Punters’ favourite wins MasterChef after ‘suspicious’ odds swing

An amateur chef who became a betting favourite to win the Ten’s MasterChef finale after a suspicious swing in the odds has been crowned the winner.

Justin Narayan.

An amateur chef who became a sudden betting favourite to win MasterChef hours after filming finished in May has been crowned the winner.

The outcome of Tuesday night’s finale, in which youth pastor Justin Narayan beat out the competition, has been overshadowed by suspicion around the dramatic betting turnaround within hours of the conclusion of filming in the early hours of May 13.

Narayan was suddenly backed into a short-priced $1.08 favourite with Tabcorp, and a $1.50 favourite with Sportsbet, replacing the former favourite, tattoo artist Pete Campbell, who was pushed out to $6.

The Australian reported this week that production sources had revealed that just one ending had been filmed this season, unlike in previous years when multiple outcomes were filmed to stop the result from being leaked.

The decision to stop filming alternative endings this year was taken to avoid “torturing” the runner-up with the false hope that he or she had won.

The Australian understands the show’s producers, Endemol Shine Australia, will return to filming alternative endings for next year’s season of MasterChef.

Two software developers with inside information were convicted last year and placed on good behaviour bonds, after suspicious bets were placed on the NRL’s 2019 Dally M Awards Coach of the Year category.

One of the men convicted, Benjamin Trevisiol, was a managing director at the company the NRL contracted to tally the votes for the awards. He used the information to place bets, winning $950 on the outcome.

Trevisiol’s plan unravelled after he revealed who had won to his business partner, Joshua ­Wilson, who in turn passed it on to his mates at a pub in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

They also placed bets, triggering the betting plunge that prompted bookmakers to inform the NRL integrity unit.

Narayan beat out fellow finalists Kishwar Chowdhury and Campbell with his version of a squid-based main and a gold-crusted chocolate dessert.

“Mate, that was a wild cook but I’m glad I finished on a cook like that and I honestly feel like I did my best,” he told the judging panel.

Channel 10 declined to comment on the outcome of Tuesday’s grand final.