Oddsmakers take bets on Bill Gates’ next girlfriend
The world’s fourth richest man is single and oddsmakers are taking bets on who he dates next.
Bill and Melinda Gates announced Monday that they will split after 27 years of marriage. While details of the separation are unclear, Forbes puts the Microsoft founder’s worth at $124 billion. That doesn’t mean everyone wants to date the 65-year-old tech whiz and philanthropist. But the oddsmakers at SportsBetting.ag are taking action on who will be Gates’ first date when he begins his new life as a bachelor.
The odds-on favorite is Ann Winblad, whom Gates dated before he married Melinda (née French) in 1994 and reportedly stayed friendly with for at least a little while. Anyone willing to take that 3 to 1 bet would win back $3 for every dollar they risk.
In a 1997 Time magazine profile, Gates disclosed he actually asked Winblad for her “approval” before popping the question to Melinda. And he also reportedly negotiated one long weekend a year with his former flame.
The field gets a lot tighter after Windblad, with Israeli businesswoman Shari Arison being a 25 to 1 underdog. Going down the list, the names become a little more recognizable to the gossip crowd.
Jennifer Aniston is a 33 to 1 underdog to be Gates’ special new friend. Actress Teri Hatcher is a 33 to 1 gamble and the odds of Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, Jane Fonda or Kim Kardashian being next in in line are 50 to 1.
Should Gates want to try his odds in the world of politics, the Antigua-based SportsBetting.ag bookies will pay 66 to 1 if he next courts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which matches his odds of dating Hillary Clinton — who is very much married.
Odds of Gates going on a date with aspiring politician Caitlyn Jenner or teen environmentalist Greta Thunberg are 100 to 1, according to SportsBetting.ag, though, again, there’s no indication any of these potential matches would be interested in Gates or vice versa. It’s gambling.
The longest of long-shots to be Gates’ big rebound is Queen Elizabeth II, whose husband of 73 years died last month at the age of 99. Anyone willing to take that bet can win $1,000 by wagering a single dollar.
In case Gates has any plans to wager his own fortune on who will be next, he should know that SportsBetting.ag has a $100 cap on how much they’ll allow gamblers to place on this bet.
