AN expectant mother was finding out today if she would win £400, after placing a bet that she would give birth on her own birthday.
Microbiologist Dr Kathryn Engler, who is 34 today, of Fleet Street, Scissett, made the £20 bet last year.
Now, the pressure is on for her to make good on her prediction for today.
The date of January 17 has special significance for Kathryn, as it is not only her birthday but that of her father and grandfather.
Bookmakers William Hill gave her odds of 20/1 that her first-born would arrive on her birthday.
Now, everyone is holding their breath to see if the gamble will pay off.
Kathryn's husband, Dominic Cunney, 35, an engineer, said: "We got the idea after talking to friends and our family. Everyone thought it would be good fun and a bit of a joke.
"We went into a betting shop and just asked them how we could get odds for something like this," he said.
"They told us to write to the head office in London, which we did, and they wrote back to us with the odds.
"I was a bit surprised they only gave us 20/1. It seemed a bit low, but I'm not really much of a betting man."
Mr Cunney said the chance of an £800 double jackpot if his wife gave birth to twins had not been explored with the bookmakers, but an electronic scan had shown twins were not present.
He added that the idea of a double or quits deal for any future children was "an interesting idea" that he would discuss with his wife.
