Chloe Kelly’s glorious penalty which nailed England’s shootout victory against Spain as they successfully defended their Women’s European Championship crown has catapulted her to the top of the betting for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The winger was already as short as 12/1 with bet365 before the Lionesses roared to victory and has been a class act throughout the tournament, picking out team-mates with precise crosses, including two off the bench in the quarter-final win against Sweden, then in the final when she teed up Alessia Russo’s towering header for the equaliser in the 57th minute.
Kelly, who famously scored the extra-time winner in the 2022 Wembley final against Germany, was cut to 7/2 to be named the sports personality of the year after the final whistle at the St Jakob-Park stadium in Basel and has been further backed into as short as 6/4 with Betway and 888Sport and no better than 2/1 with BoyleSports.
On the face of it she looks a shoo-in but England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton will also receive loud cheers when the Lionesses hold a victory parade around London after saving two of Spain’s three missed penalties as Sarina Wiegman’s side won the shoot-out 3-1.
Hampton made a series of superb stops in the final and was one of the heroes en route to the decider, especially against the Swedes when she again thwarted the opposition by saving penalties after extra-time, and she is 13/2 with William Hill, bet365 and Betfred to land SPOTY.
Kelly and Hampton fully deserve their positions as second and third favourites respectively in the market but are their amazing achievements better than Rory McIlroy’s Masters victory at Augusta in April, which means he has now won all four majors in a dazzling career? Hmmm, good question.
SPOTY odds
Rory remains the 6/5 favourite with Ladbrokes, Coral and Sky Bet but what about Luke Littler, who has become only the fifth player to win darts’ triple crown after adding the World Matchplay at Blackpool to his world championship and Premier League titles? He has to be in with a decent shout at 14/1 with Coral and Ladbrokes.
There are other contenders waiting in the wings and if Finn Russell produces another kicking masterclass and the British & Irish Lions complete an historic whitewash against Australia in Sydney on Saturday, his long odds of 150/1 with Hills would surely shrivel while the 14/1 with Betfred and bet365 for Lando Norris to clinch the award will swiftly shrink if he wins this year’s Formula One plaudits.
Jack Draper’s odds will also plunge to single digits from the 66/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral if he wins the US Open in September so while classy Chloe would deserve the SPOTY crown there’s a lot of sport still to be played this year.
Football odds: Liverpool raise funds for Isak
Prices on the team Alexander Isak will be scoring goals for after the transfer window closes have flip-flopped over the past couple of days with Liverpool cut from 4/1 to a current 2/5 with Ladbrokes and Coral after the Sweden striker was left out Newcastle’s pre-season tour while the Magpies have drifted from 1/3 to 11/4 with bet365 to retain his services.
The Premier League champions are selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for £63m and Darwin Nunez could also be heading for the Anfield exit for a similar fee with clubs in Italy lining up bids, which will pave the way for a blockbuster raid for Isak.
Newcastle are no bigger than 1/2 with Bet Victor to replace Isak with Benjamin Sesko with Arsenal ending their interest in the RB Leipzig marksman after capturing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting.
Horse racing odds
Joseph O’Brien’s Masoun has won his last two starts at the Curragh and Leopardstown and can get punters off to a winning start at Glorious Goodwood with a strong show in the opening race, the Chesterfield Cup. Back the four-year-old bay gelding each-way at 12/1 with Paddy Power, Betfair, Betfred, Bet Victor and StarSports.
Dorset can land the Vintage Stakes for Aidan O’Brien at 2/1 with Coral while Noble Champion won the Jersey Stakes and Royal Ascot, handles racing well on the Sussex Downs and is worth siding with at 6/1 with Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill in the Lennox Stakes.
