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
|
18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app and bet £10 on any sports market (odds of 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get 3x£10 Free Bets on selected sports markets, which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly |
|||||
|
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. |
|||||
|
T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. You must place a single win-only bet of £10 or more with odds of evens (2.00) or greater to qualify. Money back as £10 in free bets. Free bet is credited the day after the qualifying bet has settled. Must use code B10G10 when creating an account. |
|||||
|
Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Offer valid 7 days from account opening. 18+ GambleAware.org. Full Terms apply |
|||||
|
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. |
|||||
|
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. |
|||||
|
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 products only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply. Please gamble responsibly. |
|||||
|
Place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet.18+ www.gambleaware.org. |
|||||
|
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+ Please gamble responsibly. |
|||||
|
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. |
|||||
|
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. Please gamble responsibly. |
|||||
|
New Customers Only. £10 in real money. Bets placed on sports at odds of 2.00 or more. Bets must be placed within 24 hours of registration. £10 free bets must be wagered on sports. UK residents. Full terms apply. Gambling can be addictive, play responsibly. 18+ |
|||||
|
#AD | Welcome bonus for new players only | Maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | Min. deposit is £10 | No max cash out | Wagering is 40x bonus | Maximum bet with an active bonus is £5 | Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded for welcome bonus | Cashback when offered, applies to deposits where no bonus is included | Cashback is cash with no restrictions | T&C's apply |Free bet: Min odds: 2.0 - Free bet value will be deducted from free bet winnings | 18+ | BeGambleAware.org | Gambling is addictive, please gamble responsibly! |
|||||
|
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either a Single or Acca (2+ selections) bet, start at £20, have 1.9 or greater odds and must be settled within 7 days of opt-in. 3 Free bets include: 1 x £20 Free bet Racing (Horse Racing or Greyhound Racing); 1 x £20 Free Bet Live Football; 1 x £20 Free Bet Live. Max payout – £500. 7-day expiry. To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app (Open banking). 18+. BeGambleAware.com |
|||||
|
New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £40, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Progress Play network Full Terms Apply. |
|||||
|
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 |
|||||
|
New customers place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get 2 x £10 free bets. 18+ begambleaware |
|||||
|
18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 20 days. Full T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly |
|||||
|
18+. Play Safe. New customers only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Full T&Cs apply. #ad |
|||||
|
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. |
