Strictly Come Dancing 2025’s Betting Now Headed by YouTube Star

by Roy Brindley, 7 November 2025

Strictly Come Dancing 2025 has not been kind to pre-event punters, and the new favourite has something to find on his average scores.

Strictly Come Dancing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daily are leaving the BBC show at the end of year. © Getty Images

Key Facts:

• Early Strictly Come Dancing favourites have fallen by the wayside.
• George Clarke and Lewis Cope now top the competition betting.
• Bookmakers believe Balvinder Sopal will be the next to leave.
• Emma Willis is the favourite to become the show’s new presenter.

The pitfalls of ante-post betting on televised reality/talent gameshows have been illustrated by this year’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing. Early betting favourite, Ellie Goldstein, has failed to make it beyond the show’s halfway point. The competition’s pre-event second favourite, Dani Dyer, never set foot on the dance floor.

Priced on 13/10 odds, it is 25-year-old social media personality, YouTuber and podcast host, George Clarke, that now trades as the competition’s favourite. Lewis Cope follows on 2/1. The Emmerdale star’s presence highlights the risks of betting blindly on shows of this nature, as he was not part of the show’s original lineup and was called up as a reserve.

Contestants who withdrew from the competition before the September 20 opening show were Kristian Nairn and Dani Dyer. Lewis Cope and 2017 Love Island winner, Amber Davies, were their replacements.

On October 20, ahead of week five of the competition, Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis withdrew, citing a calf muscle injury. A 33/1 outsider in the early betting, the Australian actor was 100/1 at the time of his withdrawal.

Points and Prices Is a Strictly Conundrum

Judged on their performances, the departure of the five eliminated celebrities is no major shock. All had scored poorly and were among the favourites in the ‘next eliminated contestant’ markets offered by the UK’s novelty betting bookmakers.

This week, Balvinder Sopal, who has scored a lowly 28 points in each of the past three shows, is the bookies’ favourite to go home next. William Hill quotes the EastEnders actress’ chances of surviving and going on to outright success at odds of 250/1.

While the correlation between low scoring and imminent elimination is plain to see, the odds of outright success compared to high scoring do not align. On average scores, with a 28.5 average, George Clarke is only the fourth most successful dancer. Nevertheless, his odds suggest the probability of him winning is more than 43%.

Similarly, Alex Kingston’s 6/1 odds are difficult to understand as his 30.8-point average is superior to that of the outright betting favourite. Topping the table is Lewis Cope (2/1) with a 33.3 points per-show average.

The most significant anomaly is the 40/1 odds available on Glitterball success for Amber Davies. The highest-scoring contestant over the opening two weeks, her 192-point total means she is averaging 32.0 points per show. Furthermore, she has outscored George Clarke every week since the opening show.

Seven Shows for Tess and Claudia

Seven more Strictly Come Dancing shows remain before a winner is declared on December 20. The Grand Final show will be the last featuring hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Last month, the pair announced they are quitting the show.

The UK’s bookmakers, never to be accused of missing an opportunity, have opened a market on the identity of the next Strictly Come Dancing host (or co-host). Surprisingly, Emma Willis is trading as the 5/2 favourite. Rylan Clark, Fleur East, Holly Willoughby, and Hannah Waddingham are others high up the betting lists.