We ask our reality TV boffin to predict this year’s X Factor winner

This weekend will see the return of the greatest entertainment show on television – probably – as X Factor is back for another series.

And while Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne are preparing to judge the best voices the British public has to offer, we’ve run a few statistics past our computers and we think we’ve chosen the winner – without even seeing them!

So without further ado, we’re going to let you take a look at our notes. Thank us in December!

Gender of winner – Male

The percentages and statistics are leaning towards a male winning the competition this year, which has been the case 63 per cent of the time in the past, and never before has X Factor seen two successive female winners.

Age – 23

Yep, we’ve even figured out how old the next winner will be by putting together the average age of every past champion.

The youngest person to win X Factor was 17-year-old Louisa Johnson last year, while the oldest winner was Sam Bailey back in 2013 at 36.

This, of course, added to our gender stat, means the winning category according to statistics will be the ‘Boys’, for which you can currently get 2/1.

Hometown – London

Of the 11 previous winners (we’re excluding Little Mix in this section), 54 per cent have come from London, with Steve Brookstein, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Matt Cardle, Ben Haenow and Louisa Johnson having all been brought up in the capital.

The Midlands have seen just one winner, as have Scotland and Manchester, while two winners have been from the North East.

Winning mentor – Nicole or Sharon

The stats suggest that a contestant’s best chance of winning will be with either of the women mentors, as Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell have had just 33.36 per cent of winners between them.

Sharon won the show on her return back in 2013 with Sam Bailey, and is 3/1 to do the same thing again this year, while Nicole is 2/1 to add another winner to her 2012 success with James Arthur.

Winner’s name will begin with an ‘L’ or an ‘S’

A quick look back at previous winners of X Factor will show you a crazy statistic – 58 per cent of their names begin with either an ‘S’ or an ‘L’.

Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson, Little Mix, Sam Bailey and Louisa Johnson – but no two people with the same name have ever won the show.

Does that mean we could see a Louis, Sharon or even (a) Simon win this year?!

So there you have it – keep your eyes peeled for a 23-year-old male from London mentored by either Sharon or Nicole with a name beginning with the letter ‘L’ or ‘S’ but not the same name as any previous winner and get your money on him!

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.