X Factor 2009 Betting: John and Edward can go a long way - FACT

X-Factor / Mike Norman / 17 November 2009 / Leave a comment

John and Edward Grimes have a massive future ahead of them whether they win The X Factor or not such is their immense entertainment value

A rendition of Ice Ice Baby may have boosted Mike Norman's mystical ego, but he's very serious when predicting a bright future for John and Edward. He's not so fond on a certain set of sparkling white gnashers however.

"Ok ok, I’ll come clean. When I was hoping for Jedward to rap Ice Ice Baby it was in the hope that they’d kill the song and be eliminated. But the truth is, Saturday’s performance was the best they’ve done by the size of their quiffs and their appeal is becoming hugely contagious."

My mystical powers came to the fore again on Saturday; not by virtue of a winning selection unfortunately (though anyone who backed Lloyd at [2.8] to be eliminated could easily have locked in a profit), but purely by the fact that Jedward sang Queen's Under Pressure - with a lot of Ice Ice Baby mixed in to boot.

Regular readers of this column (I know of at least two) will recall that when I was discussing songs I'd like John & Edward to perform a few weeks ago, I wrote, "...so here's hoping they sing Ice Ice Baby very soon!"

Blimey I hear you say, of all the songs in the world that Louis Walsh could have asked the twins to perform, he asked them to do the one that I was hoping for. I can see the headlines now, "Walsh seeks advice from X Factor genius Mike Norman" - I like it!

Ok ok, I'll come clean. When I was hoping for Jedward to rap Ice Ice Baby it was in the hope that they'd kill the song and be eliminated. But the truth is, Saturday's performance was the best they've done by the size of their quiffs and their appeal is becoming hugely contagious. Their transformation is reminiscent of a scene from a Rocky movie - they've gone from being everyone's boo boys to many fans' favourites within six rounds.

I now think John and Edward's popularity is at such a height that they've got a great chance of reaching the latter stages, so much so in fact that I'm going to advise a bet on them at [3.8] in the X Factor Top 3 market. FACT - they can't sing, FACT - they can't dance, FACT - they are incredibly entertaining and fun to watch. Put it this way, I'd rather watch them perform than watch boring Geordie Joe McElderry every week.

My sourness towards Joe started a few weeks back and has continued ever since. He's a good singer but that cute smile has now turned into a cringe-worthy one, and his sparkling white teeth make him a candidate to be a love child of Simon Cowell.

Joe is available to back at [4.7] in the Winner market, but sending my hard earned his way is about as appealing as looking for bats down by the canal with Roy Cropper!

Last Saturday's star performer - Stacey Solomon - is also the biggest mover in the outright winner betting. Stacey looked stunning as she performed "Who Wants to Live Forever", and received rave reviews from all four judges. Powerful ballads are her comfort zone however, and I know I keep harping on about it but Stacey isn't an entertainer, and this year an entertainer will definitely win the competition. If you do think Stacey can win then she is currently available to back at [3.85], in from around [6.0] at this same time last week.

There are two entertainers left in the competition that can also sing - Olly Murs ([3.3]) and Danyl Johnson ([6.6]). Both put in great performances again last week but the market drift on Danyl suggests to me that the public just aren't warming to him.

Olly on the other hand has got the public eating from the palms of his hands. Week after week he sings brilliantly, entertains massively, and has the audience screaming and shouting so loud than unless you can read lips, then you haven't got a clue what the judges are saying about him. He is an absolute certainty to finish in the top three of the competition, and believe me, if I had a spare ten grand to invest then putting it on Olly in that particular market at [1.28] is a far more profitable proposition than putting it in some high street bank for six weeks.

In the 7th Elimination market Lloyd is the obvious selection at just [1.84]. It's impossible to see him not being in the bottom two again this week, and if that's the case then - even against John and Edward - I think he'll go.

But it's the Bottom Two Combo market that I'm interested in this week. I've got a feeling - and for the first time this year hoping - that John and Edward will survive again. For this reason I think Joe could be in a bit of trouble come Sunday night, so I'm therefore backing Lloyd/Joseph at a whopping [9.4].

Tags: Danyl Johnson, Jedward, Joe McElderry, John and Edward, Louis Walsh, Olly Murs, Simon Cowell, Stacey Solomon, The X Factor, X Factor 2009 Betting