We have already witnessed plenty of feats of sporting excellence this year, as the field begins to grow for the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year award.
Whether it is team success or individual glory, it is shaping up to be a year to remember — and when the great and the good of the sporting world gather to look back on the last 12 months in December, there will be plenty of contenders for the annual BBC prize.
The stories behind the sports stars matter, of course, and in total 71 previous winners have been recognised down the years for their athletic brilliance and resilience in achieving their goal.
Last year saw Keely Hodgkinson claim the award in the public vote after she won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, while Luke Littler and Joe Root also made the podium.
We may still have plenty of the year left to go, but England's stunning Euro 2025 final win and the penalty heroics of Chloe Kelly has shaken up the early betting.
Here we take a look at the early contenders to become the 2025 SPOTY and all the event details, as well as all the latest odds and betting from our selected partners.
Sports Personality of the Year 2025 winner odds and betting
All odds are with Bet365.
Chloe Kelly | Football | 1/1 |
Rory McIlroy | Golf | 9/4 |
Hannah Hampton | Football | 7/1 |
Lando Norris | Motor Sport | 10/1 |
Ellie Kildunne | Rugby Union | 10/1 |
Luke Littler | Darts | 22/1 |
Who is the favourite for 2025 Sports Personality of the Year?
Chloe Kelly
It has been another historic summer for England's women’s football team, capped off with a remarkable European Championship title, and one of their heroes is the favourite for another major honour.
Kelly's starring role from the substitutes' bench ensured that the Lionesses made it to the showpiece against Spain and — just as she was three years ago — it was fitting that Kelly was again the heroine in the final, with the winning penalty in the shootout.
That almost guaranteed her to be among the leading candidates for this year's SPOTY award, but there will no doubt be public backing also for several of the other Lionesses, with Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze, Hannah Hampton and Michelle Agyemang also in the running.
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy had been the early frontrunner after finally completing the career Grand Slam in golf with a dramatic play-off victory against Englishman Justin Rose at The Masters in April, 11 years on from his previous major championship victory.
McIlroy first won a major back in 2011 at the US Open, with that triumph coming a couple of months after his extraordinary collapse on the back nine at Augusta at The Masters when he should have really claimed his first green jacket.
He had to wait nearly 15 years for redemption, but did so in style in 2025 to earn his place among golf's greats.
Lando Norris
A lot will ride on how the rest of the year goes for Norris, but the McLaren driver is within sight of becoming just the third Englishman this century, after Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, to win the F1 World Drivers’ Championship.
Norris is currently locked in a battle with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to finish at the top of the standings in 2025, but his victory at Silverstone in the British Grand Prix in July has certainly enhanced his chances.
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Luke Littler
Cast your mind way back to January for this one when Littler climbed to the top of the darts world.
Having finished as the runner-up in 2024, Littler started the year by becoming the youngest-ever player to win the PDC Darts World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Since then, Littler hasn’t quite had the lightning year he enjoyed in 2024, when he finished second in the SPOTY voting, but his odds have shortened considerably after becoming only the fifth player to complete the Triple Crown by winning the World Matchplay title in July. However, he has been leapfrogged in the betting by England rugby union star Ellie Kildunne, whose chances will improve if she helps inspire the Red Roses to glory at the Women's Rugby World Cup.
When is 2025 Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony takes place in December of each year, with the most recent edition being broadcast live on December 17, 2024.
The 2025 event is yet to have an exact date confirmed, but based on history, we can speculate that it will be on or around Sunday, December 14 or Sunday, December 21 2025.
Sports Personality of the Year: Winners 2015-2024
Here's the winners of the last 10 years of SPOTY awards. Who will join them in 2025?
Year | Winner | Second place | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Andy Murray (Tennis) | Kevin Sinfield (Rugby League) | Jessica Ennis-Hill (Athletics) |
2016 | Andy Murray (Tennis) | Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon) | Nick Skelton (Equestrian) |
2017 | Mo Farah (Athletics) | Jonathan Rea (Motor Sport) | Jonnie Peacock (Athletics) |
2018 | Geraint Thomas (Cycling) | Lewis Hamilton (Motor Sport) | Harry Kane (Football) |
2019 | Ben Stokes (Cricket) | Lewis Hamilton (Motor Sport) | Dina Asher-Smith (Athletics) |
2020 | Lewis Hamilton (Motor Sport) | Jordan Henderson (Football) | Hollie Doyle (Horse Racing) |
2021 | Emma Raducanu (Tennis) | Tom Daley (Diving) | Adam Peaty (Swimming) |
2022 | Beth Mead (Football) | Ben Stokes (Cricket) | Eve Muirhead (Curling) |
2023 | Mary Earps (Football) | Stuart Broad (Cricket) | Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Athletics) |
2024 | Keely Hodgkinson (Athletics) | Luke Littler (Darts) | Joe Root (Cricket) |
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How to watch 2025 Sports Personality of the Year
- Date: December 2025 (Exact date TBC)
- Venue: Dock10 Studios, Salford, Manchester
- TV: BBC, BBC iPlayer