TV Specials

Top bookie Paddy Power has eased the suffering of beleaguered Frankie Cocozza backers by refunding losing outright bets placed on the 18-year old hell-raiser after he was spectacularly booted off the show earlier today.

In excess of £10,000 has been handed back to over 1,200 Paddy Power customers who, somewhat optimistically, bet on wild child Frankie winning this year’s X- Factor.

Paddy Power said “Frankie punters didn’t get much of a run for their money so we’re only too happy to have a decent excuse to give their money back.”

Liverpudlian hairdresser Marcus Collins remain the bookies 9/4 favourite ahead of silky-voiced Janet Devlin at 3/1 and Craig Colton at 7/2.

2011 X-Factor (latest)
9/4     Marcus Collins
3/1 Janet Devlin
7/2     Craig Colton
5/1     Misha B
6/1     Little Mix
25/1   Kitty Brucknell

X Factor betting was thrown wide open tonight after series favourites The Risk were eliminated.

Paddy Power now making Marcus Collins their new 5/2 favourite to win.

Irish singer Janet Devlin has slipped out to 7/2 after a shocker of a week which saw the Tyrone singer forget her words.

Meanwhile tom-cat Frankie has managed to survive for yet another week. The ladies man appears to be slightly more popular than was once thought and has been now cut to a more cautious 66/1 to win!

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “What a shocker of a week. We weren’t expecting The Risk to go at all and it just shows how unpredictable this years show is! Anybody could go next and anyone could win. It’s wide open!” (more…)

X Factor bad boy Frankie Cocozza is the red hot favourite to be in the bottom two this Sunday night. The 18 year-old hell raiser who has the names of seven girls tattooed on his rear end looks to be in hot water with Paddy Power making him their 4/6 favourite to be in the bottom two and their 11/10 favourite to be the next act eliminated!

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “Frankie is coming across much like his tattoo on this year’s X Factor – in your face and tasteless, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets booted off the show!”

Meanwhile Janet Devlin and The Risk are now at logger heads to win the show outright at odds of 9/4. (more…)

Here’s a preview of this weekend’s exciting football action: (more…)

Singing siblings Jedward are the hot favourites to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Paddy Power now make the mischievous twins odds-on at 8/15 to fly the Irish flag in Düsseldorf this May after being backed in from an opening 5/6.

The act that will represent Ireland at the 56th Eurovision Song Contest will be chosen by the public on Friday 11th February. Backing vocalist and wedding singer Nikki Kavanagh is the 3/1 second favourite ahead of singer-songwriter Don Mescall at 6/1 and previous ‘Song for Ireland’ finalists, The Vard Sisters, at 9/1.

But even though the Lucan lads are hotly tipped to sing for Ireland, bookies Paddy Power aren’t holding out too much hope on Ireland winning the contest. It’s 33/1 that Ireland pull off their eighth Eurovision Song Contest win. In fact, it’s a far more likely 8/11 that Ireland won’t even qualify for the final on May 14th!

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power said “Jedward are miles ahead of the competition and rightly so! If ballad queen Niamh Kavanagh couldn’t pull it off last year there’s no way her backing vocalist will! Punters are on the Jedward wagon all the way and despite the fact the odds look stacked against (Ireland) winning they’re hoping the crazy pair will do the business come May!”

Meanwhile, the UK have chosen boy band Blue to represent them at this year’s Song Contest. The UK, who are one of the top five nations to automatically qualify for the final, are 16/1 to win and 2/5 to finish ahead of Ireland on the leader board. (more…)

Former Sky Sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray could soon be reunited on Arabic TV!

Arabic TV channel Al Jazeera is keen to expand its sports coverage after landing the rights to broadcast the next three World Cups and is thought to be very interested in adding Keys to their broadcasting team. If talks go according to plan Gray will join his old pal on the growing station and divide his time between Qatar and the UK.

Paddy Power already make Keys a smashing bet at 1/6 to make the move to the Middle East, although there are still other potential options on the table. It’s 8/1 that Keys moves to either ESPN or Irish station TV3 and 10/1 ITV take him on.

RTE bosses at Montrose however have ruled out headhunting the Coventry presenter but there’s been no comment from chiefs at Playboy TV, who Paddy Power make a 500/1 shot to hire Keys next.

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “Moving to Al Jazeera could currently be the best move for Keys. Not only will the channel be broadcasting the next three World Cups but Qatar will play host to WC 2022. Saying that, if an offer at Playboy became a reality the perks of the job could prove too tempting to refuse!” (more…)

Who will replace Richard Keys as Sky’s main football presenter?

3/1       Jeff Stelling

6/1       Ben Shepherd

5/1       Dave Jones

6/1       Mark Bolton

8/1       Simon Thomas

8/1       Gary Lineker (more…)

Here’s a preview of this weekend’s exciting football action across England and Scotland:

(more…)

This weekend will see all twelve remaining Dancing On Ice celebrities go head to head to keep their slot on the show in the hope of being crowned this year’s ice Queen or King!

Leading the way with Paddy Power is EastEnders actor Sam Attwater – the soap dish has taken to the ice like a duck to water and looks the one to beat at 4/6. TV presenter Laura Hamilton is the bookies 4/1 second favourite but it’s former kitten Kerry Katona who is attracting most of the punters attention.

The mum of four is amongst the favourites at 9/1 to skate her way to victory after dropping three dress sizes and wowing the audience with her incredible figure and heartfelt performances.

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “Kerry was nervous about how the public would react to her appearing on the show but the public love a genuine person and an underdog. Kerry’s willingness to turn her life around has made her very popular with the public once more and she now has a real chance of going the distance!” (more…)

Lucan’s singing siblings Jedward are tipped to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with Paddy Power installing the mischievous twins at 5/6 to fly the Irish flag in Düsseldorf this May.

Stunning Irish Sky Sports TV presenter Nikki Kavanagh is the 9/4 second favourite ahead of singer-songwriter Don Mescall at 4/1 and previous ‘Song for Ireland’ finalists, The Vard Sisters, at 7/1.

Paddy Power are tipping Ireland to make it through to this years Eurovision qualifiers with odds of 5/6 for the Irish entry to compete in the Final on May 14th. However, the bookies are not holding out too much hope for an Irish win in Düsseldorf with long odds of 33/1 currently available on Ireland winning this years contest.

Ken Robertson from Paddy Power said “On paper Jedward tick a lot of Eurovision boxes and should they win the Irish nomination will definitely give Europe a performance to remember in Düsseldorf on final night” (more…)