Amos Oz and his wife Nily in 2008. Photo: Wikipedia.

Israeli novelist Amos Oz is being given 16/1 odds of winning the Nobel Prize in literature this year, according to Ladbrokes, a gambling chain based in London.

The skeptical outlook might be a good omen, however. In 2009, for example, Oz was the favorite to win, but the Nobel committee gave the award to German author Herta Muller, who at 50/1 odds in the days leading up to the announcement, was also considered a long shot.

Other Israeli authors named by Ladbrokes are A.B. Yehoshua and Shlomo Kalo, both of whom were given long odds of winning at 100/1.

The last Israeli to win the Nobel in literature was S.Y. Agnon, back in 1966. Japanese author Haruki Murakami is this year’s favorite with 5/2 odds.

Jewish-American authors such as Philip Roth (16/1) and Paul Auster (100/1) are also being billed as potential recipients of the award to be announced on Thursday.