Betfair Official Blog

Unbeatable Joe Calzaghe wins SPOTY for '300' backers

Undisputed Super-Middleweight World Champ adds BBC crown to complete '[300.0]' backers betting win

Joe Calzaghe caught Betfair punters off-guard not once, but twice, when unexpectedly winning the BBC's Sports Personality Of The Year in Birmingham.

He was backed at a staggering [300.0] on Betfair earlier in the year to win the award.

And Calzaghe was still available to back at [5.4] when the voting closed - and Betfair suspended their markets - with Lewis Hamilton the red-hot [1.34] chance.

If a boxer was going to win the award, then many thought it would be Ricky Hatton, who was backed at a low of [3.0] on Betfair earlier this week. But he only finished third after his gallant defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas this morning.

The voters finally recognized the unremitting excellence of Calzaghe over the years by voting for him, though.

That wasn't great news for the Hamilton odds-on backers though, as the driving ace was backed at a market-low [1.06] when looking sure to win the Formula One title in his debut season, only to fall agonizingly short.