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Bookies Suspend Betting On Tom Hiddleston For Bond Role

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Bookies have suspended betting on Tom Hiddleston to take the role of the new James Bond after an apparent flurry of bets.

Both Coral and Boyle Sports were among those who closed their books on the Brit actor, with one punter placing a four-figure stake on odds of 6/4.

A spokesperson for BoyleSports said: “Judging by the gamble on Tom Hiddleston we expect that it’s only a matter of days before he is announced as Daniel Craig’s replacement.

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“Our traders smelt a rat after one UK online punter placed a four figure bet on Hiddleston at 6/4 and had no choice but to suspend the betting after numerous requests on Sunday morning.

“Tom Hardy, Idris Elba and Damian Lewis have been previously gambled but it now looks that Hiddleston will be announced as the new 007 so we have suspended betting until further news is revealed.”

A Coral spokesperson added: “There is no smoke without fire, and following the big gamble on Tom Hiddleston in the last 24 hours, we’ve had no choice but to pull the plug on the market.

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“Earlier in the year there was a gamble on Idris Elba and Damian Lewis, but nothing has come close to the recent gamble on Hiddleston.”

Whether there’s any further basis to the rumours 35-year-old Hiddleston is set to take the role is unclear.

An insider told the Daily Mirror last month that Bond producer Barbara Broccoli had been sizing him up.

“Barbara initially feared Tom was ‘too posh’ to play 007, but she’s been impressed,” said the source.

“She wasn’t familiar with his whole catalogue, but she’s watched hours and hours of footage.. and her perception has totally changed.“

However, his reps called a story which appeared in the Mail Online last week suggesting he’d met with former Bond director Sam Mendes at London’s Soho House ‘completely false’.

Hiddleston broached the subject of Bond recently, telling Graham Norton: “The thing is the position isn’t vacant as far as I am aware. No one has talked to me about it.

“I think the rumours have all come about because in the Night Manager I play a spy and people have made the link.”

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Actors also getting odds on taking the role from Daniel Craig include 'Poldark’ star Aidan Turner, Idris Elba, Damian Lewis and Tom Hardy.

Image credits: PA/Mike Hogan/BBC