X Factor : Mary Byrne To Be Reinstated?

7 December 2010

Mary Byrne

After losing out on a grand final place due to last weekend’s controversial sing-off decision, Mary Byrne is a 50/1 shot with Sky Bet to be reinstated into The X Factor line-up.

The Tesco cashier was sent packing following the decision to ditch the public vote and allow the judges to decide who went through from the semi-final. Tiny rapper Cher Lloyd progressed to the next week’s glittering showdown after only Louis Walsh voted for Mary to be saved. Sky Bet offer 5/1 that it transpires that Cher actually won the public vote against Mary.

Viewers are outraged that Simon Cowell seemingly changed the show’s rules at the last minute to manipulate the final and Sky Bet go 50/1 that the judges’ ‘save’ is once more invoked when the competition is whittled down to the final two contestants on Sunday.

Sky Bet’s reality TV expert Helen Jacob said: “No wonder The X Factor is being branded more crooked than Fifa! The decision to stage a last minute sing-off was gravely misleading and strongly suggests Mary polled better than Cowell’s favourite, Cher Lloyd, so Mary deserves to be in the final.

“What Simon Cowell is trying to achieve by trying to foist Katie Waissel and Cher Lloyd on the public I don’t know as their lack of likeability means that they wouldn’t win the competition in a million years. Cowell’s strategy may ultimately just serve to lose his preferred acts votes and lose him credibility.”

Matt Cardle remains favourite to win the show at a shade of odds on (10/11) but after a fluey performance, he is faltering in the betting. One Direction have been cut to 9/4 (from 7/2) and Rebecca Ferguson, who wowed with a superb rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’, has also been trimmed to 10/3 from 7/2.

Cher Lloyd is Sky Bet’s 33/1 rank outsider to win and 2/9 favourite to be the first out on final night.

Sky Bet X Factor specials

Mary Byrne to be reinstated and qualify for final 50/1
Cher to have beaten Mary in the Semi Final public vote 5/1
Any finalist to duet with Wagner in live finals 20/1
Judges "save" to be invoked when down to the final two contestants 50/1
Winner to have UK Xmas number 1 single 2010 4/7
Winner’s debut album not straight to number 1 in album chart. 4/5
Winner not to have U.K. Xmas number 1 single 2010 11/8
No finalist to have U.K. number 1 single (excluding winner’s debut single ) 11/4
Winner to be dropped by Sony B.M.G. before end 2011. 9/2
Final 3 acts all to have U.K. number 1 albums during 2011. 5/1