With only two episodes remaining at the time of writing, we are coming to the end of yet another season of Game of Thrones and it is certainly looking like anything could happen as the story diverges further from the already published works by George R. R. Martin.

It is got so that the speculation on how the series – and, indeed, the show itself – will end is bringing the excitement of the first couple of seasons back to a show that had (dare we say it) become rather pedestrian and stagnant. Viewers were left waiting for the next ‘shocking’ moment or sudden, dramatic death/murder/slaying (*delete as appropriate). It is a fact that while vengeance is a big driving force for many of the characters in the story; it is quite often not the ‘right’ person who enacts the fatal blow on their mortal enemies. Even the death of the hated King Joffery Baratheon (played so amazingly by Jack Gleeson that he decided to never act again apparently partly due to the hate he was receiving) was not given the true ‘revenge’ feel that we all wanted (no matter how shocking and surprising it was at the time).

There is an old saying that some people will bet on two flies crawling up a wall. This may be true, particularly with the growing influx of bookmakers opening the betting on various different outcomes of TV shows. Game of Thrones has not escaped this phenomenon. You can even bet on TV specials with William Hill, one of the most recognisable names in gambling. At the moment, they are offering odds on who will rule the Seven Kingdoms at the end of the final TV episode. While this may still be at least one season away, that is no reason to abandon speculation. They do have their terms laid out firmly, as well. TV spin-offs and Feature Films do not count, nor we imagine would the books should good old George suddenly find his flow and write his conclusion before the end of the show. They also make it clear that the outcome refers to ‘the interchangeable concept of the Ruler of Westeros/Holder of the Iron Throne/Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms’.
The current odds show that Mother of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is favourite, with little Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), the resurrected Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and his sister Sansa (Sophie Turner) hot on her heels. If you want to go for outsiders, how about Sam Tarly’s Wildling lover Gilly (Hannah Murray)? The way things go in Westeros, she’s as much chance as anyone!

Let us know in the comments who your money is on!