New PM wants to rewrite bailout terms
As Greece struggles with a freefalling economy, major European bookies say the country will keep using the euro for now.
According to Bloomberg News, analysts at Ladbrokes, a London betting house, said the odds of Greece retaining the common European currency this year are 8 to 11.
“Europe finds itself on a knife-edge, but our latest odds suggest Greece will manage to cling on to the euro in 2015,” said Ladbrokes spokesman Alex Donohue.
William Hill calls Greece the “hot” favorite to ditch the common currency before the 2019 euro elections, with odds of 1 to 5. But all bets are off if no country abandons the euro by then, the bookmaker added.
Greece is now battling with its EU partners over the terms of its bailout, Bloomberg reported. Germany wants the country to abide by its existing agreement, while newly elected Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants a new deal that will be easier on everyday Greeks.
“The new Greek government appears to be playing a game of brinkmanship, which could well result in a departure from the Eurozone sooner rather than later,” according to William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.
