LONDON, July 28 (Reuters) – Bookmakers expect record
gambling on the 2012 Olympics after the opening ceremony
prompted a flood of bets on event mastermind Danny Boyle
receiving a knighthood – and confusion over wagers laid on who
would light the Olympic flame.

Since London won the Olympics in 2005 gamblers have forked
out on the closely guarded secret of who would light the flame,
with British five-times gold medallist, rower Steve Redgrave,
the clear favourite.

LONDON (Reuters) – When Michael Phelps gets ready to race, he walks to the block, takes off his headphones, swings his arms three times, steps on to the block and he is off. His routine never changes.

Tennis player Serena Williams, five-times Wimbledon champion, who, like Phelps, begins competition on Saturday, always takes her shower sandals to the court, ties her shoelaces in a specific way and bounces the ball five times.

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) – When Michael Phelps gets ready
to race, he walks to the block, takes off his headphones, swings
his arms three times, steps on to the block and he is off. His
routine never changes.

Tennis player Serena Williams, five-times Wimbledon
champion, who, like Phelps, begins competition on Saturday,
always takes her shower sandals to the court, ties her shoelaces
in a specific way and bounces the ball five times.

LONDON (Reuters) – British tourism chiefs hope the Olympics and a global advertising campaign will entice more overseas visitors by 2015 and more than compensate for any short-term losses as the country tries to dig out from a double-dip recession.

Tourism Minister John Penrose said the 2012 Olympics had given Britain the chance to re-establish itself as a top destination after a drop in the number of tourist and business visitors over the past five years.

LONDON, July 26 (Reuters) – British tourism chiefs hope the
Olympics and a global advertising campaign will entice more
overseas visitors by 2015 and more than compensate for any
short-term losses as the country tries to dig out from a
double-dip recession.

Tourism Minister John Penrose said the 2012 Olympics had
given Britain the chance to re-establish itself as a top
destination after a drop in the number of tourist and business
visitors over the past five years.

LONDON (Reuters) – Athletes racing to share their views with fans at the London Olympics may think twice before hitting send following the first expulsion of an athlete for a racist Twitter remark.

Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the London Olympics on Wednesday after causing an uproar in her home nation for a tweet about West Nile mosquitoes and the number of Africans in Greece.

LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) – Athletes racing to share their
views with fans at the London Olympics may think twice before
hitting send following the first expulsion of an athlete for a
racist Twitter remark.

Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn
from the London Olympics on Wednesday after causing an uproar in
her home nation for a tweet about West Nile mosquitoes and the
number of Africans in Greece.

LONDON (Reuters) – Women’s rights campaigners called on Wednesday for an end to sex discrimination at the Olympics, urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure there are equal numbers of sports and medals for men and women.

Representatives from various European women’s groups met in London for a symbolic burial of the Olympic Charter, saying its principles of condoning any form of discrimination and upholding equality of men and women had been decimated.

LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) – Women’s rights campaigners
called on Wednesday for an end to sex discrimination at the
Olympics, urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to
ensure there are equal numbers of sports and medals for men and
women.

Representatives from various European women’s groups met in
London for a symbolic burial of the Olympic Charter, saying its
principles of condoning any form of discrimination and upholding
equality of men and women had been decimated.

LONDON (Reuters) – Olympic organizers trying to keep London’s opening ceremony secret have appealed to rehearsal spectators and performers not to leak details of the event that insiders describe as spectacular with a touch of quirky British humor.

At a rehearsal on Monday night, Oscar-winning film-maker Danny Boyle asked some 30,000 spectators not to post details or photos on social networks of his 27-million-pound ($42-million) ceremony – and most honored his plea, with few “secrets” buzzing online on Tuesday.