Obama gets longshot odds for West Ham job

LONDON

Wednesday, 03 September 2008 23:15:43

-

From the West Wing to West Ham, Barack Obama is in the running for two big jobs.

The Democratic presidential nominee was listed as a 10,000-1 shot to take over Premier League football club West Ham on Wednesday after a London-based businessman bet 10 pounds ($17.80) that Obama will replace Alan Curbishley as the team's manager.

British bookmaker William Hill agreed to offer the unidentified customer the longshot odds on Obama swapping politics for the Premier League, although no one expects the 100,000 pound prize to materialize despite rumors that Obama has been a fan of the Hammers since visiting Britain five years ago.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said that the bettor simply wanted to show his American friends and clients a betting slip with the Illinois senator's name on it.

"We offered 10,000-1 as he is probably more concerned with winning a slightly higher profile job for himself at the moment," Sharpe said. "But if he loses out on that one and the position is still up for grabs, you never know."

In the other race, William Hill quotes Obama as the 4-9 favorite to beat John McCain and become president of the United States. McCain is listed at 13-8.

As for West Ham, William Hill lists Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, a former West Ham player, as a 3-1 favorite.