| Tipping Centre |
|
| Tipster | Total | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 179.5 | 5 |
| Midas | 174 | 3 |
Scoring: Each field of contestants earns points relative to their finishing position in that competition. In a field of 10 runners, the winner gets 10 points and last place (or 1st out) would attain only 1 point. Tipsters get full marks for their 1st place selections and half marks for place selections.
Shows included in the challenge were:
Celebrity Big Brother, C4
Dancing on Ice, ITV
Eurovision, BBC1
Britain's Got Talent, ITV
Big Brother, C4
Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1
X-Factor, ITV
I'm a Celebrity, ITV
Check the official I'm a celebrity... Get me out of here! site for more: ITV I'm a celebrity website.
To bet on I'm a celebrity go to our I'm a celebrity betting page.
Midas
Midas' I'm a celeb selections...
Prediction: 1st Gino (1st, 13 points), 2nd George (7th, 3.5 points), 3rd Sam (9th, 2.5 points)
Result: 19 points
Prediction: 1st Kim Woodburn (2nd, 12 points), 2nd George Hamilton (7th, 3.5 points), 3rd Stuart Manning (5th, 4.5 points)
Result: 20 points
Check the official X factor site for more: ITV X-Factor Website.
To bet on X Factor go to: X-Factor
Midas
Midas' X Factor selections...
Prediction: 1st Danyl Johnson (4th, 9 points), 2nd Lucie Jones (8th, 2.5 points), 3rd Jamie Archer (7th, 3 points)
Result: 14.5 points
Prediction: 1st Stacey Soloman (3rd, 10 points), 2nd Joe McElderry (1st, 6 points), 3rd Olly Murs (2nd, 5.5 points)
Result: 21.5 points
Check the BBC site for info, etc: BBC Strictly Come Dancing Website.
To bet on SCD visit: Strictly Come Dancing Betting
Midas
Midas' SCD selections...
Prediction: 1st Jade Johnson (7th, 10 points), 2nd Ricky Whittle (2nd, 7.5 points), 3rd Laila Rouass (4th, 6.5 points)
Result: 24 points
Hurricane
Given the way Dancing on Ice panned out, I'm following the same thinking when coming up with the most likely final three in Strictly Come Dancing. The power judges have in both shows is greater than in other reality TV contests - Coleen Nolan would have reached the DOI final ahead of Jessica Taylor if the public had their way. Because of this, typical finals will see two judges favourites alongside one contestant who tends to progress through the competition on the back of their personality rather than their talent (Donal McIntyre in DOI). Backing the dancer deemed most talented after the first couple of shows can therefore turn out to be a profitable strategy, even at seemingly restrictive odds, so long as they have a hint of personality.
At the risk of coming across as ageist, Jo Wood, Lynda Bellingham and Richard Dunwoody will surely struggle with the heavy workload and faster dances, even if the Loose Women crowd do carry Lynda through the early rounds. Ricky Groves' wife is giving him the big build up but it's hard to imagine him as an overwhelming success, and the same could be said for fellow Eastender Natalie Cassidy, when you think of her trying her hand at the quickstep. Laila Rouass could look a bit like a daughter dancing with her dad alongside Anton du Beke, Zoe Lucker has been given the short straw in having to dance with James Jordan and I'd be wary of backing Jade Johnson after her public spat with Kelly Sotherton, even if the judges warm to her.
That still leaves half the field. Phil Tufnell has already proven to be popular with the public on I'm A Celebrity, and should go far even if he proves to have two left feet. Joe Calzaghe is also sure to gain considerable public support, but doesn't have the public adoration required to compete with Tuffers, when it comes to the crunch. Chris Hollins looks the type to throw himself into everything he does, so should still hang around for some time yet.
Rav Wilding and Ricky Whittle both have the potential to succeed, and are probably going to appeal to the same demographic, but from the little we've seen Rav's relationship with his partner looked strained at best, so it's Ricky I'd expect to do better. Martina Hingis may find it difficult to get her personality across on the dancefloor, while Craig Kelly seems the sort that will last five or six weeks without anyone even realising he was there in the first place. This leaves Ali Bastian as the female who's certain to reach the final despite thanks to the judges, despite not being overly loved by the public.
Prediction: 1st Ricky Whittle (2nd, 15 points), 2nd Phil Tufnell (8th, 4.5 points), 3rd Ali Bastian (3rd, 7 points)
Result: 26.5 points
The tenth series of Big Brother is underway, showcasing nothing whatsoever. Check the C4 site for videos and profiles, etc: C4 Big Brother Website.
For all the BB odds visit: Big Brother Betting
Midas
Midas' BB selections...
Prediction: 1st Charlie (3rd, 14 points), 2nd Sophie (1st, 8 points), 3rd Kris (10th, 3.5 points)
Total: 25.5 points
Hurricane
Once upon a time, Big Brother used to be an entertaining show, where normal people interacted without constant interference and relationships developed naturally. Since then, the program's producers have felt the need to put forward increasingly weird and fame fuelled participants and to add more and more twists, seemingly with the aim of turning it into a freak show. The small plus side that remains is that betting opportunities still exist in abundance.
Of all the reality TV shows this is by far the toughest to pick a winner on after the first night, as we know so little about the individuals that are set to pollute our TV screens throughout the summer. My initial thoughts as the 16 contenders entered the house are below.
Freddie - Posh, Tory twit. Could get a niche following at best.
Lisa - Butch lesbian, tried to portray herself as full of it in audition video, says like every other like word which gets like annoying very like quickly. First impressions in the house were ok, unlike Kitten, so could turn out fine.
Sophie - Blonde well-endowed model type, seems nice enough and could go very far if she avoids early eviction but that's a very big if.
Kris - Russell Brand wannabe, loves himself, especially his hair. Not sure he's the brightest spark but probably most likely winner of the first four in.
Noirin - Female version of Kris. Was willing to take part in the opening night mini-task, which works in her favour.
Cairon - American. Could he be another Science? Most likely to give us witty diary room entries but hard to see him open up and relate to any of the oddballs he'll live alongside.
Angel - Russian female boxer. Weirdo. Took an age to go in the house, may be chucked out twice as quickly.
Karly - Footballers wife wannabe. Thinks she's a betch apparently. Scottish but even that is unlikely to get her sufficient support.
Marcus - Thinks he's an action hero for christ's sake. Could be Maxwell's dad.
Beinazir - Head in hands man. I've nearly lost the will to live.
Sophia - I was going to be very complimentary but then she started screaming randomly at the crowd which scared me. She could brighten things up, and appears the most likeable of a bad bunch of girls.
Rodrigo - Brazilian, seems very happy, no obvious nastiness, though brain cell count may not be that high. Opening night mini-task gives him a flying start and no surprise to see him head the betting early on.
Charlie - Former Mr Gay Newcastle. Similar thoughts to those on Rodrigo.
Saffia - Independent mum, doesn't like people. Why did she apply?
Sree - Lives in his parents pockets. Can't see him being entertaining.
Sivash - High, not in a good way.
Based on the above, and assuming 'any other' doesn't come along before viewers have favourites, the most realistic winners at this early stage appear to be Kris, Sophia, Rodrigo and Charlie. Freddie and Cairon are the only two I think I could watch without wanting to plan a trip to Beachy Head but my first impression is neither will quite appeal to the masses. All in all, and in the absence of a magic eight ball, my top three after the first night are Rodrigo, Sophia and Cairon.
Prediction: 1st Rodrigo (4th, 13 points), 2nd Sophia (14th, 1.5 points), 3rd Cairon (13th, 2 points)
Total: 16.5 points
The third series of Britains Got Talent is underway, showcasing everything that is weird and wonderful about the country. If you must there are videos, news and that on the Official Talent Site.
For all the odds on the greatest talent show on the planet visit: Britain's Got Talent Betting
Midas
Midas' BGT selections...
Prediction: 1st Shaun Smith (9th, 2 points), 2nd Diversity (1st, 5 points), 3rd Susan Boyle (2nd, 4.5 points)
Total: 11.5 points
Hurricane
The obvious place to start any run through of the main contenders for Britain's Got Talent is with Susan Boyle, and no one can doubt that she will be in the mix as the show reaches it's climax. There is a valid argument that, having enjoyed a month in the spotlight, Boyle may be seen to have had her moment of fame already, so voters could switch their attentions to an act perceived as a more deserving winner. However, with ten acts in the final, rather than the two or three that you normally see on reality TV shows, there is no single person for the anti-Boyle voters to throw their support behind. For good measure, Boyle will have the support of the crucial Scottish vote, so, certainly at this stage, the rest of the field appear to be fighting for second, despite Simon Cowell insisting that isn't the case.
Quite who could push Susan Boyle close is up in the air at this stage, as acts could quite easily alter their performances for the live semi-finals. Jamie Pugh has been taken apart by the tabloids, Shaun Smith and Greg Pritchard are surely more suited to X-Factor, and the instrumental acts of Julian Smith and Sue Son don't strike me as being anything special. Of the novelty performances, Stavros Flatley, DJ Talent and Kay the human sax are all amusing in their own way, but I'd expect each would appeal to a niche which probably isn't big enough to make them realistic contenders.
The awww vote will be split between Shaheen and Hollie, who'll surely trade lower than her current price. Both are likely to prove popular and should ease into the final if given the last spots in their respective semis, but I feel they'll just fall short in the end, as Andrew Johnston and Faryl Smith did in 2008. This leaves the three impressive dance acts, Diversity, Flawless and Aidan Davis. Although Flawless seem the more talented group, Diversity come across as more original, endearing and memorable with the kids in tow. If both reach the final, neither can expect to win, but both should be thereabouts in terms of the minor places.
Last but not least is Aidan Davis. Surely the majority of viewers will have been impressed by a performance that completely outdid what George Sampson came up with. The 11 year old should also have the young girls drooling over him, which is no bad thing in these shows, but he may still be seen as too similar to last year's winner. This leaves Susan Boyle as my most likely winner, as predictable as that seems, while I'd fancy Aidan to be the best of the rest.
Prediction: 1st Susan Boyle (2nd, 9 points), 2nd Aidan Davies (5th, 3 points), 3rd Diversity (1st, 5 points)
Total: 17 points
Moscow hosts the 54th edition of the ever popular Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday 16th May. Tune in to the event live on BBC1 at 8pm to marvel at our European neighbours as they demonstrate in the best way they can the wonderous cultural diversity so beloved of the retired but not forgotten commentator Terry Wogan. For previews of all the entries this year watch the videos direct from the official eurovision site media lounge.
For the odds on the betting event of the year visit: Eurovision Song Contest Betting
Midas
Midas, using his unique methods, has made his Eurovision selections.
Prediction: 1st Norway (1st, 25 points), 2nd Bosnia and Herzegovina (9th, 8.5 points), 3rd Iceland (2nd, 12 points)
Total: 45.5 points
Hurricane
Dear oh dear. Two days before the Eurovision final and still nothing from Midas. I'd like to think that if I possessed a similarly golden touch, I wouldn't need to wait till the songs were released, and the rehearsals and semi-finals had taken place, before putting my psychic skills into action. Anyway, on the plus side, the delays have given me a longer than expected chance to see how things are panning out, and I'm left with Bosnia, Norway and Azerbaijan as the three most likely candidates to win.
In recent years, there have always been a number of Balkan entries in the mix on finals night. However, for once, the general standard of their songs has been poor, with Serbia putting forward a rare no-hoper to leave us looking at Bosnia as the region's only realistic hope of winning the contest. Rehearsals have been very well received across the board, which bodes well as far as the jury vote is concerned, and being drawn 12th for the final isn't as bad as it first appears, since it comes right before the break.
Pre-event favourite Norway has obvious appeal, being instantly memorable and entertaining at the same time. However, the Nordic songs are collectively stronger than they have been for some time, meaning they'll all be taking points off each other, so the final outcome isn't necessarily the foregone conclusion that bookies would have us believe.
Azerbaijan are only participating for the second time, yet, having finished a respectable eighth on their debut with an awful operatic entry, this year's more mainstream song must have a great chance of going close as it is sure to grab some Western votes which it didn't receive in 2008. There are some doubts over the male singer's vocals but I feel the rehearsals have largely answered these.
Of the other likely contenders, Greece, Turkey and Armenia are virtually guaranteed top eight spots. All are decent enough, and their respective diasporas will vote en masse regardless of how good the song is, but I don't feel these three have quite enough about them to go all the way. Iceland looks to be the best of the ballads, but an early draw following Portugal is likely to dilute their chances, while Lithuania would complete my top 8.
The last mention goes to the United Kingdom, who have been handed their best draw in years, have a song that isn't completely forgettable for once and finally have a singer that we know can hold a note. Realistically, winning is out of the question, especially in a year where the West has raised the bar a notch, but a mid-table spot would be the UK's best finish since 2002 and is a realistic goal.
Prediction: 1st Bosnia and Herzegovina (9th, 17 points), 2nd Norway (1st 12.5 points), 3rd Azerbaijan (3rd 11.5 points)
Total: 41 points
Celebrities will do anything to get back into the media spotlight, and Dancing on Ice is another case in point.
The lucky 13 that will grace our screens over the next couple of months are Loose Woman Coleen Nolan, Irish journo Donal MacIntyre, former rugby great Ellery Hanley, soap 'stars' Gemma Bissix and Roxanne Pallett, retired England defender Graeme le Saux, Rachel Stevens' ex Jeremy Edwards, Mrs Kevin Pietersen Jessica Taylor, ex-page 3 pin-up Melinda Messenger, TV presenter Michael Underwood, X-Factor loser Ray Quinn, Todd 'Tucker Jenkins' Carty and Blue Presenter number 30 Zoe Salmon.
Who'll be triple salko-ing their way to the final?
Visit: Dancing On Ice Betting, ITV Dancing on Ice Website
Midas
Midas, using his unique methods, has made his Dancing on Ice selections.
Prediction: 1st Jessica Taylor (3rd, 11pts). Next best, Gemma Bissix (12th, 1pt) and Zoe Salmon (5th, 4.5pts)
Total: 16.5 points
Hurricane
If you're not psychic, it's a tricky business trying to predict the way any reality TV show will pan out before having the chance to see all the competitors in action at least once. Therefore, trying to get hold of the few scraps of information that do exist is key. Michael Underwood actually appeared on Dancing on Ice last year and would've surely gone close if injury hadn't ruined his chances. The TV presenter's happy-go-lucky demeanor is exactly what wins votes by the bucketload and I doubt the producers would've invited him to return if this wasn't the case 12 months ago. Additionally, there was a real chemistry between Michael and his partner, Melanie Lambert, who has shown she can produce the routines to win the show with Kyran Bracken previously. True, his actual dancing ability isn't quite to the standard of some others, but I think that can improve sufficiently with time, giving us the 'journey' angle too and making Michael good value at 20/1 to at least place.
Looking at the other likely contenders, honourable mentions go to all of Gemma, Roxanne and Ellery, while Melinda could do considerably better than her odds suggest if viewers get the chance to see her bubbly personality. But, ultimately, I'm unsurprisingly drawn to the two that head the market at this stage - Ray Quinn and Jessica Taylor. All their fellow contestants seem to be talking up the pair's chances, so it would be no surprise to see both shorten even further once all 13 have been seen on the rink. I do worry for Jessica, given her partner is the dull and emotionless Pavel, who has played an important part in helping both Ulrika Jonsson and Samantha Mumba fail to live up to their dancing potential. Ray, on the other hand, has already shown during X-Factor that he can win the public's support, even if his smugness did annoy me personally. The judges are sure to keep both Ray and Jessica in the competition as long as they can, should they ever find themselves in the dance-off, with the natural skating ability of Ray proving decisive in the end.
Prediction: 1st Ray Quinn (1st, 13pts). Next best, Michael Underwood (10th, 2pts) and Jessica Taylor (3rd, 5.5pts)
Total: 20.5 points
Celebrity Big Brother is back for 2009 with 11 former, minor and wannabe celebs spending 3 weeks in the Big Brother house in the hope of re-kindling their careers. Previous years have seen entrants humiliating themselves and controversial goings on aplenty.
Entering the house this year are Mini Me Verne Troyer, crazy haired rapper Coolio, former boy bander Ben Adams, ex-Suga Babe Mutya Buena, Scottish moaner Tommy Sheridan, The Word presenter Terry Christian, reality TV loser Michelle Heaton, serial bride Ulrika Johansson, Shameless Tina Malone, Tory pin-up girl Lucy Pinder and sister of Wacko La Toya Jackson. Who will go the distance is anyone's guess.
Midas
Midas uses a combination of visualisation techniques and psychic instincts to make his selections.
Prediction: 1st Coolio, 2nd Ben Adams, 3rd Verne Troyer -- Result: 17.5 points, no selections placed
Hurricane
Looking at what it has taken to win Celebrity Big Brother in past series', the boxes that tend to be ticked are being entertaining (Jack Dee, Bez), the centre of attention (Shilpa Shetty, Chantelle), a generally decent sort (Mark Owen) or ideally some combination of all three. As a result, my most likely final three for this year's series are Coolio, La Toya Jackson and Verne Troyer. Coolio has been the star of the show so far, combining humour with a down to earth personality that all in all makes him easy to warm to. La Toya is coming across much better than first impressions would have suggested and Verne will be guaranteed a fair few votes because of the 'awwww' factor. Normally, I'd be opposing Americans over their British-based rivals, but the main competition is Terry Christian, whose infuriating personality in 'the real world' is sure to be seen by the end, Ben Adams, who I'm not entirely sure is still in the house, plus Michelle, Lucy and Mutya, who are all unlikely to gain the general support of the female population.
Prediction: 1st Coolio, 2nd La Toya Jackson, 3rd Verne Troyer -- Result: 16.5 points, no selections placed
"King of Reality T.V." Challenge 2009: Oddschecker v Dean 'Midas' Maynard
