We have a bit of a change of subject matter here as instead of the latest sports fixture and 
betting, we are going to take a look at one of the most popular TV-based betting markets of the year and that is which sports personality will be the one to win the BBC TV Sports Personality of the Year Award later in December.
The awards are part of a long-standing BBC TV show screened late in December which showcases the top performers in sports over the course of the past twelve months. A number of other awards are handed out on the night, such as the Team of the Year, but it is the coveted prize for the personality of the year that attracts the most attention from fans and punters alike.
The TV show and award has become a familiar pre-Christmas event in the UK and it always attracts lots of interest in betting on who the winner may be. In this article, we are going to do precisely that by taking a look at the nominees and assessing their chances of victory.
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Let’s now take a look at the six sporting personalities who have been nominated for the award, their current odds (as provided by bet365 Sport) and a little information about why they have been nominated for the title this year.
BBC TV Sports Personality of the Year 2020 Nominees
Stuart Broad (Cricket) – 100/1
The rank outsider for the title, Broad (34) passed the notable landmark of 500 wickets for his career in the summer against the West Indies and has continued to be an outstanding performer in the England attack. He is ranked seventh in the list of all-time Test wicket-takers. His best ever performance came against Australia at Trent Bridge when Broad took an incredible 8-15 against England’s nemesis and he has been part of four Ashes winning England sides.
Hollie Doyle (Horse Racing) – 25/1
When it comes to breaking down barriers for women in sport, few have done as much as 24-
year-old jockey Hollie Doyle this year. She smashed her own record for the number of winners ridden by a British female jockey in the course of the year. She has also ridden two winners on British Champions Day, landed an incredible five winners on a single race card and also managed to land her first victory at the prestigious Royal Ascot. Doyle has also been named as the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year for 2020.
Tyson Fury (Boxing) – 13/2
32-year-old Tyson Fury has not been in action too much this year but his outstanding performance and victory over Deontay Wilder back in February saw him reclaim the WBC Heavyweight belt and put the cap on a sensational return from a personal battle with drugs and depression. Fury is a hugely popular presence on social media and he is set to face fellow heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in two huge heavyweight battles in 2021, if Joshua can beat Kubrat Pulev on December 12th.
Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1) – 4/11 favourite
The second-oldest nominee on this list at 35 years of age, Lewis Hamilton has rewritten the history books in Formula 1 this year. He has equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven Formula 1 Driver’s Championship titles this year and has also surpassed the German legend’s total of 91 Grand Prix victories. Hamilton’s mark now stands at 95 and he has also claimed the record for most pole positions in the sport (98) as well as those for most podium finishes, points finishes in a race, career points and points in a season. He has also been a fierce advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement over the course of the year.
Jordan Henderson (Football) – 12/1
The current Football Writers Men’s Player of the Year, the England international captained 
Liverpool to their first league title since 1990 by an incredible margin of 19 points. Henderson has been a pivotal player for the Reds over the past few years and despite facing plenty of criticism earlier in his career at Anfield, he has emerged as one of the most crucial components of Jurgen Klopp’s team and also a key man in Gareth Southgate’s strongest England team.
Ronnie O’Sullivan (Snooker) – 6/1
Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan is the oldest nominee at 44 years of age, and this is the first time he has been nominated for the award, despite a stellar career at the highest level in snooker. Widely regarded as a genius at the game, O’Sullivan landed his sixth world title at the Crucible this year and he has won more events and Triple Crown titles than any other player in history. Famous for completing a 147-break in just over five minutes, the hugely popular cueman will certainly have lots of popular support from viewers with this being the first time he was nominated for the title. If he wins, he will be only the second snooker player after Steve Davis to win the trophy.
How is the winner decided?
The winner is decided by a phone vote which will take place during the Sports Personality of the Year TV Show on the BBC on Sunday 20th December. The lines will be open for the majority of the show with members of the public encouraged to vote for their favourite.
This can have an impact on results as personalities with the most fans can often win a large percentage of the vote, as opposed to past years when a panel of experts would decide on which person was most deserving of the award.
Who do we think will win?
The bookies have installed Lewis Hamilton as the clear favourite to win the title this year after his record-breaking Formula 1 season, in which he surpassed many different records and it is hard to argue against this. In terms of sporting achievement, Hamilton’s surpass any of the other contenders by a considerable distance and it would be a surprise to see him outvoted. However, in a public vote, results can be very different and as such you cannot rule out popular sporting stars Ronnie O’Sullivan or Tyson Fury.
