Bet on the xmas number 1

CHRISTMAS NO 1 BETTING With the winner of the X Factor, who this year will release a cover of Kelly Clarkson's American Idol smash, 'A Moment Like This', already a strong odds-on favourite with bookies William Hill to land the Christmas No.1 Single, the question of who will top the Christmas albums chart this year is likely to prove far more interesting. All the key albums are now out, joined in the shops today by Gwen Stefani's 'The Sweet Escape' and Eminem's 'Eminem Presents: The Re Up', so this promises to be one of the most open races in recent chart history. It could easily go to the wire with a final day of frenzied Christmas shopping on Saturday, December 23rd - the last day that counts towards sales for the Official UK Charts before they are announced on Christmas Eve. Oasis, The Beatles, U2, Westlife, Girls Aloud and Il Divo continue to sell strongly and are all in the frame to challenge for the No.1 album. However, with a No.1 single 'Patience' continuing to generate lots of airplay, and TV appearances on the Royal Variety Performance and, crucially, the X Factor Final still to come, HMV believes the momentum may lie with Take That, especially after their spectacular 'An Audience With....' TV special. HMV's Gennaro Castaldo comments: "It's almost impossible to predict who will be this year's Christmas No.1 album with any certainty - any one of three or four titles could land the top spot. Almost inevitably it will depend on which artists gain the most profile from the publicity and promotion that is planned over the next few weeks. For this reason, I'm sticking my neck out to go with Take That, who will surely be given a huge boost by their spectacular 'An Audience With...' TV special and their scheduled appearances on the X Factor Final and the Royal Variety Show. 'Patience' continuing at No.1 in the Singles charts will also help give them the edge. "However, 'Best Of' albums tend to sell very well at Christmas, with Oasis 'Stop The Clocks' likely to pose the biggest challenge to Take That in a re-run of one of the most famous chart battles of the Nineties. Greatest Hits from U2, The Beatles, George Michael and Jamiroquai, should also figure strongly, as should Girls Aloud, whose album sales will be boosted when their cover of Tiffany's 'I Think We're Alone Now' is released as a single. "Il Divo and 'crossover' artists like them, appeal to a potentially massive audience at Christmas, particularly for gift purchasing for older family members, so they will definitely be there or thereabouts and could also spoil Take That's fairytale comeback. Christmas Number 1 oddsTake That 7/4 Bet365Oasis 3/1 Will Hill Il Divo 5/1 Will Hill Eminem 6/1 Bet365Westlife 8/1 Bet365Girls Aloud 12/1 Bet365The Beatles 12/1 Bet365Gwen Stefani 20/1 Bet365Jason Donovan 20/1 Bet365