What are the odds that martial law will be declared in Quebec? A sport-gambling site says 5.5 to 1

MONTREAL — A sports-gambling site has begun taking bets on potential outcomes of Quebec’s student strike.

The site sets odds for when the strike will end; whether there will be a referendum on tuition hikes; how many fines will be levied against the most hardline student group; and whether the government will back down.

It even sets odds on whether martial law will be declared in Quebec by the end of 2012. Just for the record, those odds are pegged at 5.5 to 1.

Setting odds over which celebrity might be next to wear the iconic red protest square, U.S. filmmaker Michael Moore comes in first at 7 to 1. There are slimmer odds of it being worn by famous hockey players, Star Trek legend William Shatner, singers Madonna and Leonard Cohen, and hockey pundit Don Cherry.

But the celebrity seen as least likely to wear the red square? In that last spot, just after Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, is Prime Minister Stephen Harper — at 201-to-1 odds.

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I don't really gamble, but if I did... I would bet that:

- The government will back down within one month.
- They will not declare full "Martial Law"
- Matt Damon will be wearing a "red square"

Wow, people will bet on anything!

I doubt full martial law will be declared either. My honest hope is the ones causing problems by burning cars and vandalizing businesses of innocent people either grow up (naw, aint gonna happen), or get arrested.

The peaceful people should have the right to protest, but these hoodlums are ruining it for them. And just for the record, we pay a hell of a lot more in my province for tuition. Honestly kinda sick of this.

Me and my father are both of the opinion that they will back down instead of doubling down and declaring martial law. It just isn't worth it. If they shoot down the law and after that the protests increase in intensity, however, I think that martial law would be back on the table.