SPOTY 2020 odds: Marcus Rashford favourite to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year after free school meals campaign
Bookmakers are heavily backing Marcus Rashford for Sports Personality of the Year following his campaign for free school meals.
This week MPs voted down a motion backing the Manchester United striker's bid for free school meals to be extended over the holidays.
But Rashford's campaign has since prompted an outpouring of support from local authorities, charities and restaurants across the UK.
On Friday the footballer's odds of winning the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) had dropped from 3/1 to4/7.
According to Oddschecker, just two out of 11 bookmakers are now offering odds against the 22-year-old.
Lewis Hamilton is a second favourite to win the award with odds of 5/2, followed by Ronnie O'Sullivan (8/1), Tyson Fury (8/1) and Hollie Doyle (33/1).
Calls for Rashford to win the award first surfaced in June when he challenged the Government on its free school meals for children policy during the coronavirus pandemic.
Prior to his campaign, Rashford's odds were 80/1 in the betting for SPOTY.
In the last 24 hours, 84 per cent of all SPOTY bets have backed the footballer, reports Oddschecker.
Rashford was recently awarded an MBE for campaigning efforts that prompted a Government U-turn on the subject of school meals.
After the enormous response to his latest campaign, he tweeted: “Blown away by news of local businesses stepping up to fill the voucher scheme deficit during the October half term. Selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know.
“Add #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY to your tweets so I can track them. I will share as many as I can.”
The SPOTY award will be announced on December 13.
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