In the wake of the BBC’s announcement that Gary Lineker is to leave his role as presenter of Match of the Day at the end of the season, betting sites have been quick to put together a list of the top contenders to replace him.
The former England, Spurs Leicester and Barcelona striker has been presenting the show since 1999 and is one of the BBC’s top earners with a contract worth around £1.35m.
The 63-year-old will continue on the channel covering next season’s FA Cup and the World Cup in 2026 but who will replace him on a Saturday night?
Next Match of the Day host odds
Presenter |
Odds |
Bookmaker |
Mark Chapman |
2/1 |
|
Alex Scott |
5/1 |
|
Kelly Cates |
7/1 |
|
Gabby Logan |
8/1 |
|
Dion Dublin |
12/1 |
|
Kelly Somers |
12/1 |
|
Eilidh Barbour |
14/1 |
|
Micah Richards |
16/1 |
|
Jason Mohammed |
16/1 |
Former England and Nottingham Forest star Jermaine Jenas was thought to have been in the frame for the role with presenting opportunities at The One Show and more appearances on Match of the Day, only to be sacked by the BBC earlier this year.
Instead, football betting sites have Mark Chapman as the stand-out favourite at 2/1 and it’s no surprise considering he has been presenting Match of the Day 2 for the last 11 years.
Chapman also covers rugby league for the BBC as well as working on BBC Radio 5 Live and, more recently, has fronted Sky Sports’ coverage of the EFL Cup.
Next MOTD host betting: Scott leads female contenders
Second on most betting apps is Alex Scott at 5/1 who, like Lineker, made her name on the football pitch, playing for Arsenal and England, winning 140 caps.
Scott, who appears on a host of BBC shows, including Football Focus and The One Show, leads a large number of female presenters who have been priced up to become the first woman to be the full-time host of Match of the Day.
The fact that Football Focus has lost a third of its audience since Scott replaced Dan Walker in 2021 could be a concern for the BBC bosses who want to ensure that the programme remains both relevant and popular at a time when so much football is available across other platforms.
Kelly Cates is the same price as Scott with some gambling sites having impressed in her role as a presenter on Sky Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Gabby Logan, who has regularly stood in for Lineker over the years, is an 8/1 chance and she is another firm favourite with the channel’s executives but whether she would be prepared to swap her current role, where she fronts rugby, athletics, swimming, Olympics and Commonwealth Games coverage to be the Match of the Day host remains to be seen.
Eilidh Barbour, Kelly Sommers and Laura Woods also feature on the bookmaker’s shortlist to be the next Match of the Day presenter and all three are priced at 14/1 or shorter amid suggestions the BBC would like a member of the opposite sex to replace Lineker.
Match of the Day host odds: Could Richards jump into Lineker’s chair?
Lineker has backed his Match of the Day and The Rest Is Football podcast colleague Micah Richards to succeed him, although betting sites are a little more doubtful, pricing the former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender at 16/1.
Richards regularly appears on various other networks, including Sky Sports and CBS, and whether he could combine those roles with hosting Match of the Day could be a bone of contention.
It is worth remembering though that Lineker had a spell presenting BT Sport’s coverage of the Champions League and that Richards’ other gigs may not necessarily rule him out.
Other names to keep an eye on include Lineker’s other The Rest Is Football colleague and Match of the Day regular Alan Shearer at 16/1, while fellow ex-pros turned media personalities Dion Dublin (12/1) and Chris Sutton (16/1) have also been priced up.
Responsible gambling
Betting can add further enjoyment to watching sporting events but there are certainly no guarantees you’ll make money out of it, no matter how much you think you know about sport.
When betting, always assume you’ll lose and therefore, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you win, then that’s simply a nice bonus. The same applies if you’re using casino sites, slot sites, poker sites or any other form of gambling.
It’s particularly important not to get carried away by free bets, or casino offers for that matter, both of which are readily available, but must be approached with caution.
Make sure you use the responsible gambling tools offered by safe betting sites, such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits and time outs.
If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help straught away. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice, and information, with a few listed below:
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