Betting hits £15k a day as the birth of royal baby approaches

BOOKIES are cashing in on Princess Kate failing to give birth as £15,000 a day is taken in royal baby bets.

Patriots wait outside St Mary's for the royal baby to enter the world

The punts include stakes on what date it will be born and whether the tot will be a boy or a girl.

And bookies are on course to make hundreds of thousands of pounds more profit if, as feared, the Duchess of Cambridge does not deliver until August.

Medics at private St Mary’s Hospital in west London could wait up to two weeks before inducing the royal.

Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes said: “We’d love it if Kate and Wills have completely pulled the wool over our eyes and are actually expecting a late July/early August baby.

“All the media thought the birth would be earlier, so that’s where all the money went.”

Ladbrokes, who have so far taken £25,000 in bets, said its biggest single wager came from a punter in Wiltshire who lost £1,000 on the baby being born last Wednesday, at odds of 3-1.

Kate could be expecting an early August baby

A flurry of bets have been made on the baby being a boy.

They came after Kate, 31, sparked rumours she is having a lad after snapping up blue curtains.

The Duchess of Cambridge was spotted choosing a £45-a-metre fabric in the traditionally masculine colour at a shop in Chelsea, west London.

“We’d love it if Kate and Wills have completely pulled the wool over our eyes and are actually expecting a late July/early August baby”

Ladbrokes

Meanwhile, William’s former bodyguard Ken Wharfe has revealed how gifts for the royal baby will be screened by special X-ray machines in the post room at Buckingham Palace.

Ken, 65, who was Princess Diana’s protection officer, said plans were already in place for the thousands of presents expected from across the globe.

He said most would be donated to charities.