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Las Saturday saw the final tussle between the songbirds wanting to play Nancy in the forthcoming musical of Oliver, destined for the West End stage, in a huge new Cameron Mackintosh production. Samantha was the first of the three to go and then Jessie, who seemed, to this untrained eye to provide the performance of the night, leaving Jodie crowing at the top of the pile. Followers of TV Entertainment betting, along with everyone else will have been floundering about the outcome, given that Mackintosh and Lloyd-Webber favoured Jessie, while the general public were drawn towards Jodie.

In the history of casting for screen and stage reliance has been placed upon the shrewd and experienced eye to know what will please an audience and how to spot the future stars in auditions. Now, through television and the mechanism of mass voting, we can offer this opportunity to the public but only time will tell of their judgement criteria includes more than an emotional and whimsical appreciation of the artist at face value.

Both Mackintosh and Lloyd-Webber are reported to favour the runner-up and, it is rumoured, Jessie will get the job when Jodie’s contract is fulfilled. These theatre professionals have probably the most successful track-record of all time, in musical theatre, and their ability to see the breadth and depth of talent required and that an artist has to offer surely surpasses that of any audience. The power that the programme hands to the audience to place the trophy in the wrong hands at the expense of the rightful winner must be addressed before the commencement of the next series.

American Idol, love it or hate it, is down to its last sixteen, eight boys and eight girls. The surprise exit of Alaina, amid the usual floods of tears, has thrown a spanner in the works and music betting devotees are stroking beards and wondering who to go for now. Carly Smithson is big time the bookies front runner but then Ramiele is being proclaimed as the next Aretha, hmmmmm, Syesha has that steely-eyed, slay the opposition, look written all over her and Brooke, well, you just want to marry her. What’s a poor boy to do?
 
The snag with this show is that it’s all about general public voting and it’s a challenge to know which way they’re going to go. The slagging off/praise the contestants get from the judges can influence but then, well, nobody likes know-alls and sometimes the public can decide that they know better. Song choice seems to be a major factor preoccupying the judges and they’re right. Some songs bring out the charisma of people and others don’t and believe you me, it’s all about charisma.

There’s only one serious contender among the men and scandals loom around top favourite David Archuleta. Not the naïve waif he seems, he is alleged to have been in the business since he was four but, eyebrow raising apart, he hasn’t broken the rules. He leads the betting by a long way and, speaking as someone who knows, his cover of the Lennon song ‘Imagine’ is one of those rare things, a rendition of a Beatles song which, while not assuming the status of definitive, is surely a version to stand alongside the original. It was remarkable.

In America they have radio stations where they only play Beatles songs. In America the Beatles are gods and you’re not allowed to sing their songs but they are embracing this one. Sports betting fans, it’s not often I say this, mortgage the house - he’s going to win!

A modern and entirely unexpected success on our TV screens in the last four years has been the phenomenon of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ which has then sparked a great deal of interest for bets being placed in the betting market. Following the ignominious demise of the outdated ‘Come Dancing’, a show watched by half a dozen ageing couples reliving their golden years at the Hammersmith Palais, it must have been a brave and visionary controller that gave this show the nod.

Followers of sports betting will have spotted one or two of their sporting heroes flinging themselves about the place on the show. Darren Gough, of all people, is credited with moving the show up a gear.

It’s a hair-raising process to engage in online betting for this event, now termed “strictly come dancing betting“. For all its veneer of civility there underlies a fierce competitiveness spiced with a satisfying undertow of cattiness. Bloggers record their frustration as talented competitors lose to popular TV faces. Judges impartiality is drawn into question wholesale and it’s a rare sports betting talent that can navigate these muddy waters and land the winner.

It’s all good fun and, after weeks of tears and tribulation, the show draws to a close this coming Saturday. Alesha is the bookies fave and will surely take the tiara. Matt D’Angelo lies a distant second in the bookies view - but then what do they know? In this melee of flamboyant emotional extravagance anything can happen.

It’s very easy to be scornful and critical of TV shows such as ‘The X Factor’ so let’s get on with it! Shrewd X-Factor betting enthusiasts will know for themselves that stars are very rarely ‘discovered’ out of the blue. Most of today’s enduring entertainers came from a few years of hard work paying their dues in the studio and on stages in front of near empty theatres before being recognised as people with a genuine talent and commitment to their work.

ITV’s ‘The X Factor’ is largely a vehicle for the career development of the four judges and the enlargement of the bank account of the television company behind it. What’s more, the involvement of the public in the voting can only lead to more distortion of the result because they tend to bring in sentiment rather than a cool industry eye.

Having said that, the show can be fun and not without relevance to online betting. The four judges sponsor three each of the twelve finalists and so the outcome is as much a joust between them as it is the ‘artistes’. This year’s final three will battle it out for the top prize on Saturday although the operatic ‘Rhydian’ is far and away the favourite leaving the contest very much an issue of second place.

Each performer sings with a star and, dramatically, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan will be reunited on stage for the first time in ages. Kylie sings with ‘Leon’ and it will be left to you to decide who has the best bum. Jason accompanies ‘Same Difference’ who are neck and neck with ‘Leon’ on most online betting sites. ‘Rhydian’ sings with the Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins in what promises to be the outstanding kitsch-fest of the year.

The BBC presents its Sports Personality of the Year Award on Dec 9 this year and has announced the shortlist of ten contenders for this prestigious accolade. Sports betting enthusiasts will have the chance not only to vote for their heroes but also to wager on the outcome of the contest with the many online betting sites offering odds on the outcome of the public vote and free bets for new accounts applicants.

Lewis Hamilton is the bookies’ favourite with Ricky Hatton in second place. Twenty four hours before the BBC show, Hatton is in Las Vegas to challenge Floyd Mayweather for the Welterweight title which many regard as the fight of the decade. Online betting offers a variety of opportunities to wager on this contest. Welsh hero, Joe Calzaghe is another great boxing contender for the BBC award.

Paula Radcliffe and Christine Ohuruogu represent the world of athletics while golfer, Justin Rose, motorcyclist, James Toseland, tennis star, Andy Murray and England rugby stars Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson complete the candidates.

More than thirty top sporting experts were asked to provide their top ten of outstanding athletes for the year and the shortlist is a distillation of the names put forward. Those interested in sports betting should know that there are three current world champions and three runners-up on the list and they come from a total of seven sports. The sharper eyed among you will notice that, for the second year running, there are no footballers on the list.

A diverting addition to the offerings of online betting sites is the television show, ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here’, or, as it has been sometimes called, ‘I’m Not a Celebrity, Get Me in There’.

This is one of those modern day ‘Big Brother’ spin-off reality shows that offer the opportunity to observe the behaviour and performance of people under so-called, ‘real life’ conditions. Often in other than ‘real life conditions’ each candidate strives to win by impressing and endearing themselves to the viewers and seeks to remain as a contender in the show by obtaining the daily voting support of the general public.

Participants live in a rat-and-insect-infested camp in a clearing in the Australian jungle and are subjected to ‘Bushtucker Trials’ which include being showered with cockroaches, eating cockroaches and other ‘delicacies’, swimming with snakes and crocodiles and high-wire acrobatics which force contestants to confront their fears and win meals for their fellow  campers.

This year, young participants from the likes of Hollyoaks, Eastenders and unmemorable bands together with older challengers from the world of football, modelling and public relations were outflanked by the aging and rotund outsider, Christopher Biggins, a personality who initially appalled but then won everyone over with his irresistible capacity to be genuinely decent to everybody and to laugh in the face of all adversity. The American Model, Janice Dickinson was also initially a repellent creature that ended up revealing many charming and endearing qualities.

Sports betting, or rather, events betting enthusiasts have not been slow to wager on the outcome of the show and are only too ready to take on the online betting sites offering odds on the winner and the outcome of various other elements of the show.

Unlike the normal sporting events available for sports betting, ‘people watching’ shows such as this offer the opportunity to test out our ability to assess personality aspects of contestants that may or may not appeal to the public. These factors include sexuality, physical beauty, emotional and intellectual intelligence and physical fitness combining to make an intriguing cocktail by which your capacity to judge winning potential will be tested to the full.

Recently we blogged about the great fun to be had by all on Eurovision. It was as popular as ever (despite the result!) and this type of online betting continues with bets on Any Dream Will Do.

It’s proving to be a real winner, as was its’ predecessor last year - How Do We Solve A Problem Like Maria - which turned Connie Fisher into a huge overnight star. Now the contest for who will be the lead in Joseph and the amazing technicolour dreamcoat is well underway and this attracts a large betting fraternity as people discuss the competition and put their money where their mouths are.

After this weekend, they’re down to the last six and on Saturday, one of the favourites (Daniel Boys) was the surprise ejection from the show. A big shock for many, many people but isn’t that what entertainment and shows like this are all about?

The final takes place on 9th June which is fast closing in. Some of the major UK bookmakers are offering free bets for you to sign up with them, so even if you’re a part-time punter and want a little flutter like £10, then there are bookmakers who will allow you to deposit your £10 and then give you a matched free bet of £10, giving you £20 to bet! You’ve doubled your money and you haven’t even done any betting yet!

Eurovision Song Contest is this Saturday and excitement is building as the UK’s representation - Scooch - are ready to give it their all it front of Terry Wogan and the judges. If you fancy a Eurovision Free Bet then check out our Eurovision Betting 2007 page for some of the top recommended bookmakers that we have.

There’s a Eurovison bet for anyone from the part-time punter to the professional, depending on how much you want to stake. From £10 to £100, check us out for your online betting deal.

The Eurovision Song Contest is similar to the grand national in a way, in as far as people who have never had a bet before will try their hand and punt for the first time. It’s a great way to enjoy the thrill of betting and watching the event to see how it unfolds and how your choice does.

Best of luck for this Saturday to you and Scooch!