X-Factor, Simon Cowell Kicks Punters in the Pockets

X-Factor 2009

Lloyd was the red hot favourite to get the elbow tonight, punters piled in on what looked a certainty! But once again X-Factor 2009 sprung a surprise and Lloyd Daniels was saved. The sing off on Sunday night in-fact featured the terrible twins, “JEDWARD” for the first time ever. During the final show down the Grimes twins traded at 100/1 on Betfair, they were a foregone conclusion to be voted off.

With their fate in his hands sat Simon Cowell, all he had to say was “The act I am send home is John and Edward” and that would have been it, game over! Here is how it happened…

For weeks Simon Cowell has said that X-Factor is a singing competition and that the Irish twins are talentless, going so far even as to say that if they were to win he would leave the country. So why did Simon Cowell not deliver the lethal blow?

Well first and foremost, ratings and headlines. Lucie Jones is quite obviously a better singer, in this so called singing competition, but Cowell took the easy way out for the second week in a row.

I think that long-term Cowell may look back on that decision as hid Gerald Ratner moment, selling out talent for ratings and headlines. The public will not be happy and Cowell may find his credibility rating on a par with that of politicians.  From a punting point of view, it shows that this show is wide open.

I personally have a vested interest. On Suntalk I laid Martel Maxwell, who sat in for Jon Gaunt a bet of £50 at 100/1 about the twins. My liability stands at £5000, so I may be talking out of my pocket, but the twins were heavily assisted in the sing-off by a heavy backing vocal which drowned them out, hiding just how bad they were.

Jon Gaunt- Suntalk

The potential of the twins winning and their shortening in price has seen me get plenty of stick from Jon Gaunt. Last week, on his Suntalk show, daily 10am-1pm Gaunty was critical of Cowell, in particular his failure to cast the deciding vote and give the ‘public the final say’. His argument being one that we have said in the past here on Racing Diary, if it is a public vote then let it be a true public vote, bot half a democracy.

So what will Jon be telling his listeners this week?

Last week I called Simon Cowell a wimp when he refused to make his mind up but this week he was completely RIGHT. The public want Jedward or should that Be Deadwood?

He proved himself to be a real showman with tonight’s decision. The facts are there is no stand out singer this year, no Alexander Burke let alone a Leona and the public know it and I think even now Simon Cowell can see it.

Also the sing off is only a gimmick to extend the show. The public should be told each week who got the most votes it should only be a public decision and if you work on that premise last weeks decision by Simon was wrong as was this weeks.

IF It is a singing competition the winner should always be decided ONLY by the public not the whim of the bloke who owns the show, the singers contract and even the future of ITV.

However it is really funny that Carl Harris of the Racing Diary could lose a massive bet to Martel Maxwell.

One thing we can agree on is that in this year’s X-Factor we should expect the unexpected. Bookies report turnover to be up by 300 per cent this year as the public gets on the twins bandwagon. I had £100 on Olly at 6/1 at the start of this competition and would be sitting pretty now, except for this huge liability of Jedward. I honestly thought I was there tonight and that Simon Cowell would come to my rescue. God knows how this will pan out now, but one thing that punters can be sure of, its that X-Factor will stay in the headlines. More money will be punted on the X-Factor as a result.

It seems that the bookies, in fact everyone from Simon Cowell to Jon Gaunt and Martel Maxwell are loving Jedward. I certainly am not a fan! No way can they win and I still believe that, honest!

I will leave the last word on the matter to Gaunty, whose advice I will take on board after this competition;

Stick to the horses bog boy!!!

I will, don’t worry about that! And the best bet of them all is that I can expect to get plenty more stick on Suntalk this week!

Bookies wasted no time in getting their prices out for the next round. Here’s how they bet and what William Hill have to say as a reaction to the dramatic events;
Bookies William Hill cleaned up after Jedward survived the bottom two! One Hills customer was so sure they would get the boot that he risked £10,000 at 1/16 that they would be ousted. Olly is the 7/4 favourite with Jedward now 2/1 to get the boot next weekend but 10/1.

“There is the potential for the worst result in reality TV betting history, should Jedward win but so far they have made us a small fortune!” said Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams.

William Hill X Factor Winner Odds: 7/4 Olly Murs, 3/1 Danyl Jones, 7/2 Joseph McElderry, 5/1 Stacey Solomon, 10/1 John & Edward, 16/1 Jamie Archer, 33/1 Lloyd Daniels.

2/1 Jedward to survive next week

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