Almost half of these unusual bets were placed on Gerry Hutch, the gangland figure known as “The Monk”, to lose in the byelection, which takes place on Friday.

Almost 250 staff are at risk of redundancy as a result of the change.

In the world of showbiz, the chances of Paul Mescal landing an Oscar for his role in Gladiator II are rated 20/1.

It follows the results of an opinion poll in Iowa, which indicated a shock three-point lead for Kamala Harris in a state which traditionally votes Republican.

In a pre-budget submission, the Department of Health said a balance need to be struck to discourage young people from vaping, while also supporting smokers who wish to quit