BBC Spoty 2023

[Beerpig]

It may seem a tad early to be looking at this with us less than half way through they year but now is the time when the prices are appealing- you just need tomorrows news today.

If any Brit wins Wimbledon he/she will be a shoe in. I cant see it unless Cameron Norrie plays out of his skin. Emma is injured and Andrew, though playing well might be a bit long in the tooth. Saver on Norrie just in case.

Football? No. Cant see a footy player winning this. City might win team of the year but they have no standout 'home' player that will scoop the award. Haarland might get overseas spoty but no value there.

Where will the winner come from? Cricket. That's where. David Steele (twice) Botham, Flintoff, Stokes all won it, the latter three in an ashes victory year. And we have the ashes this year and with England about to beat the Aussies on hime turf, the winner will -imv- come from the England team.
The fabulous Ben Stokes is favourite, but Jimmy Anderson must have a shout in what is likely his swan song. However seems to me the dark horse might be Harry Brook. Harry who? Every now and then a particularly gifted batsman emerges and young Mr Brook could fit the bill.
Bookies have spotted it and have him best at 12/14-1 which seems a bit short for a virtual unknown out of his own sport.
But bookies know these things dont they - as we saw last night at the Euros.
Betting is not an art any more- it is a science and if this lad stays fit and plays to his potential, he must be worth a punt now.
you see the great thing about the Ashes is it is a slow burn and builds and builds during the summer so Mr Brook (and the other runners and riders) will have 10 innings to make an impression. One match winning one could just do it for him.
We will see but I cant 'spot' anyone else in any other sport who might come form the clouds to win it.
Open to persuasion though.

[Gerry557]

With no obvious winner surely it's time for a transgender athlete to win. It's made a little bit harder as some are being baned from some sports by governing bodies.

I'm surprised these days that you need a winner. Doesn't taking part make you a winner.

My money is on The Mealy Titan, a bit of a dark horse but identifies as a pigeon.

[didds]

merely postulating...

Its also Rugby World Cup year.... not that England are setting the world alight - but they have the easiest side of the draw. And that's not to discount the potential efforts of Scotland and wales of course.

[pje16]

Should I point out that it's the middle of May
not near anywhere like a year

[dealtn]

Womens' Football World Cup too, and England will be one of the favourites, so might provide a worthy candidate that could have a decent chance in a year with little obvious alternative winners.

[dealtn]

Should I point out that it's the middle of May
not near anywhere like a year

You can point out what you wish but I am sure most here are aware of how the calendar works, and where we are date wise. The OP was talking about betting opportunities, and rightly pointing out the availability of potential value and longer odds now than would be available in, say, December.

[pje16]

You can point out what you wish.

and I will continue to do so if that's OK by you

[Bubblesofearth]

If Keely Hodgkinson can beat Athin Mu in the World Championships this year then she's got a good shout IMO.

50/1 with Skybet but maybe longer available elsewhere?

BoE

[dealtn]

You can point out what you wish.

and I will continue to do so if that's OK by you

I think I already pointed out you can do as you wish. My permission isn't needed. I answered a question you posed, or are your questions somehow immune to being responded to? I also gave an explanation on why discussions around this event are relevant, even at this time of the year.

I don't understand your response or attitude, nor your emojis (although the reply box suggest this, and the previous ones, were "eyerolls" - something I imagine is either rude or sarcastic. Luckily I have issues with emotions but I imagine some would be offended which I believe is against the site rules, which you may wish to consider).

[pje16]

and I will continue to do so if that's OK by you

I think I already pointed out you can do as you wish. My permission isn't needed. I answered a question you posed, or are your questions somehow immune to being responded to? I also gave an explanation on why discussions around this event are relevant, even at this time of the year.

I don't understand your response or attitude, nor your emojis (although the reply box suggest this, and the previous ones, were "eyerolls" - something I imagine is either rude or sarcastic. Luckily I have issues with emotions but I imagine some would be offended which I believe is against the site rules, which you may wish to consider).

I found your comment to be sarcastic, or I am not allowed to take things as I find them.

[Bubblesofearth]

If Keely Hodgkinson can beat Athin Mu in the World Championships this year then she's got a good shout IMO.

50/1 with Skybet but maybe longer available elsewhere?

BoE

Just to add a bit of context no woman or man has won gold at 800m in the WC's since their inception in 1983.

Kelly Holmes won Olympic gold in 800m in 2004 and won SPOTY. She did get gold at 1500m as well though.

BoE

[Beerpig]

Well it looks like the winner will come from cricket after all though not as expected.
I thought Anderson or Brook but Broad has burst through the pack to head the field.
Saturday night was 40/1.
Now 11/8.

If ENgland lionesses win world cup there may yet be a late challenge but I cannot see it ie as they are not playing well and are not expected to get near the final.

[moorfield]

Yes it will be Stuart Broad. Can we all go home now please?

[dionaeamuscipula]

Britain has a double world champion in a major Olympic sport, and he's not even on the Oddschecker list.

Although it does include someone from the same sport who retired in November 2022 so that's alright then.

DM

[Beerpig]

Well when we last discussed this, Stuart Broad was considered a certainty, however he has been usurped in the betting by Mary Earps, the feisty goalkeeper of England Women's Football team. Mary is now generally Evens Fav, Stuart Broad 2/1, Frankie Dettori about 8's and then Jude Bellingham - who is having a brilliant season at Real Madrid - about 16-20s.

I believe Bellingham's year will come but not in 2023. Frankie would also be a worthy winner because of his tremendous career but I'll be surprised if he gets over the line in this one. Its between Broad and Earps. Earp's highlight was saving a penalty in the later stages of the world cup and yelling the industrial translation of going forth and multiplying- a stirring moment in the heat of a competition and her spirit is admirable.
However, the Lionesses' efforts were overshadowed by the tawdry 'kissing incident' when Spain lifted the trophy, and I see they lost again last night.
There's also a sense among most sports fans I know that we are rather having women's football forced upon us when it is not, and never can be equal in quality and following to the men's game.

BBC Spoty has always been -and in my humble view still remains- an annual celebration of everything that is good and moving in domestic sport. It is not so much a program of events as as a celebration of them and one to be savoured more than ever in such a dreadful year.
There's something good and decent about cricket- fair play and all that- and I think the bookies have seriously misjudged their audience on this one and 2/1 for Broad is a very good price indeed.

Please DYOR etc- just my view etc

[SimonS]

Well when we last discussed this, Stuart Broad was considered a certainty, however he has been usurped in the betting by Mary Earps, the feisty goalkeeper of England Women's Football team. Mary is now generally Evens Fav, Stuart Broad 2/1, Frankie Dettori about 8's and then Jude Bellingham - who is having a brilliant season at Real Madrid - about 16-20s.

I believe Bellingham's year will come but not in 2023. Frankie would also be a worthy winner because of his tremendous career but I'll be surprised if he gets over the line in this one. Its between Broad and Earps. Earp's highlight was saving a penalty in the later stages of the world cup and yelling the industrial translation of going forth and multiplying- a stirring moment in the heat of a competition and her spirit is admirable.
However, the Lionesses' efforts were overshadowed by the tawdry 'kissing incident' when Spain lifted the trophy, and I see they lost again last night.
There's also a sense among most sports fans I know that we are rather having women's football forced upon us when it is not, and never can be equal in quality and following to the men's game.

BBC Spoty has always been -and in my humble view still remains- an annual celebration of everything that is good and moving in domestic sport. It is not so much a program of events as as a celebration of them and one to be savoured more than ever in such a dreadful year.
There's something good and decent about cricket- fair play and all that- and I think the bookies have seriously misjudged their audience on this one and 2/1 for Broad is a very good price indeed.

Please DYOR etc- just my view etc

As a cynic and observer of reality programmes; and SPOTY is just another reality programme disproportionate weight is given to the public vote,

For years one could get into a heated discussion by simply suggesting the "Big Brother" was scripted,
followed by the plethora of Bazalgette Formula programmes that followed in the name of 'reality', culminating in the most expensive reality programmes of all, F1 and World Championship (anything).

So my guess is that the SPOTY was decided long ago and the results of the public vote will validate that choice. One wonders what the real parameters are: bribes by the agents/sponsors, political impact, friendship with the selection team etc etc. One might put forward Adrian Newey's name as the most prolific designer of winning F1 cars in the history of motor racing, thereby having won the World F! Drivers Champonship (for an assortment of drivers, without actually having been in the cockpit himself) record numbers of times. It makes as much sense as some leathermover in sdme obscure but "World Championship" beauty contest.

[Beerpig]

Well done Mary Earps on winning BBC Spoty last night.
It was obvious she would win in the 2 days prior when she was trading at 1/25.
I thought Stuart Broad would prevail and should have prevailed having by far the more illustrious career in a sport with a greater following than women's football.
But what do I know?
Where we the old middle England voters last night?

The world, it is changing (BP scratches head).

[BigB]

Well done Mary Earps on winning BBC Spoty last night.
It was obvious she would win in the 2 days prior when she was trading at 1/25.
I thought Stuart Broad would prevail and should have prevailed having by far the more illustrious career in a sport with a greater following than women's football.
But what do I know?
Where we the old middle England voters last night?

The world, it is changing (BP scratches head).

Cricket behind paywall since "The" Ashes of 2005. Yes, it's magnificent for those of us with an interest and some viewing history, but how many millions of viewers and SPOTY voters don't see [test] cricket. There might now be 2 generations of voters who don't really know who Broad is. Women's football massively on the rise and trumpeted all over free to air TV for how many years now.

Rugby union is in a very precarious financial state, essentially because it's a niche sport with a small but passionate/dedicated group of followers, but no massive TV audience so limited funds.

[Arborbridge]

With all its faults these sorts of awards are fun.

I do hate the paranoia and cycnicism which inevitably accompanies them amongt the chattering classes. There's nothing to be gained except working oneself into a frenzy which spoils it for the person making unprovable allegations.

I just enjoy the moment - particularly when, as in this case, the winner is such a worthy one. Unusually, this winner also goes down as a big "personality" too.

Well done, great British Public for choosing Mary Earps.

Arb.

[swill453]

Piers Morgan: "No offence to Ms Earps, but shouldn’t it have been given to someone who actually won something in 2023?"

Best Twitter Answer: "Like Prince Harry?"

Scott.