Bookies are threatening to stop taking bets on future Christmas number ones after the X Factor dominates the charts for yet another year.

This week odds have been slashed on Alexandra Burke hitting the top spot and bookies have threatened to stop taking bets altogether.

“The X Factor has once again cost the bookies a fortune,” Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams told the Daily Mirror.

“We might have to stop betting on this next year as punters have cottoned on to the fact that backing the X Factor winner is the easiest way to make money in December. We keep hoping people will tire of the show. But that just hasn’t happened.”

Other bookies are hoping that the run of seasonal chart-toppers from X Factor winners comes to an end soon.

“The Christmas number one used to be about some silly novelty song or the latest effort from Cliff Richard,” one said. “It was fun and had a measure of the season about it.”

“Let’s face it, Hallelujah is not exactly a cheery song the whole family will be singing round the fire, is it?”