SKIRMISHER

Is he finally fucked, or not?

That is the question… asked by online waging operators.

The Cuban president’s perceived impending death is being feasted on by capitalists everywhere, as flies would to a newly unwrapped candy (or newly-excreted, still warm dog turd—your choice), particularly those whose eyes sparkle at the sight of mighty downfalls or the inevitable passing of an era. That despite Cuba’s government-run press’s “He’s ow-kay!!!” sing-song announcement some days after the From Fidel to Raul, with Love media buzz.

From Reuters:

Castro’s health is the latest unusual wagering opportunity on Internet gaming sites that in the past have offered bets on whether Britney Spears was pregnant, whether Jimmy Hoffa’s body would be found, how low President George’s Bush’s approval rating would go and other water-cooler gossip issues.

…

BetUS.com has taken nearly 3,000 wagers on Castro so far, making his future one of the hottest bets ever…About 65 percent of them were placed from Internet addresses in the Miami area, home of some 650,000 people of Cuban descent, most of whom despise Castro and his communist revolution…

…

Bettors are predicting Castro will die in September or October, Bennett said, with Miami-area hot money on September.

Nothing more delightfully ironic than seeing a doggedly persistent communist president leave the world with a capitalist send-off and piles of cash changing hands. But I think I’ll pass on this one; I’m reserving my coin for Kim Jong Il’s turn.

via REUTERS

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