Time magazine will soon be looking to award its Person of Year 2011 prize to someone who has had significant influence on the world during the past 12 months. 

 

Despite its name, the award isn’t always awarded to a person – it can also go to an idea, a concept, a group of people, etc...

 

As of today, Unibet is the first bookie offering odds on this event with a range of people, organisations and concepts that we believe have left an indelible mark on the year 2011.

 

The current favourite is The Arab Spring (at odds 4.50) brought about by the revolutions – and consequent toppling of decade-long dictatorships – that started in January and that are still taking place in a number of Arab countries.  Second-favourite is Barack Obama (at odds 10.00), who already received the award in 2008, but who would not be the first US President to receive the award more than once (Franklin Delano Roosevelt received it 3 times).  Obama is seen as a contender for having dealt a serious blow to the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda by ordering the successful mission to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

 

Following a terrible year for natural disasters – with mudslides in Brazil, earthquakes in New Zealand, tsunamis in Japan, volcanic eruptions in Chile and hurricanes in the USA – Mother Earth is also among the possible contenders at odds 35.00.  Having blown its 10th birthday candles in January 2011, Wikipedia (at odds 25.00) is also on our favourite list.  As is Fidel Castro (at odds 85.00), the 85 year old Cuban dictator who, in April 2011, resigned from the Communist Party of Cuba after 45 years in power.

 

On a sporting level, Novak Djokovic, the 24 year old Serbian tennis player and World Number 1, is online at odds 50.00 after having won 3 Grand Slams in 2011.

 

 

Within the next few weeks, Time magazine will release a list of nominated candidates for who people can vote online.  The final decision is however taken by Time’s editorial board and often overrules the public vote.  In 2010, Julian Assange received the highest public vote but the award went to Mark Zuckerberg.  The final decision should be announced sometime in early December, and the winner will be on the front cover of an issue of Time.

A former winner of the Time Person of the Year Award is currently trying to secure the Republican nomination for the US Elections in 2012.  It is Newt Gingrich, awarded the Prize in 1995.  His chances of being the Republican face next year are however very slim.