X-Factor / Jack Houghton / 28 October 2011 /

During The X Factor last year, betting.betfair tipster Jack Houghton turned a starting bank of £1,000 into a whopping £1,900. Two years previously he returned a 17-point profit to anyone following his recommended bets. A brace of profitable years in hand, get involved as he goes for number three.

X-Factorville news is all a bit highbrow this week.

Cowbell has quashed Walsh-to-be-sacked rumours, saying the self-propelled, hyperactive, ventriloquist's dummy has his full support. Expect him to be gone in the New Year, then.

Girlband Rythmix has been at the centre of a media hullabaloo, with a charity of the same name urging Cowbell to change the outfit's nom de guerre. They are now called Little Mix.

Rowland has been accused of abandoning her acts in favour of a trip to Los Angeles. The trip was, apparently, in the diary a long time ago, and has nothing to do with an alleged spat between Tulisa and Rowland, which might have been caused by claims from Tulisa that Rowland's act, Misha B, is a backstage bully: claims that may or may not have been motivated by texts Misha B sent to someone, or something, called Fazer. Expect tension among the judges this weekend.

ITV had a deluge of complaints - well, 20 of them - when Frankie said a naughty word to celebrate the announcement of his survival on last week's show. Trust me, it was nothing compared to the profanities I uttered as my bottom-two bet on him went south. They will be having words with all concerned before this week's eviction show.

You see? All a bit boring, isn't it? No wonder the show is struggling for viewers, with nearly a fifth of last year's cohort finding entertainment elsewhere. Which is why I thought I'd take this opportunity to answer some questions that fans of this column should have asked me.

Q: When did you first become known as the God of X Factor?
Two years' ago. Fellow columnist Mike Norman took to calling me it after yet another run of Nostradamus-esque predictions on my part.

Q: Are the rumours of you taking over from Louis as a mentor next year true?
Let's just say that discussions are ongoing.

Q: How do you relax between live shows?
Living in Paris, I like to spend time in Les Deux Magots with my friends Jean-Paul, Simone and Albert. We talk about who will be estranged from the show each week, and who will remain, or, as Simone likes to phrase it, "continue to exist". She calls it existentialism.

Q: Given your continued X Factor prescience, you must be incredibly wealthy. How do you spend your winnings?
I live in a small garret apartment on the Île de la Cité, so my needs are simple. After deducting a small living allowance, all my winnings are donated to charity. This year is the turn of Rhythmix. I hope readers of this column will see fit to donate some of their winnings in the same direction.

Q: Come on then, what's your big tip for this week?
Frankie should be in the bottom two. At [1.74] he's worth a decent bet to be in another sing-off.

This week's recommendations:
3pts Back Frankie Cocozza at [1.74] in Bottom Two market.

Previously recommended:
1pt Back Frankie Cocozza at [3.8] in Bottom Two market - LOST.
2pts Back Nu Vibe at [2.32] in Bottom Two market - WON.
1pt Back Marcus Collins at [17.5] in Winner market - OPEN.
3pts Lay Misha Bryan at [1.81] in Top 3 market - OPEN.
3pts Back Amelia Lily at [5.8] in Winner market - LOST.
2pts Back Craig Colton at [17.0] in Winner market - OPEN.
2pts Back James Michael at [28.0] in Winner market - LOST.
2pts Back The Risk at [22.0] in Winner market - OPEN.

Settled bets:
8.00pts staked; 4.64pts returned; -3.36pts overall.

Star Predictor

You've read Jack's thoughts, but what does the Betfair market say? For the latest odds on the winner market and the next elimination, check out our X Factor Star Predictor...

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