The Alternative BBC SPOTY Betting Guide

Let’s be honest. BBC Sports Personality of the Year doesn’t really matter, does it? 

When you consider previous winners have been Princess Anne in 1971, and her daughter Zara Phillips in 2006, can we honestly say that this award still has credibility?

In the same way that Lionel Messi was a thoroughly undeserving winner of the Ballon d’Or this year and everyone just shrugged their shoulders, does anyone really care who the Beeb (and the public) give their award to?

Especially as we all know it’s going to be US Open winner Emma Raducanu, currently trading at an unbackable 1.08, for playing tennis well for a couple of weeks in New York a while back.

And poor Mark Cavendish, who moved heaven and earth to equal Eddy Merckx’s Tour de France stage-win record, isn’t even on the ballot paper!

All of which is a really long-winded way of saying, forget about betting on the main award, there’s plenty of fun to be had elsewhere.

Everyone remembers the runner-up

There’s an old saying that nobody remembers who came second, but you might well do this time if you successfully pick the runner-up – otherwise known as ‘SPOTY without Raducanu.’ 

Tom Daley, the nation’s sweetheart, seems a pretty solid bet at 1.46, but it’s not only surprising to see Tyson Fury on the shortlist, but also available at 5.2 given he unilaterally removed himself from contention last year.

Adam Peaty at 10.5 seems to represent great value for someone who did far better at the Olympics than Tom Daley, and who’s just finished a stint further endearing himself to the nation on Strictly Come Dancing.

The other award worth considering is the World Sport Star gong, for which Grand National-winning jockey Rachael Blackmore is a heavy 1.16 favourite and deservedly so, but could Max Verstappen further enrage reigning SPOTY champ Lewis Hamilton, who didn’t even make the main award shortlist, by grabbing this trophy at 4.1?

Recommended Bets

Lump on Tom Daley to finish runner-up at 1.46

Have a small save on Adam Peaty to come second at 10.5