The moment London 2012 began...
In part three of Betting.Betfair's Best and Worst 2012, our contributors hail the X-Factor winner, lambast John Terry and wonder if 2013 might be the year when Lewis Hamilton wins a second Drivers' Championship...
Richard O'Hagan
Moment of 2012: Helen Glover and Heather Stanning winning Britain's first gold medal of the London Olympics. After disappointment upon disappointment, the nation began to enjoy the Games. Then the gold rush started.
Hero of 2012: In 2012, Andy Murray did everything we ever asked of him - won a Grand Slam, reached the Wimbledon final, won Olympic gold. He even won a silver medal playing doubles with a partner he had never competed with before, in an event he wasn't entered into the week before the tournament began.
Villain of 2012: I'm going to cheat and pick an individual and a team.
The individual award has to go to IOC President Jacques Rogge, for conspicuously failing to name the London Olympics as the best ever. The team prize goes to the Arizona Cardinals, for forgetting that an NFL season is played over 16 games and not four, thereby duping thousands of punters out of their money by starting 4-0 before going into collective hibernation.
Best Bet of 2012: Picking Sachin Tendulkar to top score for India in the Kolkata Test at a shocking - for him - 7.06/1. Far from the longest odds I've been successful with this year and in some ways a sad indictment of how the Little Master's form has fallen off this year, but you'll never get those odds again.
Bet for 2013: England to win the very final ICC Champions Trophy at 6.411/2. They've become a solid performer in 50 overs. Last time the tournament was held here they reached the final before imploding against the West Indies and they won't make those mi stakes again.
Ralph Ellis
Moment: For delicious irony it involved Jim Furyk, the man who started the Ryder Cup having a row over a referee's ruling on whether Graeme McDowell could have a free drop near a sprinkler head, ending it by missing a putt from a few feet on the 18th to hand Sergio Garcia a point that ended up costing America the trophy. But for pure endeavour and achievement it had to be Mo Farah's blistering last lap to clinch the 5,000 metres and so the middle distance double at the Olympics.
Hero: Most would say Bradley Wiggins, but for me the star of the Tour de France was Chris Froome, who probably could have beaten his Sky team mate to be the first Briton ever to win cycling's Blue Riband event but instead selflessly stuck to his orders and rode to give the glory to his mate.
Villain: John Terry is out on his own here. Not just for the Anton Ferdinand affair, but for the lack of discipline in getting himself sent off in the European Cup semi-final and then trying to claim he wasn't at fault.
Best Bet: Maria Sharapova for the French Open and Mercedes to win the Chinese Grand Prix are a couple that come to mind. But my best is still running... Robin Van Persie at 13.012/1 to retain the Premier League golden boot at a time when he was still an Arsenal player and everybody thought if he moved he'd go to Italy.
Bet for 2013: I can't believe that Lewis Hamilton is moving to Mercedes only for the money. Has Ross Brawn got a cunning new gizmo getting ready to make his car zoom off the grid in the new Grand Prix season? Hamilton for the drivers' title at 14.5n/a could be a steal.
Alan Dudman
Moment: Being at Royal Ascot for the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the 'Wonder from Down Under' - Black Caviar. She arrived like a rock star and was 1/6F to win the Golden Jubilee. The thrill of the race and her jockey Luke Nolen nearly blowing her perfect record made for an electric five minutes. I have never been barged by so many Australian TV cameras.
Hero: Tidal Bay, as a long time supporter/sufferer of the great enigma, I was so proud to see him score by 15 lengths at Sandown in April to produce a monumental weight carrying performance. Life is never dull with the 11 year-old, but he has been transformed by trainer Paul Nicholls, and I dream of the day his Timeform squiggle will be removed.
Villain: An easy one, Goldolphin's 3 year old A'Juba, who got beaten a nose at Newmarket
in August. He was 8/1, and was the final leg of several Betfair multiples, with the other three all winning (including Piscean at 28/1). If A'juba had been successful, I would have been writing this from St Tropez whilst dining out with Susanna Hoffs.
Best Bet: My League One play-off final tips as Huddersfield proved to be successful at Wembley. The final column alone made a 22 point profit to cap a decent run of bets for all the play-off games.
Bet for 2013: Bournemouth to win League One at 9.809/1. The golden boy Eddie Howe has returned, and they are now hitting full stride. They have the best squad in the division and should be adding to their striking options in January. And second best bet (if I am allowed one), Audley Harrison for BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.
Kevin Hatchard
Moment: Manchester City clinching the Premier League title with the last kick of the season. Sergio Aguero hit the back of the net when many would have failed, and it was hilarious to see crestfallen Manchester United players wandering around the Stadium of Light as if they had just witnessed an apocalyptic alien attack.
Hero: Jessica Ennis. The poster girl of London 2012 delivered when it mattered most. She was under immense pressure for years, and when her big moment came, she trashed the opposition.
Villain: Darren Bent. This has nothing to do with the fact Villa are nicknamed "The Villains." I've covered a lot of Aston Villa games this year, and Bent's levels of effort have been consistently atrocious. For anyone who can't understand why he doesn't get in Paul Lambert's team, just watch him play - a constipated tortoise has better movement.
Best Bet: While covering swimming for betting.betfair during London 2012, I put up unheralded American Haley Anderson to finish Top 3 in the 10k Open Water event at 17.5n/a. I suggested she would produce a storming finish, and so it came to pass.
Bet for 2013: Borussia Dortmund to win the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp's swashbuckling side have proved they can match Europe's top sides by taking four points off Real Madrid in the group stage. They have a solid defence, an extraordinary work ethic and the ability to counter-attack with laser-like precision. At odds of 8.88/1, they must at least be worth considering for a back-to-lay wager.
James Dickenson
Moment: As supporting Arsenal meant 2012 was a year to forget, I'll go with the moment that keeps popping into my head. Aguero's winner to wrestle the league title from Man United was special, but more so was commentator Martin Tyler's "Agueroooooooo" reaction.
Hero: Has to be Ian Poulter as he almost single-handedly won the Ryder Cup for Europe. As a matchplay and team golfer there is no one better, and Poulter was inspiring as he took the most points of any performer over the weekend.
Villain: Probably Roman Abramovich for his brutal hire-and-fire mentality. Sacked AVB for planning for the future (which he wanted him to do) then replaced him with Di Matteo who won the Champions League (which he craved) and the FA Cup. Now they have Rafa Benitez.
Best Bet: My best bet of this season was selecting a 2-2 scoreline when Man City traveled to Liverpool. My research told me goals were on the cards and watching Tevez equalise in the 80th of an enthralling game to guarantee me a big payout at 16.015/1 was satisfying.
Bet for 2013: I'd keep an eye on how the Belgians are faring in the Premier League and watch the odds for the 2014 World Cup (not strictly a bet for 2013 but we like it - Ed). It may come too soon for their young squad to win, but at their current price of 26.00 I reckon it's worth a bet.
Simon Hopper
Moment: Olympics? Ryder Cup? Naa - James Arthur winning X Factor. Easy money.
Hero: Didn't think I'd ever say this but... Julian Clary. Just for restoring normality to what was becoming the most difficult reality TV show to bet on (Celebrity Big Brother).
Villain: Hugo Taylor. For bombing in I'm A Celebrity when he should have won. There's no excuse for a reality TV star not to win a reality TV show.
Best Bet: James Arthur to win X Factor at 9.08/1.
Bet for 2013: If Gareth Thomas lines up for Dancing On Ice 2013 (as is rumoured) then back him at anything over 11.010/1.
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