Bookie taking bets on Apple iPad sales

Buying an Apple iPad will cost you at least US$499, but savvy gamblers will be able to win that money back and more by placing bets on how many units Apple's supposedly "magical and revolutionary product" will ship.

Paddy Power, an Irish bookmaker, said it is offering odds on the 2010 global sales of the Apple iPad, a handheld tablet device that has a multi-touch interface and will allow users to view movies, surf the Internet and play high-definition games.

The bookmaker says the iPad is likely to sell at least 2 million units, and is offering 11 to 4 odds on sales between 2 million and 3 million and 5 to 2 odds on sales of 3 million to 4 million.

"With its promise of seamless browsing, e-mail, photos, video, music, games and e-books Paddy Power are offering short odds of 11/4 that the iPad will rewrite the history books and sell between 2 million and 3 million units in 2010, making it the fastest selling device of its kind in history," the bookmaker said in a press release.

Paddy Power's initial predictions aren't always rock solid. The bookmaker also offered odds on what the name of Apple's new product would be, and made 'iSlate' the favorite with 4/5 odds.

However, a last minute betting spree shortened the odds on "iPad" from 7/4 to 1/3, and of course iPad ended up being the correct choice.

The full odds list on global iPad sales is 8/1 for less than 1 million; 7/2 for 1 million to 2 million; 11/4 for 2 million to 3 million; 5/2 for 3 million to 4 million; 5/1 for 4 million to 5 million; 8/1 for 5 million to 6 million; and 3/1 for over 6 million.

You get the feeling that Apple CEO Steve Jobs might take the odds on 6 million, if his remarks to an audience in San Francisco Wednesday are any indication.

"We want to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product," Jobs said.

Follow Jon Brodkin on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jbrodkin

This story, "Bookie taking bets on Apple iPad sales," was originally published at NetworkWorld.com. Follow the latest developments in wireless at Network World.

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