From the start, this year’s Mercury Prize seemed a dead heat, Franz Ferdinand and The Streets were joint favorites at 5-2 odds. Both had produced innovative world-beating albums and seemed set to battle for the finish to take home the gong-shaped prize. But history teaches us the lesson that the underdog fares well (M People beating Blur in 1994 rings a bell) when it comes to this UK award. This week sees the odds of The Zutons’ album Who Killed The Zutons? go from 12-1 to 11-2 making the Scouse five-piece band second favorites.
“Due to the nature of the Mercury Prize it’s never unusual for a darkhorse to have the odds dramatically shortened,” a spokeswoman for bookmakers William Hill explained on XFM.com. People bet on this stuff?
“As bookmakers we have to make well known acts the favorites – for example The Streets are having a run of success at the moment with their number one single – but we also know that it’s often the acts with the longer odds that may win it, so The Zutons could just do it this year.”
The current odds are as follows:
1. The Streets / Franz Ferdinand 5-2
2. The Zutons 11-2
3. Amy Winehouse 13-2
4. Snow Patrol / Keane 8-1
5. Joss Stone / Belle And Sebastian 12-1
6. Jamelia / Basement Jaxx 14-1
7. Ty / Robert Wyatt 25-1
How long before we see Vince Van Patten on UK TV playing No-limit Texas Hold ‘em Poker with Liam and Jarvis?
