Punters buzzing as one of the biggest TV betting markets returns

This Sunday marks the opening of ‘one of the biggest TV betting markets of the year’ as ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here kicks off from the Australian jungle.

As reality TV punters wait with baited breath for the show to get underway, unsurprisingly given some of the big names in this year’s show, Betfair’s Katie Baylis revealed that there is already a “huge buzz” about this year’s series.

Baylis told SBC: “I’m a Celebrity is definitely one of our biggest TV markets of the year and last year on Betfair Exchange we saw well over £1m bet on the winner market alone. There is already a huge buzz about the show this year and considering some of the big names heading into the jungle, we are expecting a huge amount of interest betting wise and wouldn’t be surprised if we topped £2m this year.”

She went onto confirm that Jennie McAlpine is the early favourite for to be crowned queen of the jungle, adding that: “She’s definitely one of the bigger names in the jungle this year and as the lovable Fizz in Corrie, viewers will be expecting her to be just as friendly and popular in the jungle as she is on the cobbles. We’ve also seen some early money for Jack Maynard and Jamie Lomas so those three at this stage are our early favourites.”

Ahead of Sunday’s opening show, former Olympian Amir Khan, Rebekah Vardy, Dennis Wise and Stanley Johnson are all currently unfancied outsiders, however Baylis emphasised that she believes there is nothing stopping these celebs becoming “big contenders.”  

She added: “There’s going to be a huge curiosity factor from viewers when it comes to whether Stanley Johnson talks much about his son and Rebekah Vardy about her husband, while Amir Khan and Dennis Wise are both controversial characters who could make life very interesting down under – so we’re not counting anyone out at this stage.”


Source: SBC News