Sports Personality of the Year 2010

[stereoman]

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1615: William Hill have shortened the Grand National winning jockey Tony McCoy from 7/2 to 2/1 favourite to be crowned the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The 36-year-old regained the favourites tag following Andy Murray defeat to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon.

Murray, who was heavily backed to win the BBC award, is now the 7/1 second favourite for the gong, whilst the US Open winning golfer - Graeme McDowell is the 8/1 third favourite.

"If Tony McCoy is ever going to win the award – then this looks likes the year," said Hills spokesman Tony Kenny.

"All of the other contenders seem to be doing their best to hand the award to AP, and it’ll take a big performance by one of Britain’s sporting icons to wrestle the favourites tag from the 15-time champion jockey.

"Graeme McDowell is obviously a big contender, but the US Open didn't finish until around 1am – so you’d have to wonder how many people actually watched the climax of the event."

[stereoman]

Today's frankly bonkers Bettingzone Market News:

0900: In addition to the previous update, William Hill have also introduced Howard Webb into the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year betting at 250/1 while they quote 16/1 that he makes the shortlist.

Webb will create a little piece of football history of his own in becoming the first person to have refereed the Champions League or European Cup final and the World Cup final in the same year.

His reward comes virtue of a string of impressive refereeing displays in South Africa - although the Spanish press did try to make him the scapegoat for their team's shock defeat to Switzerland in the group stage.

The favourite for the BBC gong remains Tony McCoy at 9/4 while Graeme McDowell, Lewis Hamilton and Andy Murray are next in the running at 8/1. Jenson Button, David Haye and Phil Taylor are also potential contenders at 16/1.

Zone comment: We feel these prices on Webb could be worth a small punt considering it's not been a vintage year for British sport so far and Webb's achievement will undoubtedly make him stand out from the crowd. He's worked so hard to fulfill his dream and not only has he emerged as the most respected ref in the game, he also comes across as a thorougly nice guy. Webb has put the overpaid superstar players in their place this summer and who knows, he could just be in line for another top honour come December!

[stereoman]

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1500: Tony McCoy has been cut to 7/4 from 2/1 by Coral to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award after a betting shake up following The Open.

The Grand National winning jockey hardened in the betting with the Essex-based bookies, after none of the British golfers in the running to win The Open managed to make an impression on overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen.

"It’s three months since AP won the Grand National, but with every subsequent British failure, his price to win the award shortens," said Coral spokesman Gary Burton.

Lewis Hamilton is the nearest challenger to McCoy in the betting at 7/1.

[ONEDUNME]

I'm on AP at 9/2 and I've already put a saver on Murray. I'm going to put another saver on Hamilton rather than laying AP but if anyone else comes with a late run, I'm fucked.

[Kiko]

Stereoman - which events are there still left which could eventually have a long shot come from nowhere?

[Gavster]

Originally Posted by ONEDUNME

I'm on AP at 9/2 and I've already put a saver on Murray. I'm going to put another saver on Hamilton rather than laying AP but if anyone else comes with a late run, I'm fucked.

Who's AP ODM?

I'll be on Hamilton to be honest. He should have won it last time he took the championship and he looks pretty good for it this year too. How can someone win two titles and not get BBC sports personality of the year?

It's actually a much healthier bet than Hamilton to win the F1 title!

[stereoman]

AP McCoy.

I'd be wary about where Tony's votes will come from as will he get 100,000+ votes on the night? How much will the BBC pimp his chances on the night?

Can't think of any fringe events right now or imagine anything other than Lewis Hamilton winning convincingly (this new points system is an absolute farce if you ask me), an Andy Murray US Open win or David Haye beating one of the Klitshckos denting Tony McCoy's chances of getting this year's SPotY.

7/4 is fooking skinny though.

[Gavster]

Cheers Stereo...

I'm with you in wondering where McCoy's votes will come from. Murray has a chance, but only if he wins the US Open, which I don't see happening. Another potential outsider is Strauss, given that England could have won the ashes before the show. He's at over 100.0 and would surely take the prize for the team as captain.

In the unlikely event of that happening, Strauss would trump support for Hamilton, as some of the population are Button supporters (brain dead too)!

edit: that's if Strauss makes it through the selection

[ONEDUNME]

Am I wrong in thinking that the British public vote for this?

[Swooperman]

I was a backer of Strauss in last years betting, but the Ashes away has never made an impact on this award in the past & I dont see it starting now. Whats the date of the show ? As there'll only be 2 tests before dec 16th & I always thought it was earlier than that

[ONEDUNME]

September I think

[Gavster]

Yep, Swooper! I glanced at the dates rather than reading them. Would have saved time in that previous post

Ok, Hamilton it is. 2 or 3 places? What you reckon? I think Coral have the best deal, 8.0 e/w 1/3 1-2 places. Surely he can't come 3rd

[ONEDUNME]

If I'm right in thinking that the public vote, then you need to think twice about your "where are McCoy's votes going to come from" stance.

About 300,000 people bought tickets for the British Grand Prix. That's a lot of people alright (and a lot of foreigners over for the weekend too no doubt) but it might surprise you to know that the same number of people went to watch horse racing over a three day period in June. Horse racing happens almost every day of the year, not once a year. Add to that the fact that (BBC or no BBC) there will be a concerted effort by all the Racing media including (no, especially) Channel 4's racing people, to get people to vote for McCoy.

Murray has spunked his chance by not being good enough at Wimbledon again. Hamilton needs to win the F1 championship to stand a chance. My only fear is some round the world sailing clown or fucking world disabled hopscotch champion is going to steal the hearts of the people.

[Gavster]

Originally Posted by ONEDUNME

My only fear is some round the world sailing clown or fucking world disabled hopscotch champion is going to steal the hearts of the people.

The British GP may have only attracted a few hundred thousand fans, but looking across the whole nation, the amount of F1 fans / part time followers would be in the millions.

Apparently the TV ratings recorded 6.6M viewers for the race on Sunday. That's the highest since 2000. British support for F1 has surged since the BBC took over, and has been boosted further since Jenson and Lewis have been team mates.

Ok, the Grand National pulls a crowd, but how many of those that have a flutter really know about the Jockeys, the trainers or the stable the horse is from? Will the support be as clear cut if Hamilton wins the championship?

[ONEDUNME]

Horse racing is the second most watched sport in Britain after football. Then there's the armchair fans. 6.6 million you say? A quick google search couldn't find me the grand national figure for this year but 2005's figure was over 9 million.

How many of those know the jockeys? I'd say over 90% of anyone at a UK race meeting would know who Tony McCoy was. We're not talking about an ordinary jockey or the winner of the Grand National. This bloke has been top jockey for nine or ten years in a row and shows no sign of anyone getting anywhere near him.

Take my word for it, the National has lit the touch paper this year and there is going to be some campaign for him to win this award this year. Jump racing may not be the glamour sport that formula one is but I wouldn't be surprised to see him get double the number of votes that Hamilton gets.