Bookmakers are already predicting a 'win' for Smer

Bookmakers in Slovakia are already offering odds for the outcome of parliamentary elections due to take place on September 30. Gamblers can, for example, bet on who will become the next prime minister or which party will "win" the election (in Slovak political parlance, a party is said to have "won" an election if it secures a plurality of the votes, irrespective of whether it later enters government).

Smer leader Robert Fico, Hlas leader Peter Pellegrini and Progresívne Slovensko leader Michal Šimečka are running fairly close favourites in terms of the odds being offered on the identity of the next prime minister, the Sme daily writes.

Bookmaker Tipsport says that more than 1,000 people have already placed a bet on Fico to become prime minister.