BBC Sports Personality 2009

Inatimate1 · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:17 am Post subject: BBC Sports Personality 2009

I know that there's still another 363 days to go until the next winner is announced, but already some bookmakers have odds up on who will win next year, and Hamilton is the early favourite with most bookies, with odds of 7/2 the best on offer, followed closely by Andy Murray who is best priced @ 4/1 with SkyBet, but one person does look to be pretty much a stand out in my opinion, and that is 16/1 shot with SkyBet Kevin Pietersen.
We have the Ashes series in 2009, in England as well where our test series form is usually pretty decent and back when we won the Ashes in 2005 Flintoff won the award, with not much else in the form of major sporting events this year either, I think that early on, he looks to be a pretty decent price as a captain and a major run scorer for the team.
Anyone else seen anything early on which looks interesting, I notice that Laura Robson is 100/1 in most places, and the vastly improving Paul Casey is available @ 80/1.
Like I said, I know it is very early on, but there could still be some benefits in finding the potential winners before they start getting the coverage. Wink

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fairfranco · Stallion Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 6109

Pietersen's not a bad call, Australia aren't in great shape at the moment and if the Ashes was to be played now I'd fancy England's chances.

Much good change in the time before it starts but a resonable shout.

Murray is a decent call though if I was going to bet on him it would have to be before the New Year when the Australian Open starts and I'd fancy him to be in with a good chance of making the final/winning it if he can carry on from how he did this year.

I go with Hamilton myself, feel his odds are a bit slim.

The Shark · At Stud Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 4092 Location: OLBG

I know Hamilton was up against a couple of great Olympians but difficult to see how he can do too much more than he did this year.

A lot of the public dont seem to warm to him.

To win I think he'll have to win the championships and win well and hope no-one else really performs in other sports. If he doesnt win the championships then I dont think he has a hope of sports personality.

With Murray he wouldnt have to win Wimbledon to be able to win sports personality - just a semi final and a good season could do it. He's likely to be seeded in the top 4 for Wimbledon so you would expect him to make the semis. Hes 11/2 to win it at the moment with SkyBet.

Looks to have a good chance in Australian and US opens but to win sports personality I think he'll have to have a good wimbledon - so thats what you are punting on I think. 4/1ish that he makes the wimbledon semis and has an ok season winning the odd tournament and finishing in the top 3 or so in the rankings (5/6 with stan he finishers 1/2/3) - 4/1 looks a good bet to me especially if you can get EW the first 3

veggie · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

As a tennis fan, I shall be following Andy Murray's progress very closely.

Just a reminder that Greg Rusedski won the Sports Personality award in 1997. He reached the Quarter Final at Wimbledon that year and the Final of the US Open.

So you don't have to win Wimbledon to get the public vote.

The voters probably liked his smile, something that Andy will have to work on!!

fairfranco · Stallion Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 6109

Wimbledon isn't really Murray's tournament to be honest. He's not great on the grass though he may do well he is most likely to win one of the hard court slams and/or a couple of masters series. If he could do that then he'd be in with a good chance, especially if he could win/do well in the Masters Finals tournament as this is close to the end of the year so in peoples mind come voting time.

Inatimate1 · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:08 pm Post subject:

fully agree with you ff, Murray even came out and said last year that he doesn't think that he can live up to the expectations of the public, because they are expecting him to win Wimbledon yet he has said that he doesn't like playing on the grass courts and much prefers the US hard courts.
I think that given what veggie said, the personality that Greg had made a lot of difference that year, Murray accomplished the same Grand Slam feat of a Wimbledon QF and a US Open Final, although being 1997, there wasn't much going on that year in terms of major sporting events.

If Murray wins Wimbledon then I do think that he could win the Sports Personality of the year, but given his belief about his own chances I couldn't be too confident at short odds, although, I must admit, that the British voting public must enjoy their tennis as much as I do, Federer has picked up the overseas award 3 times in the last 5 years, and looking back on the list, there's a lot of names on there from the world of tennis, so the possibility of Murray winning next year is definately up there. I would prefer to back him over Lewis Hamilton as Hamilton has reached that Summit now, if he fails to do so again next year then I don't think he can win the award in all honesty.
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betking · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject:

Ive not looked at any odds for 2009 (are there any yet?) but.....

If Andy Murray wins a Grand Slam, he'll probably win the SPOTY. I dont think it has to be Wimbledon, although a QF/SF would be beneficial there obviously. However Im not convinced hes that likeable, and in retrospect thats what hurts Hamilton too.

Hamilton has now finished 2nd the last 2 years, and will surely be in the reckoning again, but I get the feeling he'd have to comfortably win the title this time round to emerge victorious.

David Haye could be worth a small bet if hes decent odds. If he beats Klitschko for the World Titles with Lennox Lewis possibly in his corner, he'll surely finish top 3.

Who else is there? I dont see a golfer winning it, nor do I see a cricketer playing it as I dont see us winning the Ashes. Calzaghe will likel have retired, Hatton would need to beat Pacman and Mayweather Jr to stand a chance, so hes out of the running it looks like.
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Dammo Qwirky · Stallion Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6730

betking · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:

LOL. I just mean the rumblings of how Haye and Lewis are good friends, and Lewis will be there for the match. So if Haye wins the match, the newspapers will be splashed with photos of current World Heavyweight Champ David Haye, celebrating with former undisputed WHC Lennox Lewis. There wouldnt be a better scene for British sport in 2009 if that happens in my opinion.

Obviously Haye would need to win, but still...
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veggie · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:01 pm Post subject:

Bet365 have already posted odds -

Andrew Murray 5/2
Lewis Hamilton 5/2
David Haye 9/1
Kevin Pietersen 10/1
Ricky Hatton 10/1
Andrew Flintoff 12/1
Ian Poulter 22/1
Amir Khan 25/1
Lee Westwood 25/1
Steven Gerrard 28/1
Wayne Rooney 28/1
Danny Cipriani 28/1
John Terry 33/1
Rory McIlroy 40/1
Justin Rose 40/1
Joe Calzaghe 40/1

Personally I would wait a few months before making any bet.

There are bound to be a few names that emerge in 2009.

betking · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject:

None of those prices appeal for backing.

But if I liked laying big odds, Gerrard, Rooney and Terry are joke prices in a non- World Cup/Euro year!
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fairfranco · Stallion Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 6109

one more reason to back Murray................

SCOTTISH

I'm not sure if it was mentioned on here at all but a lot of people I was seeing on BF forum were backing Hoye on the basis that the Scots love to vote for their fellow Scots.

X-Factor being the main example, Leon winning and of course the McDonald brothers last many weaks longer than the judges would have liked!!!

Hoye was the outsider of the 3 favourites but i've no doubt the Scots helped him along.