Cycling

Paddy Power has Alberto Contador as the 1/6 odds on favourite to keep hold of the yellow jersey all the way to Paris. However Andy Schleck has tomorrow’s final mountain stage to add a final twist in the tale and regain the yellow jersey. The Luxembourger looked in dominant mood two days ago and was set to take advantage in the climb before his chain came off allowing Conatdor to controversially ride off.

The momentum though is with Contador who is 5/4 to take tomorrow’s stage and would effectively end Schleck’s challenge. Schleck is currently 3/1 to win the last mountain stage with the nearest rival to the two men Menchov at 11/1.

Roberto Coladangelo spokesman for Paddy Power said; “Has the two-horse race got one more story to give? With many expecting Schleck to build a lead for Contador to attack in the final stages, Monday’s controversy has put the Spaniard in the driving seat and Andy will need to find something special to win both tomorrow and this years tour.” (more…)

Team Sky have started 2010 with a bang by winning their first competitive race in Australia, the Cancer Council Helpline Classic and Sky Bet have now cut the odds of them winning a stage in the Tour Down Under proper to 4/11 (from 4/5).

Greg Henderson and Chris Sutton made it a one-two in Adeleide and lead rider Henderson has been backed into 4/1 second favourite (from 16/1) for the race outright.

Sky Bet’s cycling betting spokesman Chris Kennedy said: “It’s a dream debut for Team Sky and Sky Bet customers are certainly expecting their strong start to continue as they have backed Henderson down to 4/1 to win the Tour Down Under and are also steaming into Bradley Wiggins for the Tour de France.” (more…)

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford expects Bradley Wiggins to play a pivotal role in achieving Team Sky’s aim of winning a Grand Tour and Sky Bet are offering odds on how the triple Olympic gold medallist will fare in this year’s Tour de France.

Wiggins’ fourth place finish at last year’s Tour De France matched the best ever performance by a Brit and Sky Bet offer 100/30 that he finishes on the podium in 2010, evens that he manages another top-6 finish in 2010 and 18/1 that he claims the yellow jersey.

Sky Bet’s cycling betting spokesman Chris Kennedy said: “Wiggins looks to have a giant task on his hands to finish ahead of young guns Contador and Schleck in this year’s Tour de France but finishing third at 7/1 looks a realistic possibility and could be the value bet.”

Team Sky was launched in London on Monday and Dave Brailsford is hoping his team can produce a British winner of the Tour within five years. Sky Bet make the team 1/3 to win any stage of the 2010 race (9/4 not to win a stage). (more…)

Tennis specials

With expectations high for Andy Murray going into 2010, Sky Bet are offering odds on how the British number one will fare and go 5/1 that he wins 7 or more ATP titles. It’s 5/2 that Murray ends 2010 ranked either 1^st or 2^nd and 9/1 that he goes on to claim two or more Grand Slam titles.

Football specials

Next year is sure to bring many more managerial changes and Sky Bet make it an even money chance that 2010 sees Jose Mourinho return to Premier League management. It’s 40/1 that all four ‘big four’ managers leave their posts in 2010. Sky Bet also go 150/1 that David Beckham scores the winning penalty for England in a shootout in the World Cup final.

Motorsport specials

With Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton forming an all-English dream team at McLaren in 2010, Sky Bet go 11/8 that an Englishman wins the Drivers’ Championship. Next year will also see F1 legend Michael Schumacher return to the sport and Sky Bet offer 28/1 that the seven-time champion gets off to a flying start by winning the first three Grands Prix of the season.

Golf specials

Sky Bet boast a wide range of special markets, including 9/2 for Lee Westwood to retain his Race to Dubai crown and 4/1 that Westwood is the next Brit to win a major.

Boxing specials

Sky Bet are offering odds on British boxers Amir Khan and David Haye remaining unbeaten in 2010. It’s 10/3 that the ‘Hayemaker’ is unbeaten and 5/1 that he beats Ukrainian brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Odds of Amir Khan remaining unbeaten next year are 15/8 and it’s 8/1 for a boxer to win the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

1^st 2009 champion to retain their title

Sky Bet are also offering odds on which 2009 champion will retain their title first in 2010 and make four-time King George winner Kauto Star the 11/8 favourite to defend his Gold Cup title in March. Pakistan are 9/1 to be the first of the ten winners listed to defend their title by winning the Twenty20 World Cup title in May and it’s 13/2 that Barcelona are first to celebrate by lifting the Champions League trophy again (May 2010). 8/1 is available for none of the ten 2009 champions listed to repeat their success in 2010. (more…)

Team Sky have confirmed the signing of Bradley Wiggins and Sky Bet make the triple Olympic gold medallist 5/1 to be the first Sky rider to win a race in 2010.

Wiggins joins the BSkyB-backed squad on a four-year deal and is expected to be their leader at next year’s Tour de France. Sky Bet make the team 4/11 to win any stage of the 2010 race (2/1 not to win a stage).

Wiggins’ fourth place finish at this year’s Tour De France matched the best ever performance by a Brit and Sky Bet offer even money that Wiggins manages another top 6 finish in 2010. He is 4/1 to win an individual stage, 100/30 to finish on the podium and 18/1 to claim the yellow jersey.

Sky Bet’s cycling betting expert, Dave Sykes, said: “Wiggins claimed an excellent fourth place finish in this year’s Tour de France and this signing by Team Sky shows their ambitious plans for the future!” (more…)

Since the final ten were named last Monday, Manchester United fans up and down the country have been out in their drones backing Ryan Giggs to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year. The Welshman is now into 2/1 (from an opening 25/1), and with the nationwide gamble still gathering pace it’s safe to say there’ll be more than a few homes popping the champagne corks early this Christmas should Giggs end up with the coveted BBC gong.

Considering the United midfielder has made just 14 appearances and scored three goals since May, it’s actually not that easy to make a case for Giggs to receive the award, especially when you stack his yearly achievements up alongside those of the nine other record-breaking contenders. Hardened football fans will point out that the great man has had a record-breaking year too – equalling the Premier League appearance record as well as maintaining his record of scoring in every season of it.  Regardless of whether or not Giggs should be in the list, his rivals’ fans now have the unenviable task of voting enough times to make sure he doesn’t win it.

So who can stop him? Well, Jenson Button must have been halfway to the stage when he claimed his first World Drivers Championship in October. Such was the achievement that his price hit a low of 8/15 during the celebratory hours of his world title win, but that’s now drifting like the proverbial barge as a direct consequence of the Giggs support. The Brit from Brawn is now evens, an incredible price considering he looked to be home for all money a couple of months back, and the way things are going he may even be bigger than that by the time the show starts at 7pm Sunday night.

As a result of the front two being well clear, there are some extremely attractive prices on offer for the rest of the field. David Haye, hailed for his slaying of ‘Goliath’ Nikolay Valuev is now out to 20/1 (from 7/2) and Ashes winning skipper Andrew Strauss is bigger still, on offer at 25/1 having touched 6/1 in August. You can probably put a line through the likes of Beth Tweddle, Tom Daley, Andy Murray and Phillips Idowu, most of whom are 100/1+, but there may still be a couple of others capable of upsetting the apple cart. Heptathlete Jessica Ennis is solid at 11/2 third-favourite behind Giggs and Button, and there’s been some interesting money floating around for Mark Cavendish of late. The cycling-sprinter is 28/1 from 80/1 to come with a strong finish and pip the others at the post.

For all intensive purposes though, it now looks like a straight fight between Button and Giggs, two men who are very different ends of the spectrum when it comes to sporting careers. A vote for Button would be in honour of his fantastic rags-to-riches fairytale of an F1 season, where as giving Giggsy the nod no doubt reflects the achievements of a footballer who’s spent 19 seasons playing at the top level.

Lewis Hamilton failed to secure the award last year despite becoming F1 champ, and because of that we’re not too keen on Button’s chances. That’s why our evens is the best price in the entire industry right now, and we intend it to stay that way right up until show time.

The shortlist has been drawn up and we’re now down to the final 10 in the betting for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2010(announced 13^th December 2009). Let’s take a look at the contenders…

Andrew Murray – 80/1

Having promised so much it turned out to be a disappointing season for Britain’s number one. A year that began with victories in Abu Dhabi and Doha ended in a rather confusing first round exit at the o2’s ATP World Tour Finals in November. The Scot’s Wimbledon surge in July saw his odds drop to as little as 2/1 for the end of year award prior at one point, but a shock semi-final defeat at the hands of Andy Roddick soon saw to that.

Verdict: No slams, no chance

Andrew Strauss – 12/1

England had to win the Ashes for Strauss to be considered for this award. Luckily for him, they did. In addition to being captain, Strauss played an integral part of that triumph too, clocking up 474 series runs at an average of 52.66 as well as being named man-of-the-series. Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff have both picked up the BBC gong following successful Ashes campaigns in the past, so there is form in the book.

Verdict: Solid claims of a podium finish

Beth Tweddle – 40/1

Hailed as Britain’s most successful gymnast of all time, Tweddle will need every single vote of her leotard-wearing colleagues if she is to be hugging Sue Barker and Gary Lineker on Sunday 13^th December. Having missed out on an Olympic medal last year, Beth bounced back in fine style this year, becoming World Champion on the floor at October’s World Championships.

Verdict: Worthy of her place on the list

David Haye – 9/1

Despite only fighting once in ’09, Haye became an increasingly popular figure towards the end of it. His cat and mouse bought with Russian Nikolai Valuev in November was hardly an epic tussle, but David fending off Goliath for 12 rounds did capture the imagination of the public for a week or two. Heavyweight champs don’t come around that often however, so the boy from Bermondsey’s chances must be respected.

Verdict: Likeable lad in a sport that does well

Jenson Button – 8/11

The Brit from Brawn has been favourite for this for over six months now, and although others are starting to present themselves, it’ll still be a surprise if Button is not crowned the winner. It actually wasn’t until March that Jenson made it into the Blue Square list of runners for the SPOTY award such was the surprise with which his team emerged onto the F1 scene. Having lead the F1 championship from start to finish, Button will now attempt to do what Lewis Hamilton couldn’t last year and win the award as the reigning Drivers Champion.

Verdict: Odds-on and very much the one to beat

Jessica Ennis – 9/2

The number one heptathlete in the world and current World Champion. Considering Ennis had a year out and missed the Beijing Olympics due to an ankle injury it’s been an incredible year for the 23 year-old, in which she won Britain’s first ever heptathlon gold medal in Berlin posting several personal bests along the way. Like Button, the fact Ennis did all this on terrestrial TV will play a part and should help secure plenty of votes.

Verdict: Britain’s most successful athlete this year. Will go close.

Mark Cavendish – 40/1

The ‘Boy Racer’ smashed many a Tour de France record in 2009, winning six stages and becoming the first ever Briton to hold the green jersey for two days in a row. In fact, more often than not in July, if you tuned the TV on about 4pm on a weekday afternoon you’d be greeted with the site of Cavendish hurtling towards the line on track to yet another stage win. Winner of the Milan-Sanremo, he also published his first autobiography in June.

Verdict: Record-breaking year, but others appeal more

Phillips Idowu – 125/1

Colourful character who won the triple jump at the Berlin World Championships with a personal best in the final as well as the longest jump in the world this year (17.73m). Injuries have plagued the Belgrave Harrier’s career to date, but with a successful year under his belt the 30 year-old will still have strong hopes of staying healthy and making an impact at 2012.

Verdict: Eccentric personality a major plus, but hasn’t done enough

Ryan Giggs – 9/2

Subject to a major gamble over last few days, Giggsy’s odds have tumbled from 33/1 into just 9/2. The PFA Player of the Year and only one to have scored in every season of the Premier League since its inception in 1992, a vote for Giggs would be one for sentimental reasons rather than for his achievements over the last twelve months, but there are sure to be plenty of them.

Verdict: Don’t rule out the power of the red shirt

Tom Daley – 125/1

At just 15 years of age, Daley would become the youngest ever winner of the prestigious award, although at his current odds that seems unlikely. A surprise winner of the individual 10m platform title at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Daley unfortunately blotted his copybook by finishing only 9^th in the synchronised event with his partner Max Brick.

Verdict: Not this year, but a big hope for the future

With Dublin’s long awaited bike rental scheme finally up and running, bookies Paddy Power are betting on how many of the shiny new 450 rental bikes will be taken on a permanent ride by crooked cyclists before the end of this year.

Despite elaborate security measures put in place by Dublin City Council to prevent the new renal bikes getting nicked, Paddy Power make a total theft of between 26-50 bikes their 2/1 favourite.

Paddy Power said “Unbelievably over 8,000 bikes have been stolen in less than two years in Paris where they operate a very similar scheme to the one launched in Dublin this week, with some of the bikes turning up as far a field as North Africa! Fingers crossed that our scheme will not suffer the same fate and hopefully cyclists will be able enjoy the many delights of Dublin city for years to come” (more…)

Jack Houghton thinks the seven-time winner is a serious contender for Tour success.

Punting-wise it’s been a successful start to the Tour. Fabian Cancellara obliterated the field when winning the first stage – tipped up here at 1.78 – and the other recommendations are all trading at significantly shorter odds than when advised: Astana has now halved in price; and Lance Armstrong is well placed for a podium finish that would see us collect on both advocated place bets.

Despite a favourable start though, six days in and there’s still a lot to find out. Yes, Cancellara will be the dominant time-trialist throughout. Yes, Cavendish will win every sprint his team is able to deliver him at. And yes, Astana has a depth of talent and superiority over its rivals not seen before in cycling. But the question as to Armstrong’s true role in that team is yet to be properly addressed.

For all the pre-Tour public relations guff that Alberto Contador was Astana’s lead rider – and that Armstrong would be riding as his assistant – there has been an equal amount of backtracking since. After a solid showing in the opening time trial, Armstrong consolidated his position in the Overall Classification on Stage Three when covering a Columbia-driven peloton split that Contador missed. Followed up by a crushing Team Trial performance by Astana, Armstrong now finds himself less than a second from wearing the Yellow Jersey, currently held – for a few hours at least – by Cancellara.

True, Contador is only 19-seconds back in third – an insignificant gap at this stage of the Tour – but nonetheless, the rhetoric has changed. Within a few short days, Armstrong had moved from cap-doffing underling, to suggesting that, given Astana’s strength as a team, they could perhaps support two riders fighting for the Overall Classification. Most recently, after Stage Six finished in Barcelona on Thursday evening, Armstrong suggested that he and Contador will need to sit down and discuss the leadership after the first high mountain stage on Friday. (more…)

Bookie Paddy Power will refund all bets on legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong if the returning hero fails a drugs test in this year’s Tour De France.

Even though Armstrong has ridden under his own cloud of suspicion down the years, the seven time champion is returning to the gruelling Tour looking to restore some of professional cycling’s drug-addled reputation – as well as win a historic eighth yellow jersey.

Armstrong is the 11/2 second favourite to win the Tour De France behind hot favourite Alberto Contador at 11/10. As with many sports Paddy Power has seen a firm split between the head and the heart in the betting. The emotional money has been firmly toward Armstrong whilst Contador, winner of the Tour two years ago and considered the best rider in the world, attracts the serious wagers.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: “Lance winning an eighth Tour De France would be the second greatest achievement by an Armstrong after the moon landing so it would be a travesty for cycling and Armstrong himself were he to add to the long list of failed drugs tests in the sport.

“But his backers would also be hard done by to see their punts suffer a puncture having gambled in good faith.”

With Armstrong and Contador riding for the same Astana team they are just 4/9 to top the team classification come the end of the race.

Britain’s Mark Cavendish, seen by many as the best sprinter in the world, is the hot Evens money favourite to win the green sprinters jersey. The world champion is 5/2 to win five or more stages during the Tour whilst its 10/3 he repeats last year’s performance with four stage wins and 9/2 for an unexpected zero. Cavendish, largely due to his lengthy odds to win the Tour at 300/1, is Paddy Power’s worst result in the book with a payout currently in the region of £150,000.

For the other jerseys David Moncoutie is 6/4 favourite to be crowned King of the Mountains, ahead of race favourite Contador at 5/1, whilst Andy Schleck is just 4/9 to win the white jersey for the younger riders. (more…)