Bookies predicting a november general election

The bookmaker BoyleSports is predicting that the general election will take place next month.

Its odds of November polling date have shortened into 1/3, from 4/5, following a number of bets made in the Dublin area on Tuesday.

The odds that the election won't take place until February or March of next year are 3/1 each, while a punt on an April date is available at 16/1.

BoyleSports is offering 20/1 that the Irish government calls a general election for the festive period in December with January 2016 a longshot at 50/1.

“Judging by the surge of bets that have come in for a General Election to take place in November on Tuesday evening, we reckon that it’s only a matter of time an official date will be announced for November,” said Liam Glynn, BoyleSports’ spokesperson.

He added: “A lot of the bets that have been placed were around our Dublin city centre shops which are within walking distance of the Dáil and with the budget set to take place next week it’s now looking like that we may well be heading to the polling stations in November.”