Sir Mo Farah triumphs in BBC awards shock

Bookmakers and punters alike were stunned on Sunday when 40-1 shot Sir Mo Farah won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua had been the red-hot 1-6 favourite, with many firms offering a market without the boxer, but he finished out of the frame.

Motorcycling star Jonathan Rea was runner-up with Paralympian and Strictly Come Dancing star Jonnie Peacock third, just 18 votes ahead of Joshua, who had been matched at 1.01 on betting exchanges to be placed.

Farah had been a 14-1 shot in the market without Joshua.

“This is one of the biggest surprises in Sports Personality of the Year history,” said Coral’s John Hill.

Joe Crilly of William Hill said: "The last time a shock like this happened at SPOTY was when 20-1 shot Ryan Giggs beat 1-10 favourite Jenson Button. “77 per cent of all bets placed on this market with us were for Joshua.”

Joshua is the early favourite to win next year.

Hills - 2018 Sports Personality of the Year: 4 A Joshua, 6 L Hamilton, 10 A Murray, 14 A Peaty, J Konta, 16 H Kane, C Froome, 20 E Christie, J Rose, M Farah, R McIlroy, 25 Jodie Taylor, L Yarnold, M Whitlock, R O’Sullivan, 33 bar.