Punters in a rage over Xmas number one

An internet campaign to take on the X Factor monopoly of the UK Christmas Number One has forced bookie Paddy Power to install Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name” as the unlikeliest of betting favourites.

With 45,000 people already signed up to a Facebook campaign to make Rage Against The Machine this year’s Christmas Number One, Paddy Power - who had installed the American rockers at 7/4 in the ‘without X Factor betting’ when the campaign started - have been forced to cut the odds on Zach De La Rocha and his band to just 2/5.

Susan Boyle, the previous favourite in the ‘best of the rest’ race is out to 4/1 with Leona Lewis at 6/1.

Should the Rage Against The Machine campaign really take off Paddy Power has them currently at 9/2 to even beat the X Factor bandwagon to the top spot proper although the yet to be crowned X Factor winner is a seemingly unstoppable 1/8.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: “According to where punters are putting their money it would appear that Rage Against The Machine has emerged as the unlikeliest of candidates in the race for Christmas Number One. Its lyrics are the perfect riposte from punters fed up with the way Simon Cowell has taken all the fun out of the race to the festive top spot but such is the might of X Factor it may have to settle for winning the betting for Xmas Number One without X Factor.”

Christmas No 1 X Factor v Rage Against The Machine

• 1/8 X Factor
• 9/2 Rage Against The Machine

Christmas No 1 Without X Factor

• 2/5 Rage Against The Machine
• 4/1 Susan Boyle
• 6/1 Leona Lewis
• 10/1 Robbie Williams
• 10/1 Lady GaGa
• 10/1 Take That
• 10/1 George Michael
• 10/1 The Muppets
• 12/1 Michael Jackson
• 16/1 Alexandra Burke
• 18/1 Westlife
• 18/1 Rolf Harris/Rick Parfitt
• 20/1 Cheryl Cole
• 20/1 Mariah Carey
• 20/1 The Pope
• 25/1 Bar