AM on 05/26/2010

Oh yea, the only difference is Wall St. uses taxpayers money. And when Wall St. loses the taxpayer pays.

[PTC75]

08:42 AM on 05/26/2010

Since their main concern is "highlighting the environmental catastrophe", I'm sure they'll be giving all of the proceeds to Greenpeace and the Sierra Club.

[SiO2]

08:38 AM on 05/26/2010

One after another, they will fall. WE, human beings, seem to be causing the largest mass extinction our planet has possibly ever seen. The Permian-Triassic extinction killed 57% of all families and 83% of all genera, but it was caused by natural earthly processes (volcanism, bolide impact, etc.) I wonder what this Holocene extinction will look like when it's through? 140,000 species a year and counting...

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:18 AM on 05/26/2010

PaddyPower is so beyond the pale that it would take bets on which Irish bishop is the next to have it off with an altar boy. I am not exaggerating.

In Boston, if you say 'paddy' some Southie drunk will duff you over.

Paddy. Paddy. Here, Paddy..............................

[Toddynho]

07:49 AM on 05/26/2010

Nothing new here. Many make their earnings off the misfortune and misery of others and other species. This is Adam Smith's invisible BACKHAND at work. And as long as there are those who will happily generate wealth from crap like this, crap like this will not only continue, but it will be fostered and created. Or haven't we learned our lessons as to how big companies make their millions from the miseries and misfortunes of fabricated wars, yet?

[Will Hart]

07:46 AM on 05/26/2010

I am betting for mankind ! The odds are not too good but if I win, it's a huge payout !

[America free]

06:31 AM on 05/26/2010

I am betting on Libs because lately all their heads are popping.

[Counterglow]

07:09 AM on 05/26/2010

Cons should do fine. They're just about smart enough to breed, feed and spend their grandchildren's money. Harder to kill than roaches, and nearly as useful.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:19 AM on 05/26/2010

Grandchildren? Cons are too busy in airport stalls to breed.