2024 Sports Personality of the Year Prediction, Tips and Odds

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is always an eagerly awaited event in the sporting calendar and in an open year, Racing Post's Phil Agius has picked out his three contenders for the annual prize.

2024 Sports Personality of the Year betting tips and predictions

Keely Hodgkinson - 9/4

While England reached the final at Euro 2024, the stuttering progress of Gareth Southgate's side on their way to their defeat by Spain means there are no outstanding performers who might have been favourite for the Sports Personality award if the final had gone differently.

Jude Bellingham is the leading footballer in the market for the popular prize, but can be backed at a big price. His goals against Serbia and Slovakia were highlights of England's tournament and his sensational performances for Real Madrid in their Champions League-winning campaign should not be forgotten, but the door looks to be open for an Olympian to steal the show.

The leading contender is track star Keely Hodgkinson, who is a 1/3 favourite for the women's 800m in Paris and has a charisma about her that may well bring SPOTY success if she wins gold.

Plenty can go wrong in an Olympic competition and the 22-year-old is only one stumble or tweaked muscle away from losing her shot at both prizes. However, if everything goes to plan in Paris, Hodgkinson looks sure to be a leading contender.

Female athletes have a solid record in the event with Mary Peters, Fatima Whitbread, Liz McColgan, Paula Radcliffe and Kelly Holmes all previous winners, while the last three public choices have all been women - Emma Raducanu, Beth Mead and Mary Earps - after a run of 14 male successes. 

Hodgkinson's recent British records at the London Diamond League meeting suggest her injury worries are behind her and she is in tip-top shape after setting the sixth-fastest women's time over the distance ever seen.

One of Hodgkinson's chief rivals is teenage darts sensation Luke Littler, who was the world championship runner-up aged just 16 and won the Premier League title in May after turning 17.

The sport's lower-profile on the BBC counts against the youngster from Warrington, though.

At the other end of the age scale, veteran cyclist Mark Cavendish could attract support after his record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win earlier this month. 

The Manx rider won the award in 2011, though, so may not be seen as being deserving of more recognition for his fantastic career by some voters. 

Helen Glover - 16/1

Should Hodgkinson falter, the candidate to come through from the British Olympic team could be rowing star Helen Glover.

The 38-year old came out of retirement in a bid to win a third Olympic gold medal after her successes at London in 2012 and Rio in 2016 and her women's four boat cruised safely through to the final in their heat on Sunday morning,

She would have a strong case to claim the award if she can add a third gold after a break of eight years and Steve Redgrave won the individual BBC prize in 2020 despite competing as part of a team on the water.

Lando Norris - 33/1

For an outside bet, F1 ace Lando Norris is one to consider. The McLaren driver bagged his first career victory in Miami this season and has been gaining ground on clear championship leader Max Verstappen over recent races.

With the Bristolian looking likely to have a strong car for the remainder of the campaign, he could motor into SPOTY contention if he can turn the title battle into a close race. 

F1 drivers have had plenty of success in this competition, and have not even needed to win the championship to get this prize, with Nigel Mansell in 1986 and Damon Hill in 1994 both winning SPOTY after finishing a close second in their own sport.

2024 Sports Personality of the Year Odds

• Keely Hodgkinson - 9/4
• Luke Littler - 11/2
• Mark Cavendish - 7/1
• Adam Peaty - 7/1
• Molly Caudery - 10/1
• Matthew Hudson-Smith - 16/1
• Helen Glover - 16/1
• Katarina Johnson-Thompson - 22/1
• Joshua Kerr - 22/1
• Emma Finucane - 22/1

View the full market and more odds for BBC Sports Personality of the Year on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.