Sports Personality of the Year 2020 betting odds
In February 2020, Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder to claim the WBC heavyweight belt and it might well be the case that this achievement will be enough to secure him the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
The Gypsy King used to be something of a hate figure in the United Kingdom after previously making controversial comments that many regarded as sexist, although he has battled his own demons and is now trading as a strong favourite to win this television accolade.
Boxing continues to be highly popular in the United Kingdom and that’s especially the case considering that Fury and Anthony Joshua currently have all four of the heavyweight belts between them.
However, it is Fury’s success earlier this year at MCM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas that means the 31-year-old is no bigger than 5/4 with Unibet to claim the SPOTY award providing that the ceremony goes ahead.
We could certainly be low on the ground for potential contenders, although Joe Wicks is now trading as second favourite with some bookmakers and it’s possible that the personal trainer could be in the running for the main award.
Known by many as The Body Coach, Wicks has been serving up PE lessons to children and adults since the country went into lockdown thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the southerner motivating kids to burn off some energy first thing in the morning.
The bookies are certainly wary of taking on Wicks for this award considering that there could be a popular campaign to get him on board, although quite whether he should be considered for this award is another matter.
Lewis Hamilton is trading at odds of 10/1 and the Formula 1 driver claimed the award in 2014, although it was something of a lean year which saw Rory McIlroy finish second and Jo Pavey in third place.
Hamilton is likely to win the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship should it go ahead as scheduled this year, although whether that will be enough to secure this award is another question.
Jordan Henderson has been praised in high regard for his performances for Liverpool FC this season and the Reds skipper has also rallied to provide a campaign for the NHS which involves him and many other professional players donating some of their salaries to the doctors and nurses at the centre of the pandemic.
BetVictor offer 12/1 about Henderson winning this particular prize, while boxer Anthony Joshua is the only other viable candidate at this moment in time, although AJ would need to somehow fight and beat Fury between now and the end of the year in order to be in the running.
Trying to predict who will win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award months in advance is a task fraught with peril. Much will depend on how England get on at the World Cup in Brazil this summer. If – by some miracle – they win the thing, Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard would surely get first and second. If Roy Hodgson’s men flop, they won’t get a look-in. But read on to find out our early thoughts on the matter along with the latest betting odds for this fascinating contest.
Of course, this award has little to do with “personality” at all and is really about “achievement”. Andy Murray won it last year after finally winning Wimbledon, while Bradley Wiggins won the year before after winning Olympic Gold and the Tour de France. With Murray having gone off the boil somewhat, we can’t see him having as good a season this year and the best betting odds of 12/1 with BetVictor for him to win for a second time are not tempting.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, is the favourite at best odds of 29/21 with William Hill on the basis that he will probably win the Formula 1 Drivers Championship. But Hamilton only managed second place in SPOTY last time he won the championship (in 2008 when cyclist Chris Hoy was preferred, albeit in an Olympic year) and if anyone rises to glory in any other sport we think they’ll get the better of Hamilton.
A good outside bet at this stage would be to back Rooney at 50/1 with BetVictor. Paul Gascoigne won it in 1990 after crying at the World Cup, so if Wazza actually scores a few goals and England make it to the quarters or semis in style, that could be a very good value bet. Big “ifs”, of course, but at this early stage we’re lumping on Rooney at massive betting odds.