Aston backed to lead the rest a Merry dance as bookies make him early favourite for BBC show
The countdown to the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing is well and truly on and punters have been piling in ahead of the first live show on Saturday.
Anticipation has been growing since this year’s pairings were announced just under two weeks ago with bookmakers installing former JLS singer Aston Merrygold as the early frontrunner.
When it comes to #Strictly training. Is all that glitters (Merry) gold? In the frame it's @AstonMerrygold and @jmanrara pic.twitter.com/wMSvkIebyu
— BBC Strictly (@bbcstrictly) September 17, 2017
As Saturday approaches, more and more training footage has become available with punters looking to get any early value available before the cat is well and truly let out of the bag this weekend.
Perhaps unsurprisingly the most popular in the market since the couples were announced is the early favourite Merrygold. The 29 year-old was well-known during his pop career for his back-flips and dancing routines and it appears bookmakers and punters alike believe he will be a natural fit for the BBC dance show. The former pop star has attracted over 17% of total bets on the market, ahead of Alexandra Burke in second with 13% and Paralympian Jonnie Peacock in third on 10%.
Peacock in particular appears to have caught the eye of Strictly fans with bookmakers already running scared of the gold medal winner with his odds shortening from 14/1 when the market was first drawn up to as short as 7/1 in places.
