The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be celebrated in the United Kingdom from the 2nd until the 5th of June and marks 60 years of the Queen’s reign.

This occasion will be packed with festivities across the country and the bank holidays, celebrations and events are highly anticipated by most. As always the sports books like William Hill are getting in on the Royal action and offering novelty bets on a variety of events surrounding this occasion.

With a short visit to the sports book you’ll find the expected betting options like the colour of Kate’s Thames Pageant Dress and the colour of the Queen’s Epsom Derby hat, but what is quite disturbing though is that some of the betting options are not altogether savoury and even hold a slightly sinister feel. For example there are options to bet on many of the events being rained out or that the Queen will be unable to light the beacon on June 4th.

Call us old fashioned but these seem to be a little sinister and in our opinion do call into question the morality of sports books encouraging punters to bet on quite nasty events taking place, which will in turn have many of them holding thumbs for rain and some kind of malfunction to take place for the historic lighting of the beacon.

These types of bets may seem funny, but it does make one reflect on the notion of the type of society we have become, that we find some kind of sport and satisfaction in unfortunate events that would mar the proceedings of what are supposed to be honourable and joyous occasions?

While these types of bets will probably always be around, it does make one pause to think and hope that out of respect for the people involved that most avoid placing wagers on them and discourage book makers from offering these types of odds in future.