Frontrunner for BBC’s Sports Personality award has been named. List includes darts favourite, golf star and F1 driver. But who is being backed to lift the end of year prize? The sunshine might have pulled another disappearing act but we are still in the heart of summer. Unbelievable as it might be but we are well past the midway point of the year and it will be 2026 before you know it. It has been quite the dramatic first half of 2025 in the sporting world - from Liverpool securing a 20th league title to the two Lukes crashing out of the darts World Cup. The Lionesses have taken us on one mighty rollercoaster during the 2025 Women’s Euros this summer - and the men’s U21s have also lifted the title in their own version of the competition. Sign up for our daily NationalWorld newsletter - in your inbox Mon-Fri. A British driver remains in the hunt for the Formula One world title - but will Lando Norris be able to surpass his teammate and rival Oscar Piastri? It would be one hell of a story. In a little less than five months time, the BBC will gather to celebrate the best sporting achievements of the year - and hand out the much coveted SPOTY award. But who is in the running right now? Who are the early favourites for the 2025 Sports Personality? Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson lifted the trophy last December following her incredible performance at the 2024 games in Paris. Sidenote: what an incredible few weeks that was, wish I could jump back and experience those highs once again. The BBC will once again crown a winner at the end of the year - and attention has started to turn towards who are the runners and riders for 2025. Gambling.com has issued its odds, with one name jumping out as a clear favourite at this point. Rory McIlroy - 4/6Lando Norris - 13/2Luke Littler - 8/1Ellie Kildunne - 28/1Jack Draper - 40/1Lauren Price - 40/1Leah Williamson - 45/1 We obviously still have a long way to go in 2025 and the final of the Women’s Euros on Sunday (July 27) could dramatically shake-up the odds. If the Lionesses manage to lift the trophy once again, someone like Leah Williamson could really jump up the list - for example. Beth Mead was named SPOTY in 2022, following England’s triumph at the Euros that summer. Her international teammate Mary Earps won it the following year - for her role in the Lionesses’ run to the World Cup final, so there is precedent. Ellie Kildunne is one to keep your eyes on as she is one of the star players for the Red Roses - England Women’s rugby team. The team will be playing in the World Cup, on home soil none-the-less, starting in late August and triumph in the tournament could see her odds tumble. Equally, if Lando Norris manages to surpass Piastri and secure the F1 World Drivers’ Championship he could easily become one of the frontrunners. Drive to Survive remains a very popular show on Netflix and he is a known name. But if the award was to go the way of the current odds and Rory McIlroy capped off the year in which he finally won The Masters with a SPOTY award - it would be the first time since Lewis Hamilton in 2020 that a male athlete has lifted the trophy. If you love TV, check out our Screen Babble podcast to get the latest in TV and film.