ELSPA predicts Christmas No.1

The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association has teamed up with bookies Ladbrokes to predict this year's chart toppers.

Favourite to take the number one spot is The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is being released on no less than six platforms and is tipped at 3/1.

Other contenders include movie tie-ins King Kong and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, along with Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones - all of which have odds of 6/1.

Then Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and Need for Speed: Most Wanted are down at 8/1, followed by Star Wars: Battlefront 2 at 12/1. GTA: Liberty City Stories, the first PSP instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series, has odds of 16/1, while FIFA 06 and Pro Evolution Soccer 5 are tied at 20/1.

But there's always the chance that a surprise contender could pop up and take the top spot - which is what happened last year, when Last year EA's Need for Speed: Underground 2 pipped Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to the post.

Retiring ELSPA director general Roger Bennett is jolly excited about the whole thing, commenting: "Christmas 2005 looks like it's set for another roaring trade in video games, with so many great titles in the running for the Christmas top spot.

"As ever, it's impossible to tell if the favourite will keep its lead and with such a large number of close competitors, we could have yet another surprise result this year."

Fancy a flutter? Then head on over to Ladbrokes.com and place your bets - providing you're 18 or over, of course.