Murray long odds-on to be BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Andy Murray is long odds-on at 1-6 with leading bookmaker Coral to be crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2016 after the shortlist for the award was announced last night. Murray, who ended the year as the world number one in men’s tennis, is 1-4 to be knighted in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list, while he is 10-11 to end 2017 as the number one ranked player in the world once again.

Alistair Brownlee is second best in the market for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year at 7-1, fellow Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah is 10-1 to win the award, while Laura Kenny can be backed at 16-1.

“The betting suggests Andy Murray is going to cap off what has been a fantastic year for the newly crowned world number one by winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the third time in his career where he is the long odds-on favourite to do so,” said Coral’s John Hill.

“Alistair Brownlee and Mo Farah are second and third in the outright betting respectively which indicates they could both both be in the frame in recognition of the gold medals they won at the Olympics in Rio,” added Hill.

In the team of the year betting, Leicester are as short as 2-9 to win the award following their success in the Premier League where the 5000-1 outsiders lifted the title in the 2015-16 campaign.

**2016 BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner
1-6 Andy Murray, 7-1 Alistair Brownlee, 10-1 Mo Farah, 16-1 Laura Kenny, 50-1 Gareth Bale, 80-1 Nick Skelton, 80-1 Max Whitlock, 100-1 Jason Kenny, 250-1 Adam Peaty, 250-1 Dame Sarah Storey, 250-1 Danny Willett, 250-1 Nicola Adams, 250-1 Kadeena Cox, 250-1 Sophie Christiansen, 250-1 Kate Richardson-Walsh

**Andy Murray to be knighted in Queen’s New Year’s honours list
1-4

**Andy Murray to end 2017 as the world number one
10-11

**Team of the Year
2-9 Leicester, 3-1 Any British Olympic of Paralympic team, 20-1 Wales football team, 100-1 England rugby union team. Northern Ireland football team, Team Sky cycling team.