Now that Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer has announced his retirement after 13 years as its CEO, UK online betting and gaming site Ladbrokes has decided to take advantage of this development by opening wagers on who his replacement will be.
The company has put together a list of possible candidates that includes Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (at odds of 5 to 1), Microsoft COO Kevin Turner (at odds of 6 to 1), Head of Windows Development Steven Sinofsky (at odds of 8 to 1) and Microsoft Executive VP of the Devices and Studios Group, Julie Larson-Green (also at odds of 8 to 1).
Also making the list are Executive VP of the Operating Systems Group Terry Myerson (12 to 1) and Head of the new Applications and Services Group, Qi Lu (10 to 1).
Though highly unlikely they’ll be taking up the position, Ladbrokes has offered odds on Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates (50 to 1), eBay CEO John Donahoe (20 t0 1), Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer (33 to 1), Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (40 to 1) and even Apple CEO Tim Cook at odds of 100 to 1.
We think Cook is certainly very comfortable where he is now.
Of the list, Ladbrokes’s Alex Donohue explains, “We often take bets on things like this, under the umbrella of ‘novelty betting. It’s not something we will take vast sums of money on at all, with the average stake less than £10.”
Source: Computer World
