TV: Big Brother Series 11 Betting Preview

LONDON, UK - The eleventh series of Big Brother begins tomorrow night on Channel 4, and it heralds the end of an era for reality TV betting. It was announced last year that 2010 would be the last Big Brother, but producers are hoping that a 24 hour live streaming service on the internet proves popular.

The theme for BB11 is `A Twisted Carnival` although at this stage of affairs we are in the dark about the new Big Brother house. Big Brother fans can have an early look at the contestants for the new series on the official site, but as it stands there are 80 of them in total! Apparently the word is that tomorrow Big Brother will choose between 12 and 14 housemates to be put through their paces in the new series, so once we know some names, the bookmakers will open an outright winner market.

At the moment Ladbrokes are offering a handful of specials for BB11, even though in terms of betting turnover it will be dwarfed by Britain`s Got Talent. A male winner is an 8/11 chance (bet £110 to win £80), whilst a female winner can be backed at 11/10 with William Hill.

Ladbrokes are also taking bets on the number of housemates that leave voluntarily. Two years ago, only Maysoon walked away from the BB house, and it is 5/2 that only one housemate leaves on his/her own accord. Last year four housemates walked, and Ladbrokes go 4/6 that two or house-mates walk this year. Finally BB punters can take 10/3 that no housemates walk in Series 11.

The bookies are not ruling out another series of BB at 4/1, but with tumbling viewing figures now seems the best time for Channel 4 to pull the plug. It is 4/1 that a housemate escapes over the wall, and 10/1 that a housemate is evicted for fighting.

It is 14/1 with Ladbrokes that a pair of housemates get married this year, but a more tempting bet for the cynics is 8/1 with Coral about the series to be axed before it reaches its conclusion.

Big Brother Series 11 Betting Odds