PlayNow.com is offering bets on which B.C. hospital will welcome the first baby of 2024.
The current odds for Kelowna General Hospital are 18:1, meaning a winning $10 wager will pay out a total of $180.
B.C. Women’s Hospital (3.50:1) is the betting favourite among all 23 hospitals, even though it hasn’t been the home of the first B.C. baby of a new year since 2017.
Abbotsford Regional Hospital (12:1) welcomed the first baby of 2023.
Bettors can also wager on what will be the most popular names for babies in 2024.
For the girls, Olivia (3:1) has been the most popular name in B.C. for seven of the last eight years according to B.C. Vital Statistics, losing only once to Emma (5:1) in 2015.
Other girl names to consider include Charlotte, Isla, and Sophia, all 6:1, which have consistently been in the top seven.
The most popular B.C. boy names over the past few years have been Liam (5:1) and Noah (4:1). Other contenders include Oliver (4:1) and Theodore (8:1).
Wagering on which hospital will welcome the first B.C. baby of 2024 will be available on PlayNow.com until 6:00 a.m. on Dec. 31, and the popular name bets will be available until Jan. 31, 2024.
READ MORE: New Canadians embracing holiday traditions that are brand-new for some
READ MORE: Here are some of B.C.’s good news stories in 2023
