Romney debate bounces extends to William Hill odds

LAS VEGAS -- William Hill, a British bookmaker with about 2,350 shops, updated its odds on the U.S. presidential election Thursday after the first of three debates between Republican nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama.

Just one problem for local gamblers - you can't place a wager at any of William Hill's 159 sports books or kiosks in Nevada. The company did not seek regulatory approval to post odds and take bets on the 2012 U.S. election.

William Hill dropped the odds on Romney to win the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 6 from 4-1 to 11-4. President Obama re-election went from 1-7 to 1-4.

"The Romney camp will be encouraged by his performance (Wednesday) and maybe this isn't quite the one-horse race it has been perceived as for some while," said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe, in a statement.

The U.S. presidential election is not the only specialty bet William Hill offers online. The bookmaker set odds of 8-1 that there will be snow on Christmas Day at Buckingham Palace in London, while professional golfer Rory Mcllroy is 100-1 and professional tennis player Andy Murray is 10-3 to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012.

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