Sports Personality of the Year Betting

Each December, the BBC holds an event where a SPOTY is elected. A ceremony is held where the best athlete representing British sports is elected via public vote. As you can see, this is an appealing type of event, which has prompted many operators to add Sports Personality of the Year betting markets to their regular line of bets.

Today, we talk about how to wager on this market and where you can find it.

History of SPOTY

The original idea for the SPOTY came from Paul Fox, the editor of the magazine Sportsview. The first-ever ceremony was held in 1954, during which votes were sent via postcard.

However, the nominees for the inaugural show were limited to athletes who appeared in the Sportsview programme only. Christopher Chataway, the British long-distance runner, became the original winner of the Sports Personality of the Year.

Other notable winners include Bobby Moore in 1966, Princess Anne in 1971, Jackie Stewart in 1973, Paul Gascoigne in 1990, Lennox Lewis in 1999, and Lewis Hamilton, who won it in 2014 and 2020.

How BBC Sports Personality of the Year Voting and Nomination Process Works

The nomination process introduced in 2012 includes an expert panel of people. They are tasked with producing a shortlist of nominees with a turnaround towards UK sporting achievements on both the national and international stage.

The shortlist appears a few weeks prior to the event, with public telephone and online voting determining the winner during the night of the ceremony. It is at the same point when BBC Sports Personality of the Year odds appear.

Analysing Contenders

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024 nominees include a few household names. Early favourites are the England men’s national team members Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Both of them have been having stellar seasons this year, but their success as the SPOTYs will depend on their result at the upcoming Euro 2024.

The favourites to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year are Mark Cavendish, a pro road racing cyclist, and Ben Stokes, the English national team cricket player. Other inclusions involve Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Luke Littler, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Odds

Candidates	Odds
Keely Hodgkinson	4/11
Luke Littler	8/1
Lando Norris	14/1
Mark Cavendish	28/1
Joe Root	40/1
Cole Palmer	66/1
Sarah Storey	66/1
Harry Brook	66/1
Tom Pidcock	66/1
Alfie Hewett	100/1

The displayed odds are provided by bet365. Please note that odds are subject to change. Always check that the odds are correct before placing your bets at the operator’s website. 

check the bet365 BBC SPOTY odds

Criteria for Nomination

The panel of experts that determines the list of SPOTY nominees bases their assessment on the achievements that benefit British sports. This means that the athlete does not necessarily have to be British, they can be foreigners playing in Great Britain.

But they have to contribute to the betterment and advancement of sports in some way as well as produce outstanding results. The shortlist is created yearly. For example, the Sports Personality of the Year 2023 winner, goalkeeper Mary Earps, was crowned due to her winning the Golden Glove award and playing every minute for the women’s English national side during the World Cup.

What Is Betting on the SPOTY 2024?

Betting on BBC Sports Personality of the Year is not necessarily sports betting. But it is a form of wagering that revolves around sports. It is not the same as placing a bet on a sports game and waiting for the outcome of a match. In fact, it is rather an outright type of bet when betting on a winner of the competition before it commences.

The way Sports Personality of the Year betting works is people placing a bet on the nominee they think will win as soon as the odds are released. The result will be made public at the end-of-the-year ceremony when the vote also takes place.

SPOTY 2024 Betting Markets

Picking the winner of SPOTY 2024 may be the crown jewel of the ceremony. But there are additional awards given out during the night, which people have also a chance to bet on depending on the offer of the operator.

Team of the Year

This award is given to a sports team that produces outstanding results in the calendar year. For instance, last year’s winner was Manchester City due to them winning a treble and capturing the Premier League, the Champions League, and the FA Cup.

World Sports Star of the Year

This award goes to a non-British athlete. The criteria for winning it is making a significant contribution to a certain sport during a year. Past winners include the likes of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Introduced in 2001, this award recognises the achievement of a sports personality achieved during his or her career. Sir Kenny Dalglish was the most recent winner for his achievements in football both as a player and manager.

How to Make a Bet

Sports Personality of the Year Betting does not differ greatly from making a regular type of bet. Nevertheless, here is what you need to do.

1. Find a suitable operator that offers SPOTY action.
2. Register an account with the brand.
3. Check out the nominees and the odds.
4. Pick one and add a stake.
5. Confirm your bet.

Responsible Betting

No matter if you are betting on sports or on the SPOTY winner, you still need to be responsible and aware of the consequences. One needs to know when to stop and be aware of the situation that comes with betting. For that reason, it is best to set limitations for yourself in advance, track your spending, and generally learn when to stop to prevent harm done to yourself.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Betting Summary

Sports Personality of the Year betting can be extremely fun. In fact, it can be a breath of fresh air if you’ve been betting on sports all this time. In a way, you are still betting on sports, but you are betting on the person who will win an award, which in some cases can be quite challenging but also interesting to make.

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
👍You don’t need to be a sports fan to bet.	👎 Odds tend to fluctuate as the event draws nearer.
👍 Much easier to bet on than regular sports betting.	👎 /
👍 More than enough operators available to bet with.	👎 /

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