Paddy Power taking Street Fighter bets
Could set a new trend, reckons bookmaker.
Bookmaker Paddy Power has started taking bets on an upcoming Super Street Fighter IV bout.
The best-of-three match, set to take place Thursday evening at Capcom's European headquarters, will pit 1/3 favorite Ryan Hart against 2/1 underdog Femi Adeboye. Paddy Power says it's the first time public wagering has been allowed for a gaming competition.
According to Capcom, the event marks an important step towards "recognising the game as a legitimate spectator event, as fiercely contested as any sanctioned boxing match".
Paddy Power has promised to open up other videogame competitions to wagering if this initial bout proves popular with betters.
Hart has reportedly won 450 of the 700 fighting game tournaments he's entered since 1994. He is well known in fighting game circles for his 2009 Capcom UK and Capcom European titles, and for his recent record-setting defeat of 169 straight Street Fighter IV challengers (he also plays a mean game of Tekken).
Abedoye, who goes by the moniker F-Word in the fighting game arena, is less well known, but you can scope out his skills in an impressive Rufus/Vega match on YouTube.