Punters placing bets on Harry Potter perishing

The evil Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter himself are leading the field in betting on who will kill the schoolboy wizard in the last of the popular book series, British bookmaker William Hill has said.

Author Joanne "J.K." Rowling said last Thursday that the final instalment of the adventures is to be called "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", sparking speculation that the hero will meet his end.

"J.K mentioned that Harry might be killed off and the general consensus seems to be that... to ensure that Voldemort dies he will need to be sacrificed," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams on Tuesday.

"Most of the early money has been for Harry, who has been cut from 10-1 to 6-1 and Voldemort remains the odds-on favourite (at 4-5)."

The first time William Hill opened a book on a "whodunnit?" was for the US television series "Dallas", with betting on who shot Texas oil baron J.R Ewing.

That proved so popular that wagers on the possible culprit outstripped money placed on horse racing in the last days of betting.

Also at 6-1 to pot Harry were his nemesis Draco Malfoy and his ginger-haired best friend Ron Weasley.

The bookmaker has pledged that all bets will be void and stakes returned if Harry survives.

It also revealed that money has been placed on Ron Weasley and school swot Hermione Grainger getting married with Harry as best man; Ron and Hermione to have a child called Harry; and Ron to kill Draco Malfoy in a duel.

The first six books in the Potter series have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide and been translated into 63 languages, making Rowling Britain's highest-earning woman.

The first four books have been adapted into hit films starring Daniel Radcliffe as the bespectacled boy wizard.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the fifth movie in the series, is currently being filmed and is due for release next year.