Middleton and Eastwood at shorter odds than McGuinness with Paddy Power

As of Monday, the bookie had Middleton and Eastwood at 1/40 with the Deputy First Minister at 1/20.

Judging from the odds listed, Paddy Power also believes the SDLP will hold on to the sixth seat in the constituency.

Mark H. Durkan is available at 1/18; Raymond McCartney at 1/6; and Gerard Diver at 4/11.

The bookmaker has also calculated that if the SDLP’s seat is at risk it is marginally more at risk from Independent Dr Anne McCloskey (8/11) than from Sinn Féin’s Maeve McLaughlin (4/5).

The odds start to lengthen with Eamonn McCann of People Before Profit (PBP) who is priced at 9/2.

They then drop off considerably for the remaining candidates.

Green Party candidate Mary Hassan is listed at 20/1 despite the fact the party hasn’t run a candidate here in a decade.

The odds for the rest of the candidates are as follows: Independent Maurice Devenney (25/1); Independent Kathleen Bradley (33/1); Ulster Unionist Julia Kee (40/1); Conservative Alan Dunlop (66/1); Alliance Chris McCaw (66/1); and CISTA John Lindsay (100/1).

The bookmaker hasn’t opened a book for East Londonderry or West Tyrone, however, other interesting markets include West Belfast, where Paddy Power believes People Before Profit candidate Gerry Carroll at 1/40 will take a seat from Sinn Féin or the SDLP.

In Fermanagh and West Tyrone, Maurice Morrow and Arlene Foster (1/100) are nailed on certainties, according to the bookmaker.

Meanwhile, rival bookmaker Sean Graham is giving 4/5 if you pick all six successful candidates in the Foyle constituency.