BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an award ceremony, which takes place annually in December and celebrates the British sportsperson who has seen the greatest success throughout the current year. The award was handed out for the first time in 1954, and in 2019, the trophy celebrated its 65th anniversary.
It was created by Paul Fox, who was an editor of the magazine show Sportsview, while its first host was Peter Dimmock. The winner has always been judged by a public vote, and back then, the vote was sent by postcards. Around 14,500 postcards were sent for the inaugural BBC Sportsview’s Personality of the Year Award. The first-ever such award was given to Christopher Chataway, who won against Roger Bannister.
The award, which is given for excellence in sporting achievement invariably attracts great audiences, and the sportsperson that will win the hearts of Brits this year is already on the lips of many people. The ceremony draws great audiences and attracts lots of attention from punters, which explains why sports betting sites were quick to add the market as soon as the new year dawned.
The odds for the 2022 Sports Personality of the Year are already available, and although the ceremony will take place at the end of the year, punters should not rule this betting opportunity out. There is indeed a lot to come from Britain’s sportspeople, including those who are earmarked for the award, and betting early might mean that punters might find betting value.
What the Nomination Procedure Is
Although the 2021 BBC Sports Personality of the Year was held just a few months ago, punters have already started considering who the next winner might be.
Today, the award can only be given to a sportsperson who is British or lives in the country and plays their sport mainly there. The list of the sportspeople who will be in contention for the award is usually announced a couple of weeks prior to the ceremony. As for the nomination process, there is an independent expert panel, which needs to draw up the list of the top-performing British sportspeople based on their consensus view.
While compiling the list of the contenders for the award, the experts should focus on the impact of the achievements of the sportsperson, how the sportsperson reflects the breadth and depth of that sport in the UK, and how the sportsperson reflects the UK sporting achievements in the country and internationally. The Director of BBC Sport chairs the independent expert panel, while the rest of its members come from the world of sports.
The list of the contenders that are earmarked for the award is announced ahead of the show, and the sportsperson who has most caught the attention of the public is determined through voting via the BBC website or over the phone.
Most Common Sports in the Top Three
Athletics are the sport which has taken first place most times. Up to 2021, athletes have been given the award 18 times, they have been runner-ups 14 times, and have taken third place 20 times. Thus, there are a total of 52 occasions on which the sport has been represented in the top three. Although some might be surprised by the result and the marked difference with other sports, it is worth mentioning that there are a number of different disciplines of athletics.
Formula One’s UK audience is constantly on the rise, and unsurprisingly, this is the second most common sport in the top three. Throughout the years, Formula 1 drivers have been given the award eight times, they have ranked second nine times, and have taken third place once, which makes for a total of 18 appearances. With seven Sports Personality of the Year awards, tennis takes third place. Tennis players have been runner-ups two times, and have ranked third on the same number of occasions, which makes for a total of 11 appearances in the top three.
It might come as a surprise that football ranks fourth as players have received the award five times. Football has been represented a total of 22 times, and players have seven second places and ten third places. Boxing, cricket, and cycling each have five awards, but the total number of appearances of these sports in the top three are 10, 11, and 6, respectively.
Up to this date, there are several sports with just one appearance in the top three, and these include rallying, gymnastics, darts, Rugby league, and diving.
| Sport | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Total number of appearances in the top three |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 18 | 14 | 20 | 52 |
| Formula 1 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 18 |
| Tennis | 7 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Football | 5 | 7 | 10 | 22 |
| Boxing | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| Cricket | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Cycling | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Figure skating | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Golf | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| Swimming | 2 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
Winners by Gender
There is a staggering difference between the sportsmen and sportswomen that have won the award since 1954. Up to this point, men have received the award 55 times, while women have picked up the gong just 12 times, which is indeed a staggering gap. It is also worth noting that although Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean collectively won the award back in 1984, the figure-skating couple is counted separately.
| Gender | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Total Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 12 | 10 | 18 | 40 |
| Male | 55 | 55 | 48 | 158 |
| Mixed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Has Anyone Claimed the Award More Than Once?
Up to this day, the people who have gotten the award more than once are five in total. Interestingly, Andy Murray is so far unopposed, and he is the sportsperson who has claimed the award most times. He has received the award for Sports Personality of the Year two times in 2015 and 2016 and has ranked third once. For now, Murray is the only sportsperson who has managed to pull off the feat and win the award two years in a row. This has happened only once since the award’s inception, and up to this time, no sportswoman has won it more than once.
With two awards, Lewis Hamilton is a runner-up, but as it seems, he is expected to tie with Murray as for now, he is bookmakers’ favourite to win the award this year. Hamilton has taken second place four times and has never taken third place. Thus, he is the sportsperson with the highest number of top placements as he has been in the top three six times in total. He is followed by the snooker legend Steve Davis who has been in the top three four times and has received the award only once in 1988. Nigel Mansell, Henry Cooper, and Damon Hill have all been given the award twice. Yet, none of them has ranked second or third, except for Nigel Mansell, who has been ranked third once.
Why Jessica Ennis-Hill has to win Sports Personality of the Year https://t.co/X2ARoyUEV8 pic.twitter.com/ko1XUGIoVi
— Eurosport (@eurosport) December 20, 2015
Interestingly, there are eight sportspeople who have finished second twice without getting the award. The sportsperson who has set the record for most placings in the top three without getting the award is Jessica Ennis-Hill. The track and field athlete has ranked second once and third three times. Up to now, the only non-individual winners of the award are the ice dancers and Olympic and World champions Torvill and Dean.
The only members of the same family who have won the award are Princess Anne and her daughter Zara Phillips. When Dai Rees got the award in 1957, he was 44 years old, which made him the oldest recipient of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. When he picked up the gong, Ian Black was 17 years old, and thus he became the youngest sportsperson to get the award.
Both Charlton, Ennis-Hill, and Alex Ferguson are among sportspeople that have received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.
| Sportsperson | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Total Placings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Murray | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Lewis Hamilton | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Nigel Mansell | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Henry Cooper | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Damon Hill | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
BBC Sports Personality of the Year by Nationality
Unsurprisingly, England is well ahead of the competition when it comes to the number of awards as its sportspeople have received it 52 times and have 152 top placings. Scotland is ranked second, and its sportspeople have received the award seven times, while its total top-three placings are 18. With two first places, Wales goes almost immediately after Northern Ireland, which has five first places. Their total top-three placings are 13 and 18, respectively.
The sole winner from the Isle of Man is the professional road racing cyclist Mark Cavendish. The world road race champion won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2011. Thus, he became the second cyclist after Tommy Simpson to pick the gong.
England did not have a representative in the top three only once, and this occurred in 2013 when Andy Murray took the award, Leigh Halfpenny ranked second, and Tony McCoy took the third place.
| First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Total Placings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 52 | 54 | 46 | 152 |
| Scotland | 7 | 3 | 8 | 18 |
| Wales | 5 | 1 | 7 | 13 |
| Northern Ireland | 2 | 6 | 4 | 12 |
| Isle of Men | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
The former professional road and track racing cyclist Bradley Wiggins who won the award in 2012, and the former tennis player Greg Rusedski who got the gong in 1997, have both been included as winners from England. Greg Rusedski was born in Canada and competed for the country, while Wiggins was born in Belgium. Lennox Lewis, on the other hand, initially competed for Ireland, but like Rusedski, he had already completed his transfer of allegiance to Great Britain at the time when they got the honour.
Who Is Favourite to Win 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Although there is a wealth of time prior to the next BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, bookmakers have already begun accepting bets on the this-year winner. At this point, Lewis Hamilton is tipped as being the next award-winner. The rest of the would-be winners do not come that close after the racing driver, but there is a great deal of time before the awards and a lot can change.
While placing their bets, punters should take into account the recency factor as it normally has a major impact on the market. This is to say that as we get closer to the moment when the ceremony will be held, the odds might change dramatically.
Lewis Hamilton
The Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is the current favourite to get the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He is undoubtedly among the contenders to watch, especially considering that he stands the chance to get a record-breaking eighth F1 championship.
Following the controversial season-decider in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after which Max Verstappen was officially crowned 2021’s Formula 1 champion, the rivalry between him and Lewis Hamilton is expected to be all the more fierce. Thus, what one might expect is that Hamilton will be all the more determined to look for revenge. Additionally, he will go on with his attempts to outperform Michael Schumacher as currently, they both have seven world championships.
The rumours about Hamilton’s retirement after Abu Dhabi are what make many people steer clear of placing bets on the Formula 1 driver. After two months of speculation and rumours, Hamilton ultimately decided to confirm that he would continue his career with the Mercedes team in 2022.
A number of major sportsbooks have priced him as the winner, especially if he succeeds to get his record-breaking eighth championship.
Emma Raducanu
After she stormed to victory last year, the 19-year-old Emma Raducanu is also among the top contenders for the award. Her crowning achievement brought her the approval of the public, but it cannot be said for sure whether she can get a second nod on the trot.
After history-making three weeks, she won the US Open against all odds and was named Newcomer of the Year by the WTA. Now, she is 12th in the singles ranking, while her year-end ranking was 19th. If she succeeds in adding another Major to her achievements, it is highly unlikely that Raducanu will be unseated as an award-winner for the second year in a row.
Yet, some experts consider that she might be dazzled by the spotlight, which will make her less likely to add a Grand Slam any time soon. In their view, Raducanu needs to gain more experience to continue her triumph on the courts.
The winner of BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021 is…
🌟 EMMA RADUCANU 🌟#SPOTY
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 19, 2021
Interestingly, Emma Raducanu won the award in 2021 after she became the first British woman after Virginia Wade to win a grand slam. Additionally, she became the first qualifier to ever win a grand slam, the youngest recipient of the award after Michael Owen, and the first woman to get the award after Zara Tindall.
Harry Kane
The English professional footballer Harry Kane is also earmarked to win the this-year award. The English striker appeared among the favourites to get the 2021 BBC Sports Personality of the Year after England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. Yet, as we said already, football does not have such a great record in the event, and although three of the awards that were claimed by footballers were given precisely after World Cups, Kane did not turn out as a winner.
If Gareth Southgate’s men lift the trophy at the World Cup in Qatar, the captain is indeed among the worthwhile prospects in the market. The World Cup final will take place shortly before the ceremony, and if Kane lifts the trophy, it is on the cards that he will receive the BBC award. England is indeed poised to lift the trophy in Qatar, considering that they have the strongest team they have had for years, and if they ultimately lift the cup, betting on Kane might be a worthwhile option.
George Russell
The fledgling F1 star George Russell is also among the sportspeople who are expected to compete for the approval of Brits. Many put hopes on the 24-years old racing driver who currently has a contract with Mercedes to become a world champion, but only time will show if this can happen this year.
He made his debut in 2019 at the Australian Grand Prix after signing a contract for Williams. One year later, he achieved his first podium at the 2021 Belgium Grand Prix. Russell has plenty to learn, but many consider that he replaced Valtteri Bottas, who enjoyed five highly-successful seasons with Mercedes, only to help Lewis Hamilton get another title.
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is yet another footballer who is earmarked to take part in the contention for the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was among the contenders for the award also in 2021 when he became the only footballer who has been added to the six-person shortlist the expert panel introduced.
In 2020, he contributed significantly to England’s run to the Euro final as he scored three goals. In addition to this, Sterling played a significant role in the back-to-back Premier League titles in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 when he helped Manchester City beat West Bromwich Albion and Brighton, respectively. The soccer star might bring punters good value, especially if he performs well in the Qatar tournament this year. Thus, he is undoubtedly a market to watch for.
Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury is another name that pops up among the would-be winners. In fact, he is widely considered a sleeper for the this-year award, after he has been on the shortlist for the BBC SPOTY in 2015, 2020, and 2021. This year, the heavyweight boxing champion is expected to make it to the shortlist again, despite the lengthy clash with BBC he has been in. In spite of his consistent presence on the shortlist, Fury has never received the award.
Back in 1999, Lennox Lewis claimed the award, and the last time it was given to a boxer was in 2007, when Joe Calzaghe took the honour. Fury is expected to have a big year, and if this happens, he might become a valuable betting opportunity.
Jordan Henderson
The name of Jordan Henderson does not appear for the first time as a would-be winner of the award as he was nominated in 2020, but back then, he became a runner-up after Lewis Hamilton won the public vote. Last year, he celebrated his 10th anniversary as a Liverpool player. He became Liverpool captain in 2015, and he has led the team to the Premier League title, UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019, and UEFA Super Cup. His list of accolades at Anfield started growing again after a seven-year wait following the team’s triumph at the League Cup in 2012.
Many expect that Henderson will be named on this-year shortlist as well, and although he is not yet priced as a favourite, things might quickly change.
Zoe Aldcroft
After Zoe Aldcroft was named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2021, this year, she might be among the contenders to be crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 25-year-old English rugby union player has been consistently present in the headlines, all the more so after her captaincy debut last year. Yet, her odds do not see her currently priced as one of the top three nominees, but punters should not count her out of the competition.
Anthony Joshua
Many expect that the British professional boxer Anthony Joshua will also become one of the candidates for the award. He has held the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles from December 2019 to September 2021. The rematch with Oleksandr Usyk is one of the major boxing bouts that are expected to attract huge audiences this year. What adds to the excitement is that he is close to unveiling his new training team.
This will not be Joshua’s first appearance on the shortlist of contenders for the award, as back in 2017, he was the one to lead the way. Back then, the list of contenders contained 12 active world champions from a number of sports, and although Joshua was a heavy favourite with bookmakers, he left outside the top three.
Mark Cavendish
Another sportsperson who is standing at tempting odds at the moment is Mark Cavendish. The professional road racing cyclist will become the cyclist with most stage victories, provided that he wins Tour de France.
As we explained earlier, Mark Cavendish has won the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. Back then, he got recognition for his outstanding achievements that included winning the World Road Championship and getting the green jersey at Tour de France. During the ceremony in 2011, Darren Clarke took second place, while Mo Farah ranked third.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Odds for 2022
| Sky Bet | William Hill | Paddy Power | Betfair | Betfred | 10bet | BetVictor | MansionBet | SportsNation | VBet | |
| Lewis Hamilton | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 7.50 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 7.00 |
| Eve Muirhead | 9.00 | 7.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 21.00 |
| Harry Kane | 9.00 | 9.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 |
| Emma Raducanu | 13.00 | 15.00 | 10.00 | 9.00 | 15.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| Tyson Fury | 15.00 | 21.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 | 15.00 | 13.00 | 15.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 |
| Raheem Sterling | 15.00 | 11.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 |
| Mark Cavendish | 15.00 | 21.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 |
| Phil Foden | 15.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Jordan Pickford | 13.00 | 26.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Katie Ormerod | 13.00 | 41.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 51.00 | N/A | 21.00 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Odds may vary from the date of writing
**This information is provided for informative purposes only and does not promote gambling activities
- Author
Harry Evans
