If anyone finds out from betting companies who is 2nd and 3rd please post here. I'm pretty sure Kimberley was 2nd, but just would like confirmation.

HOW are you 'pretty sure' ??

Because Denise was is the buttom 2 for 2 weeks in a row?

I've seen posts on Twitter and people have been paid out by bookies after placing bets on Kimberley, and someone posted voting percentages (may not be true) that indicated Kimberley was second. Kimberley's popularity going into the final was also much higher than Denise's.

I think it's based on a bookmaker's payout for Kimberley Walsh being top female

I don't get why the BBC are keeping it secret?

I think because they'd rather promote the tour as "includes winner and runner up" than "includes winner and finalist" but that can't be the sole reason. ITT have seemed to be ignoring Kimberley all week though.

Ive been paid out for Kimberley as Top Female - full amount. Betfair have a notice that all those markets are suspended while they wait for confirmation from the BBC as to the placings.

The quantity of bets on "Top woman" or "Finish 2nd" nationwide would be very small compared to WIN bets (total £250,000 bet on Betfair) paid out on Louis.

Some bookmakers may decide to pay out on both Kimberley and Denise (has anyone posted news of the latter event?). That could be cost-effective public relations especially at Christmas (keep punters happy and coming back to make more bets, and lose).

Yes, betfair has, so Denise is seen as exact joint second with Kimberley.

That's what they seem to do quite often.

Betfair has now settled Kimberley and Denise as each 100% winner of the "Top Female" market -- at a cost to themselves to placate customers, not as a deadheat result with half stake winning and half stake losing.

Well done Betfair. Everybody happy?

paddypower paid out for my kimberley top woman bet.

Where did you get betfair info soulmate? They haven't they have paid out only 50% as dead heat for either bets placed on Denise or Kimberley not 100%.

paddypower only paid out 50% online on my bet on Kimberley as a 'dead heat'

betfair only paying out 50% declaring 'top female' as dead heat.
What a carry on the Beeb causes with all this fannying about and unnecessary secretiveness...

Betfair Customer Services
Please be advised that all bets on the 1-2 Forecast, Runner Up and Third Place markets for the final of Strictly Come Dancing have been made void as per their market rules. The BBC declared Kimberley Walsh and Denise Van Outen “Joint Runners Up” and therefore the public vote was not used to decide 2nd and 3rd places which constitutes a significant change to the established procedure. The relevant line of the market rules is detailed below.

''If there is an announcement of any change to the final line-up, the established elimination procedure or any ambiguity as to the placing, then Betfair reserves the right to void this market at its absolute discretion.''

Bets on the season-long Top Female market will be settled as a dead-heat between Kimberley Walsh and Denise Van Outen in accordance with our general dead-heat rules. The above line was not included in the market rules and therefore the change in the established procedure is not relevant to this market.

Thank you for your patience,

Betfair Special Bets

Ended up making nothing with betfair as I had Denise at a loss and Kimberley as a profit, so am not too happy about that.

On Saturday I backed Denise at 9 for Top Woman, then later laid her at 7 ending with a nearly neutral position, so I was not that involved in the settlement dispute. Yesterday evening I checked my statement and found my backs and lays were settled at the nominated odds, listing the full amounts backed/laid. This morning I checked the P&L on each bet and found they have indeed been settled as per deadheat rules, half won half lost, but with no narrative on the statement line this was what happened. I did not notice 50% settlement yesterday because my nett position was the same whether settlement was to 100% or 50% of bet. :yawn:

"Top Woman" market description was "the female who went furthest". Neither Kimbo nor Denise won, but both entered the final stage, so arguably they deadheated "furthest" wise, with vote count deemed irrelevant and confidential by BBC, so it seems Betfair decision is strongly supported.

All the more credit to Santa-spirited shops which paid up Denise bets in full at double-digit odds.

No, it's at cost to the customers who offered the bet

Betfair have paid out as a dead heat.
As have most firms.
Those who haven't paid out yet or who have paid out on kimberley and I'm sure will all eventually call it a dead heat , as the BBC only ever release the figures for Sports Personality, but no other show.

If everyone tweeted them asking them why then we might get the full figures one day, as all the ITV shows release.

If Betfair had settled to 100% of stake on both Denise and Kimberley, backers would have had a windfall but layers would have been left without two pennies to rub together over Christmas. Even with 50-50 deadheat settlement those who laid Denise at double-digit odds would be licking their wounds. It now appears shops which pay out 100% for both Kim and Denise as a discretionary goodwill gesture are in the minority, and good luck to those who got it ..

Surely the moral is -- never trust BBC?

surely the moral is never bet on a market where it is not entirely clear how the result will be determined and the market settled?