The TIME Person of the Year award betting market has been kicked up a notch this week. Now an even-money favourite for the title is Doctors, Nurses, First Responders and Health Workers favourite, those healthcare workers who are the front line battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time Person of the Year Winner 2020*
Doctors, Nurses, First Responders, Health Worker Even Money
World Health Organisation 4/1
Li Wenliang 7/1
Centres for Disease Control and PRevention 7/1
Anthony Fauci 7/1
Li Keqiang 8/1
Teachers and Educators 10/1
Donald Trump 12/1
Boris Johnson 14/1
Greta Thunberg 20/1
Epidemiologist 20/1
Joe Biden 22/1
Jacinda Ardern 33/1
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 33/1
40/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 00:33 GMT on Thursday, April 30th, 2020)
The odds on that market selection has been cut drastically down from 4/1 to that even money quote* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 00:33 GMT on Thursday, April 30th, 2020).
There is naturally overwhelming and growing support for the frontline healthcare workers to get the distinction. They are the heroes putting their lives on the line every day, even in the face of adversity and lack of equipment and that has been recognised.
What is the Time Person of the Year award?
Well, it is an award for “the man, woman, group or concept that has had the most influence on the world during the previous 12 months.”
The interesting thing about it is that the award isn’t just one that recognises positive influence.
Just that “for better or for worse… has done the most to influence the events of the year”. The most famous example of this was Hitler being named the TIME Person of the Year in 1938.
2019 Winner
Environmentalist Greta Thunberg, much to the aggrievement of US President Donald Trump, was awarded the 2019 edition.
Trump mocked the award, calling it “so ridiculous” and Tweeting “Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!”
TIME chose Thunberg, by who became the youngest individual to ever win the award, for “sounding the alarm about humanity’s predatory relationship with the only home we have, for bringing to a fragmented world a voice that transcends backgrounds and borders, for showing us all that it might look like when a new generation leads”
Medical field dominates the market
Personnel from the medical field naturally dominates this market at the moment. The award this year will, more likely than not going to someone in a medical field.
This has been such an unprecedented year because of the Coronavirus outbreak and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is the second-favourite at 4/1* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 00:33 GMT on Thursday, April 30th, 2020).
Donald Trump wouldn’t be happy about them winning either, as he has been in a spat with them, threatening to cut funding.
Posthumous award for whistleblower?
Li Wenliang is in line for a posthumous award. The Chinese doctor was the first to try and bring to the attention of the Chinese Government that this new virus had been discovered.
But he was treated as a whistleblower and was shut down by the powers that be.
He sadly died of the coronavirus 10 days after the Chinese government finally admitted the emergency.
Fauci the calming influence on the US front
On the American front, the leading name taking centre stage is Doctor Anthony Fauci. He has had to stand alongside Trump at Coronavirus Press Meetings and in a lot of cases, contradict things that the President has said.
Fauci is now a household name, doling out clear and concise information about how the and being very personable with it. Brad Pitt portrayed him on Saturday Night Live after Fauci had joked that that should happen.
Teachers and Educators
This has also been a difficult time for Teachers and Educators.
With schools shutting down, a big shift has been made over to online classes where possible, especially at colleges and universities to keep things going.
So they have been adjusting to new ways to keep education going in such strange circumstances.
Teachers and Educators are out at 10/1* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 00:33 GMT on Thursday, April 30th, 2020) which is just a little shorter than Donald Trump.
What about Trump?
It has been a dark year without question. So imagine if Trump, the 2016 Time Person of the Year, was to win this year.
He would probably gloat that it was because of his superb handling of the pandemic, despite blurting out his high profile disinfectant faux pas.
But he could equally get it for things like that and a lot of mismanagement. There have been reports suggesting that he ignored early coronavirus warnings, playing down the threat instead of getting the country prepared. But the US Commander in Chief is out as a long 12/1 shot* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 00:33 GMT on Thursday, April 30th, 2020)
