Eurovision Song Contest Betting


Eurovision Song Contest Betting


It’s camp, it’s chaotic, it’s Eurovision, and it’s back to light up your screens this coming Saturday evening. Making its debut in 1956 and held every year since – with the exception of 2020 – the flamboyant songfest is one of the longest-running music contests on the planet, drawing in millions of viewers with its kitsch appeal.

In recent years, Eurovision has also become one of the biggest novelty betting events of the year, regularly coming out ahead of the likes of X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent in terms of global turnover. With this year's contest taking place in Liverpool, British fans, in particular, will be at the ready to fill out those slips, with a range of markets available, including outright winner, Top 5 Finish, Top 10 Finish, and to Finish bottom. Here we take a look at how the competition operates and pick out this year's main contenders.

The Voting Process

Each year the vote is split into two halves – with each competing nation supplying a Jury Vote and a Public Telephone Vote, with equal weight granted to each. When assessing the contenders, it is, therefore, crucial to balance songs likely to boast mass public appeal, with those which may tickle the eardrums of the possibly more classically minded “expert” Juries. However, at Eurovision, it’s not all about the song….

Rampant Political Voting

Historically, certain nations have awarded points to other friendly nations, year after year after year, with the quality of the entry seemingly holding little – if any - relevance. The Scandanavian block of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland invariably support one another, as do the Balkan and Iberian nations.

How many times for example have we seen Greece and Cyprus award each other maxiumum points!

Alliances tend to be based on geographical, political, or cultural ties and remain steady over the years. How many times for example have we seen Greece and Cyprus award each other maxiumum points! The UK can only really rely on Ireland and Malta to keep the points tally ticking over – placing more emphasis on the quality of the song.

Possibly the strongest example of global politics influencing the result came only last year. Ukraine were well behind following the Jury vote, but ultimately won in a landslide following overwhelming support from the European voting public.

2023 Main Contenders

As ever, this year's cast of hopefuls lacks nothing in terms of variety, from piano-led ballads to techno boppers, screamo hard rock, and everything in between. Austria possibly comes out on top in the barmy stakes, with an entry based around the unusual theme of a receptionist being possessed by the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe. Croatia aren’t too far behind with what appears to be a nightmare version of the Village People, but the anti-war theme of Mama šč may yet strike a chord with voters. Madness aside, we now turn to those nations whom the bookies deem most likely to come out on top. (All odds quoted are from William Hill.)

Sweden – 4/7

Red hot favourites for this year’s award are six-time winners, Sweden. If the sight of the terrifyingly manicured songstress Loreen – and the opening few bars of Tattoo – ring a few bells, that’s because Loreen has been here before, having won the 2012 edition with the Euro smash hit Euphoria. Like its predecessor, Tattoo has also topped the Swedish charts, and the favourites have a good recent record in this – winning each of the past three editions.

Finland – 5/2

Also proving popular with punters is Finland’s entry, Cha Cha Cha, with inspirational lyrics such as “There’s no tomorrow when I grab a pint tightly” seemingly resonating across the continent. Upbeat and with a typically OTT stage show, Käärijä’s performance will likely be one of the more memorable of the night – which never hurts when garnering votes.

Ukraine – 8/1

Or perhaps Ukraine could do it again. With the war in the country still ongoing, and close to 8 million Ukrainian refugees spread throughout Europe, they seem likely to at least do well in the public vote once again. This year's tune - provided by Tvorchi – is one of the more sensible of the evening, falling into the R&B slow-burner category. That brings the danger of becoming a little lost in the chaos, but with public sentiment still firmly behind the nation, it isn’t without a chance.

Spain – 16/1

Unsuccessful at Eurovision since winning back-to-back editions in 1968 and 1969, Spain came close in 2022, with Chanel’s performance of SloMo finishing third – and likely lingering long in the memory of a certain section of viewers. This year it is the turn of Blanca Paloma and the significantly milder song EAEA. Boasting a strong Arabic feel, the tune seems likely to boast broad cross-cultural appeal and could go well.

The UK Challenge

Coming oh so close in 2022 with Sam Ryder and Spaceman filling the runners-up spot, the task of landing a victory on home soil has been handed to Mae Muller. The imaginatively titled “I Wrote A Song” tells the tale of a cheating partner, is easily one of the more modern chart-friendly efforts in the line-up and will undoubtedly be well received by the home crowd. However, odds of 33/1 suggest a win would be something of a shock.

Interesting Outsiders

Of the others, Italy (40/1) boasts one of the strongest vocalists at the event in Marco Mengoni, and the plaintive Due Vite seems likely to hit the mark with the Jury voters. Blanka of Poland (200/1) meanwhile promises to be this year’s Chanel. The simple but catchy bubblegum pop of Solo may stick in enough heads to sneak into the Top 15 or Top 10.

Top 20 Betting Offers

Bzeebet
Bzeebet
Bet £10, Get a £10 Free Bet Claim Offer

18+. New Customers Only. Max 1 x £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as Bonus Token Min 4/5 Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller, Paypal not eligible. T&Cs Apply

BetMGM
BetMGM
Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets Claim Offer

New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 1 x £10 Football Free Bet, 1 x £10 Horse Racing Free Bet, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.

Bet365
Bet365
Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets Claim Offer

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required.

Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets Claim Offer

18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Stake not returned. Restrictions + Free bet T&Cs apply.

Tote
Tote
Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses Claim Offer

New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Full T&Cs apply.

Coral
Coral
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets Claim Offer

18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Min deposit & bet £10 at min odds 1/2 to qualify for 4 x £10 free bets. Certain deposit methods and bet types excl. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.

talkSPORT BET
talkSPORT BET
Get up to £40 in Football Free Bets Claim Offer

18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app & bet £10+ on any football market at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

Gentleman Jim
Gentleman Jim
Money Back Free Bet up to £40 Claim Offer

New UK Customers only. Use code welcomeMB40. Sign up and place at least 3 bets of £10 or more on seperate events on your first day of betting. If account has net sportsbook losses at the end of first day's betting, Gentleman Jim will refund 50% of these as a free bet up to £40. Full Terms apply. 18+ begambleaware.

Midnite
Midnite
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets Claim Offer

New UK Customers. Register using code BETGETSPORTS. Must bet £10 in total on 4+ legs, min odds 4.0. £20 awarded as 4 X £5 free bets once settled, AND 50 Free Spins to use on Big Bass Splash (valued at 10p per spin). Free bet T&Cs Apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org

32Red
32Red
150% Casino Bonus up to £150! Claim Offer

18+. BeGambleAware.org. New customers only. Min. £10 deposit, debit card only. Up to 50x wagering, game contributions vary, max. stake applies, 7 day expiry. See full terms. #AD

Copybet
Copybet
Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets Claim Offer

New UK customers only. Qualifying bet should be a Single or Accumulator bet, min stake £10, and min odds 1.9. Get £50 in Free bets which must be placed with a min odds of 2.0 include: 1 x £10 Free bet for horse racing, 1 x £10 Free bet on football, 2 x 10 Free bet In-play, 1 x £10 Free bet Acca (min 3 selections). To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app. Max payout – £500. 7 day expiry. 18+. Begambleaware.org

10bet
10bet
100% Welcome Bonus up to £50 Claim Offer

New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, payment method exclusions apply; New customers only. T&C apply; 18+

Bet442
Bet442
Bet £20 Get £20 in Free bets Claim Offer

18+. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply.

Spreadex
Spreadex
Bet £25 Get £50 in Free Bets Claim Offer

New Customers place a £25 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get £50 in Free Bets as: 5 x £5 free fixed odds bets + 4 x £5 free Total Goals spread bets + 50 free spins on Starburst 18+. Full promotions terms apply.

Betfred
Betfred
Bet £10 and get £50 in Free Bets Claim Offer

New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.

Betway
Betway
£30 Matched Free Bet Claim Offer

New Customers. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First qualifying bet with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00+ (2/1). If first bet loses free bets will be credited after bet settled. 100 Free Spins on Gold Blitz credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full terms apply

Highbet
Highbet
Bet £10, Get £20 Free Bets + 20 Free Spins Claim Offer

New customers Deposit and place your first bet on Sports at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater. Once bet is settled you will receive 1x £10 Free Bet Token to be used on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet Token to be used on Horse Racing, and 20 Extra spins (value per spin 50p), to be used on Book of Dead. Total bonus value £30. Full terms apply. 18+ begambleaware.

Virgin Bet
Virgin Bet
Bet £10, Get £20 in Free bets Claim Offer
£10 min deposit. First bet mins odds 1.5 placed within 14 days of sign-up. 2 x £10 in Free Bets: valid for 7 days, free bet stakes not returned. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. 18+ T&Cs apply.
MyriadPlay
MyriadPlay
Bet £15 Get £15 Claim Offer

New customers only. Min deposit £10. Max one £15 Free Bet. Min Turnover £15 to qualify. Qualifying bets must be at odds of Evens (2.0) or bigger. Full Terms apply. 18+ begambleaware.

easyBet
easyBet
Bet £20 and Get £20 Claim Offer

New Customers Only. Sign up with bonus code: EB20. Bet £20 and get £20 in Free Bets. Paid as £5 Free Bet on Soccer, £5 Free Bet on Horse Racing, £5 Free Bet on Multiples and a £5 Free Bet on any Market. Terms apply 18+ gambleaware.org.