- William Hill offered the very first odds market on both the Christmas Number One and White Christmas over 40 years ago.
- Tight-lipped LadBaby and Christmas collaborators Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran are 7-4 joint favourites to secure the 70th festive chart-topper.
- Abba, who today released new album Voyage, which included a Christmas track, have been cut to 8-1 to finish top of the tree in the singles chart.
- Birmingham Airport is 7-2 favourite, among 11 major UK airports, for a White Christmas, closely followed by Edinburgh and Newcastle.
William Hill has launched both its festive markets with betting for the 70th Christmas Number One and a White Christmas NOW OPEN.
The bookmaker, which instituted betting on the festive chart-topper over 40 years ago, currently has YouTuber LadBaby and the pending Sir Elton John & Ed Sheeran festive collaboration track, as joint 7-4 favourites to win this year’s race to number one spot.
Meanwhile, Birmingham leads the way as the most likely recipient of festive flurries, with odds of 7-2 that a single snowflake is observed in the 24-hour period of December 25. Edinburgh and Newcastle are joint second favourites at 4-1, while Belfast is 9-2, as odds at 11 major UK airports were revealed for another growing tradition.
Chart superstar Sheeran has teamed up with friend and mentor Sir Elton John to create three new Christmas songs, the first of which will be released at the beginning of December, and is called Merry Christmas.
Sheeran, 30, who released his fourth solo studio album = last week, recently revealed the accompanying music video for their Christmas contender will parody former number ones. William Hill continues to see money coming in for the pair and, as a result, have tightened their odds further from 3-1 to 7-4.
Powerhouse songstress Adele, who recently secured a third UK number one with her first new music in six years, shattered all manner of streaming records with Easy On Me. Her album 30, due to be released on November 19, is expected to be the biggest-selling record over the Christmas period. The Tottenham-born 33-year-old is 11/4 to continue her domination and claim the biggest selling festive single.
Abba, who have just released their first studio album in 40 years in what was billed as the reunion of the century, have been cut from 10-1 to 8-1 with the third track on the album revealed to be twinkly Christmas tune, Little Things.
LadBaby, real name Mark Boyle, has kept his cards close to his chest as to whether he will stake a claim for a historic fourth consecutive number one. Achieving such a feat – William Hill is offering odds of 7-4 (joint favourites) – would see Boyle draw level with The Beatles, who have four Christmas Number Ones to their name.
Among other serious contenders are Gary Barlow and Sheridan Smith. The pair have already recorded How Christmas Is Supposed To Be, after initially duetting on Instagram for Gary’s Crooner Sessions, and are a 12-1 shot, while recently reunited boy band The Wanted have their hearts set on securing the top festive single at 18-1.
The 70th Christmas Number One will be announced at 17:45 on Friday December 24, while the White Christmas market will settle as the clock strikes 00:00 on Sunday December 26.
To view the Christmas Number One market, please visit:
https://sports.williamhill.com/betting/en-gb/tv-specials/OB_EV21915074/uk-christmas-number-one-2021
To view the White Christmas market, please visit:
https://sports.williamhill.com/betting/en-gb/tv-specials/OB_EV21589670/snow-on-christmas-day