Will Mellor Is Strictly Come Dancing’s New Betting Favorite
Will Mellor has overtaken Helen Skelton at the head of the Strictly Come Dancing betting. At odds of 7/4 the actor, paired with professional dancer Nancy Xu, is now the clear favorite to win the show. The 46-year-old – who currently plays Harvey Gaskell in Coronation Street – was 6/1 a week ago.
Will Mellor impressed judges and bookmakers with his Jive to Livin’ La Vida Loca. ©BBC
The price shift came after the pair performed a jive to Livin’ La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin in Saturday night’s opening Strictly live show. The entertaining performance earned a judges score of 34. It was the joint highest score of the night.
Wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin and partner Jowita Przystal also scored 34 points. Their dance was a Foxtrot to Islands In The Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. 50/1 ahead of the opening live show, the distinctively long-haired Sudanese-born Scot is now 10/1 in the outright betting.
Early Favorite Registers a Low Score
All fifteen celebrity contestants took to the dancefloor for the first episode. In many cases, their performances and points scored were not in keeping with what the early odds suggested.
Under pressure Helen Skelton had topped the Strictly Come Dancing betting for over a month. But, alongside dancer Gorka Márquez, she earned just 26 points in Saturday’s show. The score puts her joint sixth on the current leaderboard. Resultantly the best novelty and sports betting sites have eased her odds to 9/2.
Singer and actress Kym Marsh had been subject to heavy support on the eve of the curtain-raising opening show. However, given only 23 judges points, she sits ninth on the leaderboard. As short as 4/1 on Friday, the 46-year-old can be backed at 9/1 once again.
It Went Southerly From West
The biggest disappointment on night one was DJ Tyler West. The Kiss FM presenter scored just 22 points for his American Smooth to Falling by Harry Style. Nevertheless, the best online betting sites have kept his odds at 10/1.
Only three celebrities scored fewer points than West in the opening show. The bookmakers are unanimous in their belief this trio has little chance of making an impact on Strictly Come Dancing 2022.
Loose Women panelist Kaye Adams score was 21. Matt Goss garnered 20 judges points and footballer Tony Adams finished bottom of the table with a score of just 15. Goss is available at 66/1 to win the show. The unrelated Kay and Tony Adams can both be backed at 125/1.
When Will Strictly Come Dancing Return?
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC TV screens on Saturday at 7 pm. It will be followed by a result show on Sunday evening when one celebrity will be eliminated. Tony Adams is 11/10 to be the first booted from the show. Kaye Adams is 5/2 to be Sunday’s crestfallen celebrity. James Bye (12/1), Jayde Adams (14/1), Ellie Taylor (14/1), and Matt Goss (16/1) follow in the first elimination betting.
