Introverts find themselves accompanying old friends or colleagues out for a drink, or your normally spiteful neighbour surprises you with a Christmas card or gift. It’s clear to see that Christmas is the time for branching out and trying new things, and one emerging trend is the rise of novelty Christmas bets.

Whilst the festive period is of course a bumper time for sports and sports betting, bookies have attempted to expand the appeal of betting markets over Christmas, and therefore a rise in unique novelty Christmas bets has emerged. These fun and festive bets offer a chance for would-be bettors who may not have such an interest in sport, to have some a fun festive flutter this December

Dreaming of a White Christmas and Playstation vs Xbox Odds

Christmas is dominated by traditions, and online bookies tailor their novelty holiday offerings around such rituals. One of the most eagerly asked questions every year is whether Britain will get to experience the rare magic of a White Christmas. According to the Christmas Betting Markets guide by WhichBookie bookmakers are accepting bets at 6/4 on snow to fall in any area of the UK between 00:00 and 23:59:59 on Christmas Day, and also offer the same market for snowfall in London. Just think how magical it would be to draw back the curtains on Christmas morning and find the country blanketed in snow, and you know that your bet has come in!

This year, rival games console companies Xbox and PlayStation have brought out their latest high tech offerings, the PS5 and Xbox Series X respectively. As ever, when such mammoth machines hit the high street, there is a race to secure consoles for presents to make a truly merry Christmas. With reports of both consoles set to exceed demand well before the 25th December, according to the WhichBookie guide bookmakers are offering another fun novelty market to bet on: which company will have offloaded the most units by Christmas morning?

Finally, Christmas increasingly means a day of fantastic movies and programmes, with families crowded around the television. Alongside the classics, reruns and Hollywood blockbusters, Christmas specials are increasingly commanding attention, and can draw in huge numbers. Last year the Gavin and Stacey special stole the show with a whopping 11.6 million views, but this year it’s anyone’s guess (although Call the Midwife is second favourite at 7/2).