The Brit Awards take place tomorrow (Wednesday 18) and you can follow the action on ITV1 from 8pm.

Rather unfortunately for an odds comparison site (bookies.com), there aren’t any odds to compare after bookmakers have suspended the markets. William Hill were forced to stop taking any bets after a number of decent sized wagers were put on 5/1 Paul Weller in the Best Male Solo Artist Category.

They cut the price into 1/5, but they were still taking £50 bets in the London area. Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and totesport have followed suit in suspending all the markets, except Best British Single which is decided by the public. The Betfair markets have also been suspended, with Paul Weller matched at a low of 1.15.

Girls Aloud - The Promise is the 11/8 favourite to win Best Single, having been matched at 13/1 high on the exchanges. They are also the only female group nominated in the Best Group category.

Duffy (Mercy) is next at 7/4, and may be a better bet, given that this category is a bit of a lottery. The fact that she will perform on the show may affect the voting in her favour - she is also nominated for Best British Female, Best British Album and British Breakthrough Act.

If I was having a bet, I’d got for 7/2 Viva La Vida by Coldplay, even though it has drifted in the market. Coldplay had the best selling album of 2008 and VLV was their first single to top the charts.

Leona Lewis is 9/1 for ‘Better in Time‘. There is a rumour that she won’t turn up for the ceremony, having not picked up anything last year.

Odds of 14/1 on the Queen to abdicate are shocking, it should be greater than 100/1! That said, Paddy Power are also running several specials, and have reminded us of what you could’ve got last year if you had lumped on:

8/11      Spice Girls were the first band to split

8/11      Mucca walked away with less than £50million of Paul McCartney’s fortune

15/8      Lewis Hamilton was crowned 2008 F1 champion

5/1        Team GB won more than 12 gold medals at the Olympics

11/2      Barack Obama was elected the 44^th US President

6/1        Madonna and Guy Ritchie were the first celebrity couple to file for divorce

12/1      Peaches Geldof was the first singleton to get married

18/1      Ibiza was Wayne Rooney’s chosen stag weekend destination

If you were pressing me to take one of Skybet’s specials, I’d probably take 10/1 about Chris Moyles being sacked from Radio 1. He has been on thin ice for a while now, and who knows what 2009 holds? Will we finally capture Osama bin Laden at 5/1?!

Perhaps one of the bets of 2009 is a General Election to be held in June 2009 at 4/1 with Ladbrokes. Gordon Brown may want to capitalise on the Obama visit or simply cash in before we find out how bad the economy really is.

I am looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival next year, as well as the Six Nations. Also of interest are The Tour de France, The Ashes, Wimbledon and the Champions League.

2009 SPECIALS:

X Factor Final 3 all have UK no. 1 singles 20/1

Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson marry in civil ceremony 6/4

UK win Eurovision 16/1

X Factor Winner sing on American Idol as guest 3/1

Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Sherzinger marry 10/1

UK come last in Eurovision 3/1

Louis Walsh not to be X Factor judge for 2009 series 3/1

Kate Moss marry Jamie Hince 3/1

UK get ‘nul point’ in Eurovision   10/1

Robbie Williams replace Dannii Minogue as judge on X Factor 2009 5/1

Pete Doherty and Kate Moss get back together officially   4/1

Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder Civil to divorce 1/3

Simon Cowell not be X Factor panellist in 2009 3/1

Paul McCartney remarry 4/1

Kerry Katona and Mark Croft divorce 2/1

S Cowell announce he’ll stand as candidate in next election 20/1

Britney Spears marries again    4/1

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split    5/1

Simon Cowell come out as gay 50/1

Queen not record Xmas message 5/1

David Cameron have his bike stolen 6/1

X Factor Winner have 3 consecutive no. 1 singles by end 08    7/1

Chelsey and Harry get engaged 4/1

David Cameron grow a moustache   33/1

X Factor Winner not go straight to no. 1 official UK album chart with debut by end 08  5/6

Prince William or Prince Harry to marry 6/1

Madonna & G Ritchie get back together 50/1

X Factor 09 winner get Xmas no. 1 2009 1/4

Prince William and Kate Middleton get engaged 2/1

Osama Bin Laden be captured   5/1

X Factor winner 09 NOT get Xmas no. 1 2009 11/4

Queen to abdicate 14/1

Ant and Dec their get own individual TV shows 33/1

X Factor Final 3 all have UK no. 1 albums in 2008 8/1

Prince William and Kate Middleton split 5/2

Chris Moyles sacked from Radio 1 breakfast show 10/1

Diana Vickers and Eoghann Quigg release duet 3/1

Prince William become King 50/1

Russell Brand reinstated as Radio Two DJ 50/1

Cheryl Cole win FHM Sexiest Woman in the World 5/1

Terry Wogan Retire from his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show 6/4

Great white shark be caught off British shores 20/1

Girls Aloud split 5/6

Sports personality win Strictly Come Dancing 09 6/4

Gordon Brown be PM on 31/12/09 2/7

Leona’s fastest selling debut album record broken (375,872 in first week) 5/1

John Sergeant replace Bruce Forsyth as SCD host 10/1

David Cameron be PM on 31/12/09 11/4

Leona Lewis win best UK female at Brits 2/1

Anton Du Beke replace Bruce Forsyth as SCD host 6/1

Nick Clegg be PM on 31/12/09 100/1

Victoria Beckham have baby girl 6/1

Geri Halliwell do Strictly Come Dancing 09 8/1

Will Young announce his intention to stand as candidate in next GE 20/1

Cheryl and Ashley Cole have a baby 3/1

Bruce Forsyth NOT host Strictly Come Dancing 2009 5/4

PM to announce referendum on joining Euro 8/1

Charlotte Church has another baby 4/1

Jonny Vegas win SCD 09 16/1

UK adopt Euro as official currency 16/1

Posh & Becks adopt a child 10/1

Peter Mandelson win SCD 09 33/1

David Cameron arrested under anti-terrorism legislation 33/1

Angelina Jolie adopt again 2/1

Robbie Williams sing on a new Take That release (not old song)   3/1

The FTSE to be above 6000 on 31/12/09 6/1

Celeb Big Brother taken off air permanently mid series 10/1

Totally dry Wimbledon fortnight 10/1

The FTSE to be above 5000 on 31/12/09 5/4

Kate Winslet win Best Lead Actress Oscar 2/1

Rain every day Wimbledon 33/1

Congestion charge be introduced in a UK city by public vote 4/1

Heath Ledger win Best Supporting Actor at Oscars 1/4

David Beckham play in Premier League 3/1

The general consensus is that the winner of the X Factor will take the number one spot for Christmas Day. SkyBet make the X Factor contestants the overwhelming market leaders at 1/6, despite being recently eased in the betting from 1/7. The winner of the X Factor will release a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah in time for Christmas, a song already performed by Diana Vickers on the show.

The choice of song was a source of controversy, as Simon Cowell appeared to be favouring Diana in the win market. He has already offered her a record deal should she not win, and Hallelujah certainly suits her vocal capabilities.

The X Factor winner market was turned on its head this weekend, as hot favourite Diana lost her position as market leader to 11/8 Alexandra. She has been a model of consistency, and is arguably the best singer on the show. Eoghan has the ‘cute factor’ and also has the potential to reach number one. Our X Factor tip, JLS, are 10/1 outsiders to win the competition.

The amount of terrestrial TV exposure received by the eventual winner of the X Factor means that he/she/they really ought to clinch the top spot in the charts. This has happened for the last 3 years, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t this year, but 1/6 is too short.

Aled Jones is next in the betting at 11/2, or 6/4 to win without the X Factor winner. Terry Wogan features in the background of the Bing Crosbie & David Bowie classic: Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth. Proceeds go towards the BBC charity Children in Need, and I feel the song could well gather momentum in the charts, even though it will be released on the 8th. Chris Evans described the song as magnificent, although he is also tied to the BBC.

The only other major threat to the X Factor winner is Leona Lewis. She is covering Snow Patrol’s Run, and is a 12/1 shot to be number one with SkyBet, or 3/1 in the market without the X Factor winner. The latter market looks like a straight match bet with Terry Wogan. Leona took the Christmas number one spot in 2006, and is a strong contender this year. I feel that she is more talented than any of the contestants on this year’s X Factor, but I doubt whether that can be replicated in the betting. Run is already available to download, so may not hold on until Christmas.

Another mention goes to 14/1 Peter Kay, who is releasing a single as his alter-ego Geraldine McQueen. We’ll hear it at the Royal Variety Performance on December 11, meaning that it will be seen be millions. Don’t be surprised if you then see the odds tumble.

Be sure to compare odds on a number of specials markets at bookies.com:

Christmas Number One Betting

Christmas Number One Without X Factor Winner Betting

Christmas Snow Betting

X Factor Winner Betting

X Factor Danni Minogue Replacement Betting