Exactly what is so exciting about having a baby? It's understandable that the parents-to-be and even the grandparents will be extremely excited, but why else would anyone else be? However, people are fascinated by babies and even celebrities can't escape that. Why else would there be so many bets made on Cheryl Cole, an X-Factor judge, on the singer Beyonce, and on actress/fashion designer Mary-Kate Olsen? People just love betting games as much as they love babies.
You can take this fascination and make it part of your baby shower activities. In fact, having betting games in your baby shower may make it more enticing for the men to attend if you're having a couples' shower.
For example, having a betting pool is a great game for every guest to take part in. Whether it's played with money or not, it's a wonderful way to get everybody interested in the labor and the baby.
You can make betting cards for this, of course, or you can simply use a regular calendar to place the bets. At the entrance of the party, post the rules of the betting pool, the categories they can bet on, and how the winner will be awarded.
For example, the rules can state that money will not be used to award the winner, but they will receive the gift instead. Take a cue from the TV shows and display the prizes alongside the rules! You should also indicate the maximum amount of bets you will be accepting and if it's “Winner Takes All” (when you're betting with money) or you'll be giving awards per category.
The categories themselves are fun to create. Of course you'll have the basic date of birth and time of birth but you can also include the baby's birth weight and length. Some add eye color, hair, and gender into the mix. That just makes it more fun.
No one will know who the winner is until after the birth is over and don't be surprised to find your friends at the hospital just to verify their bets!
If you want to give awards during the baby shower, it is easy as well. Just change the categories to what the mommy-to-be can confirm. You could put date of conception, given due date, gender (if known), the baby's current weight, mommy's preferred cravings (have them choose between five probable kinds of food) and other fun trivia. Five categories should be plenty for this.
Money may or may not exchange hands here. You could have people betting with poker chips if you like, and the winner getting a prize instead of winning the pool.
Have the information available at the start of the party and let each participant list down their guesses on a prominent whiteboard or large piece of paper and give in their bets as well. At the end of the baby shower, the mommy-to-be gives all the correct answers and the ones closest to them get a prize.
Of course this is fun! How else can you bet when someone will be
born?