Bookplanet: odds for Nobel Literature winner

From Readabet.com:
As well as being able to bet on the Nobel Peace Prize, for which we have already produced a preview, versatile punters also have the chance to bet on the Nobel Prize for Literature winner.

Unlike the other Nobel awards, the selection panel do not say when the Lit prize will be announced until later, but as with the others the decision has already been made, and the public is likely to be notified in early October.

It is important to realize that the award does not go to someone for a single book, but recognizes an entire body of work. Since its inception in 1901, the Society has chosen winners from a wide spectrum of literary sources, including poetry, novels, short stories, plays, essays and speeches.

Favourite to be named Laureate this year is Syrian-born poet Adonis, available at a best price of 6/4. Adonis is a prominent name in literary circles and is one of the leading Arab writers. His first work was published in 1961, since when six other have been created, culminating most recently in ìIf Only the Sea Could Sleepî in 2003. He has taken awards before including the first ever Nazim Hikmet Poetry Award and the International Poem Biennial in Brussels, and the way he uses traditional styles to convey modern sentiments has earned him a great many plaudits around the world.

Next on the list is American novelist Joyce Carol Oates. Her work has been received by a far wider audience but has still targeted controversial topics. Racialist issues within America have been prominent in her works, whilst the best seller, ìBlondeî was written about Marilyn Monroe. A former Pulitzer Prize nominee, Oates has described herself as ìa serious writer, as distinct from entertainers and propagandistsî and is backable at 9/4 to land this most important of all literary prizes.

Thomas Transtromer is priced at 4/1 by Ladbrokes, and will be looking for some Scandinavian support from the Norwegian selection panel. The Swedish poet has won many awards around the world including the 2003 Golden Wreath and has had his work translated into over 20 languages.

Highly versatile and prolific Belgian author Hugo Claus is the next quoted at 9/1. His portfolio, which is written in Flemish includes poetry, novels, dramas, short stories, screenplays, essays, translations. He has also worked as a stage and film director where his reputation is for being forthright and blunt.

There are three other nominees. Antoni Tabucchi is at 12/1, with Dutch author and 1992 Constantijn-Huysgens Prize winner Cees Nooteboom priced at 16/1. Ko Un is considered the outsider at 25/1.

HERE ARE LADBROKE's odds, useful for an overview of who are the great writers out there at the moment.
Adonis 2/1
Ko un 6/1
Thomas Transtromer 6/1
Joyce Carol Oates 7/1
Hugo Claus 9/1
Claudio Magris 11/1
Antoni Tabucchi 12/1
Milan Kundera 12/1
Cees Nooteboom 16/1
Jean Marie Gustav Le Clezio 25/1
Philip Roth 25/1
Don DeLillo 33/1
Eeva Kilpi 33/1
Inger Christensen 40/1

If Joyce Carol Oates, Philip Roth and Don DeLillo are on the list, where's Mailer and Updike? Or has time passed for them?