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By Victor Kaisar

New Year's Baby 2025

RIH at 26-to-1 odds as PlayNow offers bets on first New Year’s baby in B.C.

Dec 30, 2024 | 11:59 AM

KAMLOOPS — The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is offering people a chance to bet on which of the 23 labour and delivery hospitals in the province will welcome the first baby born in 2025.

BCLC spokesperson Matt Lee says people can head to Playnow and make their bets until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 31).

“BC Women’s hospital in the Lower Mainland is certainly one of the front-runners, if not the frontrunner but Royal Inland Hospital is right there in the thick of things at 26-to-1,” Lee told CFJC Today. “It’s certainly not the longest odds so if you’re looking for maybe a sweet spot and a roll of the dice if you will, Royal Inland Hospital might not be too shabby.”

At 26-to-1 odds, Lee says a $10 bet will pay out a total of $260.

Elsewhere in the Interior, Kelowna General Hospital is at 20-to-1 odds, while both Penticton and Vernon are longshots with odds of 48-to-1 and 45-to-1 respectively.

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The Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, where last year’s new year’s baby was born, is currently at 5-to-1 odds.

“It’s all a game of chance here and how we do set the odds is based on which hospitals deliver the highest average of births on a year-to-year basis,” Lee said.

“Going back to BC Women’s Hospital, it’s generally one of the biggest maternity wards in all of the province. It’s certainly home to a very sizable population as well and that is why you’ll see a lot of Lower Mainland hospitals among the betting frontrunners.”

“If you’re looking for some value, you can bet on any other hospital [not on the list] at 6-to-1 odds and that lets you cover the field if you will,” Lee added.

As for what happens in the event there are two babies born at the exact same time?

“I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I do believe if there is a tie, we would pay out both hospitals or multiple hospitals as winners,” Lee said.

“Certainly not something we’ve encountered over the last decade or so, but never say never.”