X-Factor / Mike Norman / 12 October 2009 /

Defending Reality TV Show Tipster of the Year Mike Norman has a word of warning for his main rival Jack Houghton... unless you're behind Danyl Johnson (not literally) then you won't be taking his X Factor tipping crown.

So Jack Houghton has drawn the battle lines. This self-proclaimed East Anglian legend of reality show tipping is on my case again... and I'm supposed to be scared.

I need to remind Mr Houghton that I - Mike Norman - am the current Reality TV Show Tipster of the Year and that the title I hold is a UK one, not some obscure foreign title like the one he claims to hold. East Anglia huh... I don't even know where in France that place is!

In this year's X Factor, Houghton - who has recently been sent on a year-long betting challenge so that he can become immune to losing - has plumped for Joseph and Lloyd at fancy prices whilst also suggesting that Stacey is a likely winner. Good selections I must admit, though days before these tips appeared I'd already suggested that Joe and Stacey have excellent chances of winning.

But it's my selection of Danyl Johnson that will retain my crown. I put him up last week at [6.4], only to see his price drift to as big as [8.6] during the week. He is now available to back at just [4.4] after Saturday's incredible performance and subsequent attempts by some judges to belittle him, and rather ridiculously, bring into question his sexuality.

What I'm even more amazed at is that after Danyl's first audition he was applauded for being that little bit different - confident, entertaining, and even arrogant. Yet on a night when Robbie Williams (a man whose success is built on entertaining, confidence and arrogance) was the main attraction, judges Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole thought they would play mind games with Danyl by accusing him of being over confident. I just didn't get it and believe it has only served to strengthen Danyl's position at the head of the Winner market.

Remember what I told you all last week. This year's X Factor will be much about entertainers as it will be about singers.

Young Joseph did himself no harm either, putting in a faultless performance on what will have been the most nervous night of his entire life. Last week I suggested that, at [11.5] to back, he has an outstanding chance of winning, and though I'm more than happy to have Danyl as my main selection, having Joseph (now just [6.6] to win) as my second selection is a great comfort.

I must thank my friend Lou from the local karaoke haunt for this next piece of information. Lou narrowly missed out on being an X-Factor contestant by about 75,000 places so knows a thing or two about (bad) singing. However, she is a self-confessed addict of Facebook and has informed me that wretched twins John and Edward have at least 25 network groups all with a title along the lines of "We Hate John and Edward". Each group has around five million members apparently.

Admittedly, Lou might be exaggerating a little, but it does beggar the question, who the hell voted to keep these guys in at the weekend?

They are available to back at [3.55] in the 2nd Elimination market but I'm completely undecided as to how long they will survive - remember Rhydian, Daniel Evans, Same Difference, The McDonald Brothers etc - all were early favourites to go but survived for far longer than their talent should have allowed.

I'm not a fan of Rikki myself (and that's not just because he has a flat cap surgically attached to his head) and believe he won't be around for much longer. He is available to back at [5.2] to be eliminated on Sunday, and if you must have a wager then he would be my recommendation.

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