Right Said Fred: Talking betting With BetFred Boss Fred Done

Idris Elba is in at 5/1 to be the next James Bond after the film producer Barbara Broccoli hinted that the next 007 could be black.

She said the iconic spy role doesn’t need to be a white man, which has intensified betting at Betfred on who will replace Daniel Craig.

Craig, aged 52, has made no secret that No Time To Die is his fifth and final film.

Because of the coronavirus, that blockbuster release date has been moved back again from its planned date in November until April 2 next year.

Barbara has insisted the new star given a License To Kill  would not be chosen until the “dust has settled” on Craig’s stint.

Betfred have Luther star Elba, aged 48, in from 10/1 to 5/1 – the same odds as Richard Madden.

Other so called hunks ahead of this pair are Tom Hardy, the Peaky Blinders heart throb, at 7/4 favourite – while James Norton is 9/4.

I’m over 21, so I’m out of the frame this time. However, you can have me at 5000/1 to get the call from M – which I notice is the same odds as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson!

Pep Guardiola will no doubt be racking his brain about how to get City’s domestic season back on track.

He’s had plenty of challenges over his trophy-laden career, but this is arguably his biggest challenge with the Blues in the bottom half of the Premier League table after a hugely disappointing start to the season culminating in the weekend’s 1-1 draw at West Ham.

His tactics are clear for all to see – and that’s half of the problem with opposition managers easily able to out-wit him, particularly with injuries affecting selection.

City bolstered by the comfortable win against Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday have a great chance to pick up three points to get their Premier League season up and running against Sheffield United on Saturday.

The Blues, who are odds-on to beat Sheffield, are still 5/4 favourites to win the title, ahead of Liverpool – who host fast-improving West Ham also on Saturday – at 6/4.

Next up are Tottenham at 8/1, with Chelsea 18/1 and my club United at 28/1.

Everton, who remember were 300/1 pre-season, lost their unbeaten record to Southampton at the weekend but are still 33/1 along with Arsenal to be unlikely champions.

Meanwhile, the race to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year has taken another twist after Lewis Hamilton made history at the Portuguese Grand Prix by picking up the 92^nd win of his career, beating the legendary Michael Schumacher’s record.

But Hamilton faces stiff competition in the public vote that will take place at Salford on December 20 from man of the moment Marcus Rashford.

His campaign to force another government U-turn over providing food vouchers for needy school children during the holidays has again captured the public’s imagination.

Rashford is 7/4 at Betfred d to pick up honour with Hamilton at 4/5 after a degree of controversy over whether the United and England ace fits the exact criteria.

Tyson Fury, who remember beat Deontay Wilder in sensational style to become WBC champion earlier this year, is 7/1 – the same price as Betfred World Snooker Championship winner Ronnie O’Sullivan.

It’s the high road in Scotland for keen hiker Wayne Tibbetts who has won big at Betfred.

The 50-year-old welder staked £1 on our popular Nifty Fifty numbers game and landed £10,000 when his four numbers – 6, 10, 26 and 30 – were drawn.

“I’ve already made up my mind what I’m going to do with the money,” said Wayne, who is planning a trip to the mountains near the Cairngorms in Scotland.

“Hopefully I’ll be there hiking in the Highlands in December if all is okay regarding the current restrictions.

“I’ve been going on hikes for 27 years. I absolutely love it, and Scotland is my favourite place.

“Now I’ll be able to treat myself to a stay in a posh hotel and some new hiking gear – waterproof trousers and a jacket – and when I’m wearing them I’ll never forget my big win!

“My passport expired 10 years ago and I’m not bothering getting a new one because I like my holidays in Scotland and try and get there a few times every year.

“I picked the numbers completely randomly. I usually bet on the Irish Lottery, but I was talking in the shop about Nifty Fifty and that advert with the music and dancing, so I thought I’d give it a go – and I’m so glad I did.

“It’s amazing that I’ve won so much from just £1. Those numbers were picked in just 10 seconds. I still can’t believe how lucky I’ve been.”

After being presented with a bottle of whiskey by Betfred staff at the Willow Street shop in Oswestry, Shropshire, Wayne was full of apologies.

He explained: “I never normally swear, but when the manager Allan Garner told me a few days after I put the bet on that I’d won so much I did swear quite loudly in the shop… and I want to apologise publicly now because I never ever swear.”

It should be me who’s swearing after one of our regulars has picked my pocket to the tune of £10,000 from just a £1 bet.

I’m only joking of course, for I think it’s absolutely brilliant that he’s won so much on Nifty Fifty which is proving to be so popular since its launch in July.”

For 25 years, Frances McShane worked at a Scottish hoover factory – but now she’s cleaned up at Betfred!

Frances, 66, who toiled away on the now closed down assembly line at the plant in Cambuslang, near Glasgow, is in the money after twice backing the exact same 10p Lucky 15 on the horses.

For a total wager of just £3, she picked up a sensational £36,650 windfall!

Frances, who lives with her 70-year-old sister Patricia, travels virtually every day to the Betfred shop on Westmuir Street, Parkhead – and always picks the big outsiders knowing that if her tiny bet proves a winner, she’ll hit the jackpot.

“I always go for the outsiders with the longest odds,” said Frances.

“I celebrated with my favourite meal – chicken curry and fried rice – washed down by a glass of cider.

“Because of COVID we can’t go on a nice holiday just yet but we could end up going to Cuba one day when the pandemic is over because it’s an interesting place that I’ve always wanted to visit.”

She went on: “I’m giving some money to my older sister Silvia, who lives in Edinburgh, because she has a family.

“I don’t know why I put the same bet on twice – I just do it sometimes. Obviously I am glad I did. It’s a great time with Rangers who I support doing so well – and beating Celtic the other week!

“I’ve never won this much before. My biggest win was about £1,000 a year ago. It’s just my hobby which I got into through my late father Patrick. He liked a bet but he wasn’t much good and never won, so I’m definitely doing better than him!”

The four horses that made up Frances’ Lucky 15 were Eagles Nest, Dollar And A Dream, Dark Storm and Thahab Ifraj, at Wincanton.

Because of Betfred’s Best Odds Guaranteed promotion, Frances’ win was boosted by a whopping £17,580.52!

Despite Dark Storm being a non-runner, Eagles Nest drifted to 33/1 at the off despite Frances backing him at 14/1, and Thabab Ifraj set off at 66/1 as opposed to 50/1 – this boosted her win to a whopping £36,650.

She said: “With Eagles Nest I thought the horse wouldn’t know its odds, then with Dollar And A Dream I looked at the form and saw he’d done well in the past, Dark Storm who didn’t run had the lowest weight and with Thabab Ifraj I just remembered the name.”

She’s worked hard all her life and deserves this good fortune…and the opportunity to fulfil her ambition to enjoy a holiday of a life time in Cuba. I’m chuckling that a lady who spent all her working life making Hoovers should clean up at Betfred!