SPOTY Odds: Emma Raducanu is the 1/20 Betting Favourite

There are a few things that simply scream that we're entering the festive period. I'm a Celeb, The World Darts Championship and of course SPOTY! The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony is one of the most star studded events in the sporting calendar and here at BettingOdds.com we've had a look at the competition to get you all the info you need, including of course the latest betting odds. 

When and where is the award ceremony?

The ceremony will take place on Sunday 19th December at Salford Media City. The event will start at 6.45pm and the main award will be announced shortly before 9pm. Sadly, due to the current Covid situation there will be no audience present. Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will present the 68th annual awards and it will be broadcast live on BBC One, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Who are the past winners of the award?

1954 Sir Chris Chataway

1955 Gordon Pirie

1956 Jim Laker

1957 Dai Rees

1958 Ian Black

1959 John Surtees

1960 David Broome

1961 Sir Stirling Moss

1962 Anita Lonsbrough

1963 Dorothy Hyman

1964 Mary Rand

1965 Tommy Simpson

1966 Bobby Moore

1967 Sir Henry Cooper

1968 David Hemery

1969 Ann Jones

1970 Sir Henry Cooper

1971 HRH Princess Anne

1972 Dame Mary Peters

1973 Sir Jackie Stewart

1974 Sir Brendan Foster

1975 David Steele

1976 John Curry

1977 Virginia Wade

1978 Steve Ovett

1979 Lord Sebastian Coe

1980 Robin Cousins

1981 Lord Botham

1982 Daley Thompson

1983 Steve Cram

1984 Torvill and Dean

1985 Barry McGuigan

1986 Nigel Mansell

1987 Fatima Whitbread

1988 Steve Davis

1989 Sir Nick Faldo

1990 Paul Gascoigne

1991 Liz McColgan

1992 Nigel Mansell

1993 Linford Christie

1994 Damon Hill

1995 Jonathan Edwards

1996 Damon Hill

1997 Greg Rusedski

1998 Michael Owen

1999 Lennox Lewis

2000 Sir Steve Redgrave

2001 David Beckham

2002 Paula Radcliffe

2003 Jonny Wilkinson

2004 Dame Kelly Holmes

2005 Andrew Flintoff

2006 Zara Phillips

2007 Joe Calzaghe

2008 Sir Chris Hoy

2009 Ryan Giggs

2010 Sir AP McCoy

2011 Mark Cavendish

2012 Sir Bradley Wiggins

2013 Sir Andy Murray

2014 Lewis Hamilton

2015 Sir Andy Murray

2016 Sir Andy Murray

2017 Sir Mo Farah

2018 Geraint Thomas

2019 Ben Stokes

2020 Lewis Hamilton

Who are the nominees?

Emma Raducanu 19, Tennis - 1/20

19-year-old Emma Raducanu burst into the nations hearts and consciousness initially during Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round as a wildcard. In doing so she was the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 in the open era. The nature of her defeat at Wimbledon (she retired in the second set after breathing difficulties) led many people to claim she was too young and inexperienced to compete on the world stage. What followed next was simply incredible...

Raducanu entered US Open qualifying and won nine straight games without dropping a set to reach the final. In the final she defeated fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez, again in straight sets to end 44 years of hurt for British women's Tennis. She became the first Grand Slam singles winner since Virginia Wade in 1977. On the way she broke several records including becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam tournament in the Open Era, and the first woman in the Open Era to win the second major tournament she had entered.

Tom Daley 27, Diving - 12/1

Tom Daley is one of Britain's most popular sports stars. He first burst onto the scene at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where at only 14-years-old he reached the Olympic final, and in doing so was Britain's youngest competitor and the youngest from any nation to reach a final. Since then he has won multiple titles including European, Commonwealth and is a double World Champion. 

One thing that had always eluded him was the title of Olympic Champion. That wait finally ended back in the summer where at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021 due to Covid), Daley and his diving partner Matty Lee won gold in the synchronised 10m platform event.

After a tumultuous period in which Daley had lost his father to cancer, came out as gay, got married and became a father it was the ultimate reward for a talent that had been in the British sporting spotlight for over 13 years. 

Tyson Fury 33, Boxing - 40/1

The undefeated 'Gypsy King' had another stellar year in the world of professional boxing. 6 ft 9 Fury completed his historic trilogy with American Deontay Wilder back in October. After being knocked down twice in the fourth round, Fury got back to his feet and knocked out Wilder in a devastating and brutal style. He is widely regarded as the finest Heavyweight in the world and often features on best pound-for-pound fighter lists. The long awaited fight versus Anthony Joshua is still in the pipeline but first Fury must face his mandatory Dillian Whyte.

Famously when last nominated, Fury stated: "They wouldn't give it me if I won 50 world titles. I should've won it 3 times already. I've got my wife and my kids, that's the awards I need. I'll sue them if they put me on." . It looks highly unlikely he will win here.

Adam Peaty 26, Swimming - 125/1

Adam Peaty is a swimming freak. He not only defended his 100m Olympic Breaststroke title, becoming the first British swimmer ever to do so, but also holds the top 16 fastest times ever recorded in that distance. The world record holder also was part of the gold-medal winning 4 x 100m Medley relay winning team and claimed a silver medal in the men's medley. 

As well as his astonishing sporting achievements, this year Peaty has also seen his popularity soar due to his recent appearances on the BBC's flagship light entertainment programme Strictly Come Dancing.  

Raheem Sterling 27, Football - 150/1

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling had a great year both at club and country level. Sterling was initially a doubt to start for England in Euro 2020 (again held in 2021 due to Covid) due to his form for City, but those fears were quickly swept away as he starred as England reached their first major tournament final for 55 years.

England may have lost the final heartbreakingly to Italy, but Sterling was voted in the team of the tournament and also saw his club side City lift another Premier League trophy. 

Sarah Storey 44 , Cycling - 150/1

Dame Sarah Storey is arguably Great Britain's greatest ever Paralympian. The numbers certainly do her claims no harm: She won her 15th, 16th and 17th Olympic golds at Tokyo and took her overall medal haul to 28!

Amazingly Storey began her Paralympic career at the age of 14 in the pool as a swimmer.