Phil Elliott
09:24 (BST)
06/11/2007
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Need for Speed to be Christmas number 1?
Bookmaker puts EA's arcade racing game at evens for festive top spot
This year's UK Christmas videogames chart is set to be spearheaded by EA, Microsoft and Konami titles, if the odds on Paddy Power are accurate.
It places the latest Need for Speed title - ProStreet - as the favourite to claim the top spot on evens, with FIFA 08 at 2-1, Halo 3 at 6-1 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 at 10-1.
Other prominent titles include The Simpsons Game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Super Mario Galaxy and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
While most people are unlikely to bet against those games hitting the Christmas number one spot, there are a few games that might raise an eyebrow.
Manhunt 2 is listed as 25-1, despite the game being effectively banned by the BBFC in the UK, although an appeal is pending.
Additionally the main contenders are dominated by titles that will appeal to the traditional gaming market, including Super Mario Galaxy, despite many predictions that the Wii will continue to be the market-leading console for some time yet.
At the other end of the betting list, the longest odds available are for Balloon Pop, which weighs in at a hefty 250-1.
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