BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011

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Prices right now:

Rory McIlroy 2/1 (Bet365/Betfred/Boylesports/Coral/William Hill)
Jessica Ennis 5/1 (William Hill)
Andy Murray 8/1 (William Hill)
David Haye 8/1 (William Hill)
Alistair Cook 18/1 (Boylesports)
Lee Westwood 20/1 (Sky Bet)
Luke Donald 22/1 (Sky Bet)
Lewis Hamilton 25/1 (Bet365/Betfred/Sky Bet)
Chris Ashton 28/1 (Bet365)
Amir Khan 33/1 (Bet365)
Paul Scholes 33/1 (Boylesports/Coral/Victor Chandler)
Tom Daley 33/1 (general)
Mark Cavendish 50/1 (Boylesports)
Toby Flood 50/1 (Bet365/Coral/William Hill)
Mo Farah 66/1 (Coral/William Hill)
Jenson Button 66/1 (Betfred)
Bradley Wiggins 66/1 (Victor Chandler)

[Rob44]

mmm i was hoping that mcilroys price would cause jess ennis to drift further than that.

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It might depend what happens in the next two golf Majors but Rory McIlroy looks ominous. Jessica Ennis may very well win gold in Daegu, South Korea in late August but it most likely depends who the BBC want to win.

I can't imagine England will win the Rugby World Cup & someone to emerge as a figurehead like Jonny Wilkinson was back in 2003.

One or two that might pad the field this year though is a couple of stars from the Paralympics particularly the swimming with Ellie Simmonds and Susie Foster likely to be in the Young Sports Personality and Sports Personality shortlists respectively.

BBC Sport - New Paralympic stars emerge

Thoughts of 2012...

I said in the aftermath of last year's event that I'd be 'lumping on' Jessica Ennis to win in 2012. I'm not so sure any more as they were bigging up Tom Daley something rotten on BBC Radio Five.

If Tom Daley doesn't win an Olympic gold then Jessica's got a strong chance I suppose barring a multiple Olympic gold medal winner like a Chris Hoy/Rebecca Adlington, a European Championship win for England in Poland/Ukraine (HA!!) or some other personality capturing the nation's attention instead.

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The aftermath of Darren Clarke winning The Open and yesterday's Bettingzone Market News:

2040: Sky Bet have installed Darren Clarke as their favourite to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year after his Open triumph at Royal St George’s.

The Northern Irishman, who was a 150/1 shot in Sky Bet’s Open betting markets prior to the start of the tournament, won by three shots ahead of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

Clarke is 5/6 to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December with US Open champion Rory McIlroy 6/4.

Meanwhile, Sky Bet have released a host of golf betting markets following the conclusion of the 140th Open Championship.

They are offering 3/1 for Chubby Chandler to manage the winner of the US PGA Championship. which McIlroy is the 7/1 favourite to win and 6/1 for a Northern Irishman to win the final major of the year.

In their 2012 Open betting market, Tiger Woods and McIlroy are the early 8/1 favourites with Clarke a 66/1 shot to repeat his triumph at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The top two players in the world, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, are both 4/1 to be the next maiden European major winner after they failed to make the cut this weekend.

2005: Darren Clarke, a 200/1 outsider at the start of the event, defied the odds to win the Open Championship,

As a result that also makes him the 1/2 favourite with Coral to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December having also been a 200/1 outsider for that title prior to this weekend.

"He was an unconsidered outsider at the start, with all the attention on his younger compatriot and pre-tournament favourite, Rory McIlroy," said Coral's David Stevens.

"But Darren Clarke made a mockery of those odds to win his first Open in style, much to the relief of the bookmakers, as all the money had been for McIlroy, and the world's top two golfers, Englishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

"His victory at Sandwich means he has also replaced McIlroy as favourite to be crowned Sports Personality at the end of the year.

"After the disappointment of watching Andy Murray, David Haye, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button all lose this summer, Clarke has finally given British sports fans something to cheer, even if not many backed him to do so." William Hill expect Rory Mcllroy to bounce back from his failure at the Open and he is offered at 8/1 to win the US PGA Championship.

Donald, Westwood and Woods are all 12/1 with Martin Kaymer a 16/1 shot and Clarke on offer at 66/1.

The firm are celebrating his win though as he made them in the region of £1 million pounds.

Clarke had started the week as a 175/1 rank outsider with the firm although one lucky punter from London banked £11,037 after placing £50ew at those odds.

"Just five years ago a Clarke victory would probably have cost us a million but many believed his game was in decline so we have actually won a million," said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.

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Today's Bettingzone Market Update:

1545: After her silver medal at the World Athletics Championships, Jessica Ennis is out to 100/1 with Sky Bet to be the BBC Sports Personality of the year.

Coral's Gary Burton thinks that leaves the way clear for a golf domination. He said: "With another major contender out of the running, the challenge to the golfers is disappearing fast, with Clarke still sitting in pole position".

Darren Clarke is evens with the firm after they laid a £4000 bet at 5/4, although you can still get 11/10 with Betfred.

They're top price on Rory McIlroy too at 100/30, while Andy Murray is 12/1 with Victor Chandler.

Zone comment: If Murray does win the US Open that 12/1 will seem huge. Anyone who fancies him at Flushing Meadows might consider taking the chance that victory would be enough to grab the BBC crown. Remember, the golf and Northern Ireland vote could be split between Clarke and McIlroy.