Lewis Hamilton emerges as early bookmakers’ favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year award after seventh F1 world title… with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Tyson Fury tied second
- The six Sports Personality of the Year nominees were announced on Tuesday
- Lewis Hamilton is the favourite to win this year and replicate his 2014 triumph
- Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan is second-favourite with boxing’s Tyson Fury
- Jordan Henderson, Hollie Doyle and Stuart Broad make up this year’s nominees
Lewis Hamilton is the early bookmakers’ favourite for the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award with the winner announced in just over two weeks’ time.
The Formula One legend, who won his record-equalling seventh F1 World Championship title earlier this year, was named on a six-person shortlist for the annual award and is priced at 1/4 by some betting companies.
Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan (11/2) is widely considered to be joint- second favourite, according to the bookies, along with boxing legend Tyson Fury on similar odds.
Lewis Hamilton is the bookies’ favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award
The Formula One legend won the award back in 2014 but has now won seven world F1 titles
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson (14/1) is further back along with rider Hollie Doyle (25/1), with cricketer Stuart Broad (200/1) completing the line-up as the least favourite among the six.
F1 legend Hamilton won the award back in 2014 and has finished as runner-up four times, including each of the last two years.
The Mercedes driver was pipped to the award by cyclist Geraint Thomas in 2018, with World Cup-winning cricketer Ben Stokes collecting the award ahead of the 35-year-old last year.
Snooker star Steve Davis is the only other person to have finished in the top three for the award on five separate occasions.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan won his sixth World Snooker Championship this year though this is the first time he has been nominated for Sports Personality of the Year Award despite nearly three decades in elite sport.
Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan is second favourite with Tyson Fury third in the bookies’ list
Three years ago, the 44-year-old – who is the oldest world champion to win at the Crucible in 40 years – claimed he was ‘over the moon’ he had always been snubbed for the award as the personal accolade was ‘not his scene’.
Boxing legend Fury beat Deontay Wilder in a stunning rematch back in February to become a two-time heavyweight champion just shortly after coming through a battle with drugs and depression.
Footballer Henderson played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s first Premier League title win in 30 years and was awarded the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award for the 2019-20 season.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is ranked at 14/1 after the Reds’ Premier League triumph
Doyle, meanwhile, became the first woman to ride five winners at Windsor with odds of 899-1 and also won for the first time at Royal Ascot this year.
Cricketer Broad was pivotal in England’s series win over the West Indies in the first Test cricket match back following the coronavirus hiatus, with the 34-year-old surpassing the 500 wicket total in the process.
The winner of the award will be decided via public vote on Sunday December 20, with the event broadcasted from Media City in Salford on the BBC.
Horse rider Hollie Doyle (left) and cricketer Stuart Broad (right) complete the shortlist