Bookies Taking Smartphone Sales Bets, Favor iPhone

The betting window is now open on global smartphone sales, with Ireland’s largest bookmaker, Paddy Power, taking action and favoring the iPhone to lead the pack.

Paddy Power made Apple’s device a 4/6 favorite over competing smartphones, meaning gamblers would have to wager $6 to win $4.

Google’s Nexus One is also a strong contender, earning 3/1 odds from the bookies.

The newest device on the list, the Samsung Wave, was unveiled at Mobile World Congress this and features the new bada OS. It currently sits at 4/1. “From what I’ve seen, the Samsung Wave looks like a very sexy device and I’d give it a sporting chance of outselling the Nexus One; but my money is on the iPhone to easily outsell both devices this year,” claimed a representative from Paddy Power.

Those preferring underdogs can wager on the Android-powered Motorola Quench, which currently has 8/1 odds.

Betting by Company
Paddy Power is also taking bets on the mobile phone device global market share as of January, 2011. Sony-Ericsson is the odds-on favorite, currently sitting at 2/5, while Samsung is behind at 7/4.

Nokia, the world’s largest device manufacturer, is excluded from the wager. According to its annual report, Nokia had a 39% market share in Q4 2009.

Source: Paddy Power