Bookmakers have shifted their expectations ahead of the live final after a dramatic and unpredictable series

George Clarke’s hopes of lifting the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball Trophy have taken a major hit just hours before the live final, with bookmakers now firmly backing Karen Carney to win the series.

According to betting figures released by William Hill, former England footballer Ms Carney has surged ahead as the clear favourite, accounting for almost half of all bets placed this week.

Her odds have shortened significantly from 4/7 to 2/5, while Mr Clarke has slipped to 15/8 second favourite.

West End star Amber Davies trails as a distant outsider at 20/1.

George Clarke & Alexis Warr’s hopes of winning have taken a major hit

William Hill said Ms Carney’s growing popularity with punters has reshaped the betting market on the eve of the BBC show’s finale.

A spokesperson for the bookmaker said: “Punters are clearly backing Karen Carney to fend off George Clarke and Amber Davies to be crowned series champion.

“Almost 50 per cent of all bets placed this week have been for Carney, with her price cut from 4/7 into 2/5.”

The spokesperson added that a Mr Clarke victory would be the bookmaker’s preferred outcome, given the weight of money behind Ms Carney, while a shock win for 20/1 outsider Ms Davies would be the most damaging result.

Strictly Come Dancing 2025 celebrity finalists. Karen Carney, George Clarke, Amber Davies

The betting blow comes after an emotional and unpredictable series which has seen injuries, withdrawals and surprise eliminations before narrowing down to a three-way final.

After 12 weeks of competition, the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 finalists are YouTuber George Clarke and professional partner Alexis Warr, football pundit Karen Carney with Carlos Gu, and West End star Amber Davies alongside Nikita Kuzmin.

Sunday’s semi-final confirmed the final lineup after EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal was eliminated following a tense dance-off against Ms Davies.

Ms Sopal, who had survived more dance-offs than any contestant in the show’s history, bowed out after reprising her salsa, while Ms Davies performed her couple’s choice routine, which had previously scored a perfect 40.

Amber Davies joined the show as a replacement for Dani Dyer, who was injured during rehearsals

Judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke all opted to save Ms Davies, with Craig Revel Horwood also indicating he would have made the same decision.

Despite her exit, Ms Sopal was widely praised for her resilience and emotional journey on the show, having fought back repeatedly after landing in the bottom two more times than any other contestant.

For Mr Clarke, the final represents the culmination of a strong and consistent run, bolstered by a large online following and steady judges’ scores.

Supporters will be hoping he can defy the bookmakers and pull off a late upset.

However, William Hill’s odds indicate momentum has swung firmly behind Ms Carney, whose technical ability and athletic background have increasingly impressed viewers as the competition has intensified.

Separately, according to Slingo’s Bingo Card Generator, which predicts the most likely post-Strictly career moves rather than the winner of the competition, Mr Clarke remains strongly tipped to secure a major broadcasting role once the series concludes.

According to Slingo, Mr Clarke is the frontrunner at 4/6 to land a permanent radio presenting role, making him the shortest-priced star in terms of post-Strictly career prospects.

The tool also suggests a number of potential shake-ups across the Strictly universe, including Zoe Ball being tipped to become the next host of Strictly Come Dancing at 5/4, and Craig Revel Horwood priced at 7/4 to become a permanent judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, potentially leaving Strictly before the end of 2026.

Bookmakers are now firmly backing Karen Carney to win the series

 | BBCOther predictions include Tess Daly launching a podcast with husband Vernon Kay at 5/2, Claudia Winkleman announcing her own talk show before the end of 2026 at 4/1, and Ms Davies landing a starring role in a Hollywood movie at 9/2.

While Slingo’s analysis points to strong career opportunities ahead for Mr Clarke regardless of the final result, William Hill’s betting figures suggest his path to Strictly victory itself has become significantly tougher.

The Strictly final will see each couple perform multiple routines, including a show dance reflecting their journey across the series, before the Glitterball Trophy is decided by a combination of judges’ scores and the public vote.