Nicky's dancing exit was in the stars

Nicky Watson's good looks worked against her, says betting expert.

Nicky Watson's looks had a lot to do with her being the first competitor eliminated from Dancing with the Stars, an online betting agency claims.

Centrebet, which tips former All Black Norm Hewitt to win the TV celebrity dance programme, said a clear betting pattern had emerged on the Australian version of the show - and more than 150 other reality TV programmes worldwide.

"The good-looking girls go first," said Gerard Daffy, Centrebet's sports betting manager. He said most people who voted or bet on reality shows were females, aged 12-20. "Females being females, they don't like each other, so they vote each other out."

But Watson laughed when she was told the theory behind her elimination in Sunday night's episode, saying the real beauties were the professional women dancers on the programme.

"They were the amazing goddesses dancing up a storm."

She said she was disappointed to have been voted off the TVOne show but would continue taking dancing lessons. "Dancing is my new passion."

Centrebet said bets placed on the show, which pairs celebrities with professional dancers for a Latin and ballroom dance-off, stood at $2000 yesterday.

Hewitt is the new favourite to win, overtaking actor Theresa Healey, who impressed punters with a sexy cha-cha in the opening episode two weeks ago. Hewitt's odds were slashed from 6.5 to 3.0 (for a $1 bet) after he and partner Carol-Ann Hickmore danced a romantic rumba.

Healey's chances slipped from 2.5 to 3.25, putting her on an equal footing with fellow actor Shane Cortese, who said he was exhausted but enjoying himself after 15-20 hours training each week with partner Nerida Lister.

Hewitt and Hickmore and Cortese and Lister tied for first place with the show's judges in Episode 2, each couple scoring 32 points.

Alison Leonard, one of the four judges, said competitors like Hewitt showed anyone could dance. "This show is doing a huge service to ballroom dancing as an art."

But Ms Leonard would not be drawn on a likely winner, saying there were still six weeks and several dance styles to go.

Versions of the show have run in Australia, Britain and the United States. In New Zealand, figures released yesterday revealed the show is a major hit in the 8.30pm time-slot.

In all, 37 per cent of viewers in the 5+ age group watched Dancing with the Stars, compared with 28 per cent for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on TV3, and 11 per cent for Extreme Makeover on TV2.

The audience share was up 2 per cent from the first episode.

Centrebet odds

Odds for Dancing with the Stars competitors (Based on $1 bet)

3.00 Norm Hewitt
3.25 Shane Cortese
3.25 Theresa Healey
8.00 Tim Shadbolt
12.00 Bernice Mene
13.00 Georgina Beyer
21.00 Ewen Gilmour