REBECCA Adlington is worried that being favourite to be voted the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year will damage her chances of winning the award.

The double Olympic champion swimmer has been made 10-11 odds-on favourite by the bookies, ahead of Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and triple gold medal-winning cyclist Chris Hoy.

The award will be decided by a phone vote by viewers tomorrow night during the event, which is being staged at Liverpool's Echo Arena.

Adlington said: "I'm so excited. But it is a bit weird to be the favourite, to be honest – doesn't the favourite never win?

"It's a bit worrying, but I just think people have been going crazy putting money on me.

"It would be such a big honour, and this year has to be one of the toughest years it has ever been.

"All the 10 people who have been nominated could easily win it, and it's just an honour to be nominated with them."

Only 13 women have won the award since it started in 1954 – and only one swimmer, Anita Lonsbrough in 1962. Adlington, aged 19, became the first British woman to win an Olympic gold in the pool since Lonsbrough in 1960.

Hamilton must also have a strong chance – he came second a year ago, having finished second in the world drivers' championships, and motor racing drivers traditionally do well in the voting, with Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill both having won it twice.

Hamilton himself says the number of Olympians on the 10-strong short-list may affect his chances.

He said: "All I can say is that we are in an Olympic year, and we have a huge amount of talent. I'm honoured to be nominated. I was there last year and I know it's not an easy thing to win.

"I know there have a lot of competitors who have done pretty amazingly this year."

Hoy's chances may rest on strong support in Scotland, where a campaign has been launched for viewers to vote for him.

Organisers of the Edinburgh Half-Marathon sent an email to runners throughout Scotland, urging them to vote for Hoy – including a message from the last Scot to win the award, Liz McColgan.

Olympic canoeing gold medallist Tim Brabants believes Hoy has the edge.

He said: "I think that Chris Hoy will win – and it will be a tight chase between him, Rebecca Adlington and Lewis Hamilton.

"I think Lewis Hamilton won (the world championship) in an unfortunate year because it is an Olympic year."