Paddy Power Releases

As NASA's Curiosity Rover begins it’s third day on the Martian surface, betting firm Paddy Power are taking bets on whether the $2.5-billion science probe will find conclusive evidence of past life on the Red Planet.

Paddy Power are offering short odds of 5/6 that Curiosity will indeed be successful in finding evidence of past life on Mars before the end of 2020. However, proof of intelligent life being found is considered a far less likely 20/1 shot according to their odds.

In other extra-terrestrial betting news, USA remains the 4/1 favourite, ahead of both Russia and China, to be the first country to establish direct ‘first contact’ with an intelligent alien civilisation.

A spokesperson from Paddy Power said “We’ve been inundated with requests over the past 48-hours for betting on whether the Curiosity Rover proves past life on Mars. It may be just wishful thinking but 100% of all bets placed so far have been on a positive outcome.”

Will NASA's Curiosity Rover prove past life on Mars?
5/6       Yes
5/6       No         
(Applies to proof of any organism existing on Mars. Must be confirmed by NASA by the end of 2020)
           

Will NASA's Curiosity Rover prove past intelligent life on Mars?
20/1      Yes
1/80      No      
(Applies to proof of any extra-terrestrial intelligent life on Mars. Must be confirmed by NASA by the end of 2020)

Which country will have first contact?
4/1        USA
5/1        Russia
5/1        China
7/1        Finland
8/1        Sweden
14/1      Canada
14/1      UK
16/1      France
20/1      Brazil
20/1      Spain
20/1      Australia
20/1      Germany
25/1      Ireland
25/1      South Africa
Ends

All prices remain subject to fluctuation.

Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker and a leading provider of gaming services in the UK, Australia, France, Canada, Italy and Ireland. Founded in 1988 Paddy Power is a publicly quoted company and is listed on both the Irish and London Stock Exchanges (www.paddypowerplc.com)

For more information contact;

Ken Robertson
Paddy Power plc
Tel: ++353 1 902 1291
Mob: ++353 87 8528 718
ken@paddypower.com