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Britain's Got Talent Betting: Will Simon Cowell's thumbs-up to Faryl Smith be enough?

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"Mystical" Mike Norman is better known for using his crystal ball to predict the outcome of football matches but today he's using it to try to find the winner of Britain's Got Talent. Will it be the nightingale voice of Faryl Smith, hip-hop dancers Nemesis or how about dog act Kate & Gin?

To find someone who is very unassuming, who quietly has an amazing talent, and to provide them with the platform to show the world what they can do.

This is the vision of Britain's Got Talent. Last year that someone was Paul Potts, who went on to sell over two million copies of his debut album. This year Britain has proved that it really does have talent, and it will be responsible for discovering someone who will unquestionably turn out to be a world star - more on that later!

The show has been unmissable viewing, with the acts going from the sublime to the ridiculous, young to old, and from the bizarre to barnstormingly brilliant. Britain's Got Talent is what variety entertainment is all about and Saturday's live final will be exhilarating television. What's more, you can have a flutter on the outcome of the event here at Betfair - though I would strongly advise against juggling eight kitchen knives when trying to go all green on the machine!

Ten acts will take to the stage (five semi-final winners and five runners-up as put through by the judges), ranging from singers and dancers to dog acts and karate kids. From a betting perspective, ignore the five runners-up completely - if they didn't win the public vote in their semi-final, then they've got about as much chance of winning tonight as a Border Collie dancing on two legs to a Scissor Sisters classic!

On Monday we saw dance act Signature ([40] to win) wow the audience and receive the most votes with a twist on Michael Jackson's Thriller routine. It was polished, entertaining and arguably better than their audition when an overweight stage cleaner whipped off his uniform to perform with his Jacko dance-a-like. A standing ovation pursued, with Simon Cowell grinning, Piers Morgan dancing, and Amanda Holden excittedly admitting, "That was bloody brilliant..... and you can win it!"

Also going through on Monday was Kate & Gin ([80]), the amazing dog act. Gin is just magical with Cowell announcing that he is one of the most talented performers in the world - but is that really a compliment coming from a man who managed Zig & Zag and Robson & Jerome?

As expected Andrew Johnston ([20]) sang his way to victory in the second semi-final, but it's quite possible that his nerves and lack of confidence will be his downfall come the final. His story is heart-warming - he gets bullied because of the choir style music he sings, but elects to carry on regardless - and for that he must be applauded. He will get many neutral and sympathy votes, but will it be enough?

Although very talented, child dancers the Cheeky Monkeys ([130]) are cheesier than a packet of Wotsits and stand little chance of success, as do Wednesday's runners-up Strike ([300]). Their martial arts routine was slick, and had Amanda drooling, but they were well out-pointed by the break-dancing super kid George Sampson ([9.2]).

George failed to reach the live shows last year but returned this year claiming to have bigger and better moves - Simon agreed and described his act as phenomenal. The kid that never gives up splashed his way to victory with a very British routine that had Piers saying, "You weren't just singing in the rain, George you were winning in the rain".

Thursday's winning performance by Faryl Smith ([2.16]) was breathtakingly brilliant and had Simon Cowell saying she is one in a million - I disagree, she is one in a billion. Super stardom awaits for this twelve year old Brummie who looks, dresses and sings like a woman who has been performing all her life. Her rendition of 'In The Arms Of An Angel' was spine-tingling and had Simon saying she was, "Super super special". The vision of Britain's Got Talent is to give someone like Faryl a platform to show the world what she can do will soon be realised.

Andrew Muir ([28]) will have a career in the music industry, that's for sure. Donned in his bright yellow shoes he came on stage looking like Wendy from Bob The Builder, but when he sang, he became Scotland's answer to David Gray. He will get the majority of the Scottish votes but that shouldn't be enough to win - a change of footwear will be a step in the right direction though!

Friday's runners-up Nemesis ([65]) are a gifted hip-hop dance act that practice at their local bus station - only in Britain as Simon would say. They are destined for better things, but have no chance of finishing ahead of classical string quartet Escala ([2.92]) once the final votes are counted.

The girls from London performed a faultless version of Live And Let Die that had Piers saying they were easily the best act of the week. They're a fantastic four all right, and will no longer have to make a living playing at weddings (unless it's a royal one of course), but whether they have the powers to be crowned Britain's Got Talent Champions remains to be seen.

Good luck.... and as they say in the entertainment business.... let the show begin.

(The final is on ITV1 tonight at 6:50pm - visit www.itv.com/talent for information, news and videos of the ten finalists)