In movies as in life, the show must go on. Despite a challenging year in which theatres went dark, streaming services lit up, and the Oscars were delayed two months, the 93rd Academy Awards left anyone interested in Oscars betting perhaps scratching their heads.
This accompanies another tradition: betting on the Oscars. Currently, Americans can only find legal Oscar betting odds at Michigan, Indiana, and New Jersey sportsbooks. But non-sports gambling markets in other states may soon be ready for their close-ups.
Current Oscars Odds – 2021
The Oscars were held in a modified format on Sunday, April 25. Sportsbooks in Indiana, Michigan, and New Jersey, including sites like DraftKings, set the Oscar betting odds for some of the top categories. The odds for the 2021 Oscars are included below.
When looking at these odds and the ultimate winners, it is clear Acadamey Awards bettors were also both winners and losers. Most notable were the almost certain odds set for Chadwich Boseman to win the Oscar for Best Actor, which ultimately went to Anthony Hopkins, the oldest man to receive the award. On the opposite end, Chloe Zhao, the first woman of color to win the coveted gold statue for Directing was a clear favorite to win early on.
It will be interesting to see what happens for the 2022 Academy Awards when there will presumably be less of a focus on movies premiering on streaming services. Also, Oscars odds could be affected in the future by an increased focus on diversity, particularly in key Academy Awards categories.
Best Picture
| Nominee | DraftKings Odds |
|---|---|
| Nomadland | -670 |
| The Trial of the Chicago 7 | +600 |
| Minari | +1400 |
| Promising Young Woman | +1700 |
| Judas & the Black Messiah | +3300 |
| Mank | +3300 |
| Sound of Metal | +5000 |
| The Father | +10000 |
Best Actor
| Nominee | DraftKings Odds |
|---|---|
| Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) | -1667 |
| Anthony Hopkins (The Father) | +700 |
| Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) | +1400 |
| Steven Yuen (Minari) | +2500 |
| Gary Oldman (Mank) | +3300 |
Best Actress
| Nominee | DraftKings Odds |
|---|---|
| Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) | +125 |
| Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) | +200 |
| Frances McDormand (Nomadland) | +400 |
| Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) | +600 |
| Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) | +2000 |
Best Director
| Nominee | DraftKings Odds |
|---|---|
| Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) | -3335 |
| David Fincher (Mank) | +1000 |
| Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) | +1700 |
| Emerald Fenell (Promising Young Woman) | +2000 |
| Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round) | +2500 |
Where To Bet On The Oscars
America has been in love with the movies for over a century. But it has only recently warmed to the idea of betting on them. In 2019, New Jersey became the first state to allow sportsbooks to offer Academy Awards betting odds. Indiana soon followed suit. Michigan joined the fray as well, shortly after launching online sports betting ad casinos in January.
As online casinos and sportsbooks continue to pop up across the country due to changing attitudes and new legislation, sportsbooks are looking to expand beyond their traditional offerings–such as allowing bets on awards shows and elections. Expect the Academy Awards to top the list of contenders.
Best Sportsbooks For Betting On The Oscars
Betting on the Oscars is only legal in Indiana and New Jersey. As more markets open up across the country, expect sportsbook brands both big and small to offer odds on the Oscars.
Here are a few sportsbooks that will offer legal Oscars betting after the nominations are announced on March 15th, along with special welcome offers for new players. Check the terms and conditions for each site to make sure you can use these welcome offers toward betting on the Academy Awards.
Indiana
- FanDuel: Visit FanDuel Indiana and claim a $1,000 risk-free bet.
- DraftKings: Visit DraftKings Indiana and get up a deposit match bonus up to $1,000 + $25 free site credit.
New Jersey
- FanDuel: Visit FanDuel New Jersey and claim a $1,000 risk-free bet.
- DraftKings: Visit DraftKings New Jersey and get a deposit match bonus of up to $1,000 + $25 free site credit.
Michigan
How To Bet On The Oscars
If you live in Indiana, Michigan, or New Jersey, you can find odds on all of the Academy Award nominees in two dozen categories. These include heavy hitters like “Best Picture” and “Best Actor”, and niche categories like “Best Original Song” and “Best Costume Design”.
Want to try your hand at Oscars betting? Simply create an account at a legal Indiana, Michigan, or New Jersey sportsbook that has Oscars odds listed. Download their app, fund your account, and do a quick search to find the betting lines. The nominations will be announced on Monday, March 15, so you may need to wait for odds to show up.
Legalized Oscars betting is still new in the US. As more states open up to legal online sportsbooks, and as movies continue to dominate pop culture, it’s a safe bet that the Academy Awards may one day become the Super Bowl of non-sports wagering.
Academy Awards Odds
Determining odds for the Oscars is not an exact science (despite attempts to make it so). But there are a few bellwethers for predicting who will get nominated in which categories, and ultimately who will win:
- The Golden Globe Awards
- The BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Awards)
- Industry trades (a combination of studio hype, public opinion, and box office)
- Endorsements from various film critics groups (year-end “Best of” lists)
Because Oscars are awarded by consensus, it can be difficult to track favorites and underdogs between the announcement of nominees and the big night. Scandals, sleeper hits, and good old popularity contests can turn a deadlock into a dark horse (and vice versa) within a media cycle.
Sometimes fans get a peek into how the Oscar sausage is made. In The Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot” series, anonymous Academy members talk about what goes on in the minds of some voters–and whether or not they’ve actually watched the movies they’re voting on.
Academy Awards Betting Odds And Strategy
Instead of teams competing on a field, voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences determine Oscar winners. So developing a betting strategy can be a fun but futile exercise.
(Ask anyone who bet against Moonlight in 2017 or Green Book two years later.)
Oscar bets are moneyline bets (no point spreads). A “Best Director” contender can’t “come close” to giving an acceptance speech.
Some bet their favorites; some compare odds; some follow industry “buzz.” Some even consider a nominee’s track record (“He or she has been nominated five times and never won, so THIS must be the year!”).
FAQs – Oscars Betting Odds
The 93rd Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, April 25th, 2021, beginning at 7pm CST.
Oscars betting is legal in Indiana, Michigan, and New Jersey, via various sportsbooks.
Check your preferred Michigan, Indiana, or New Jersey sportsbook for Oscars betting predictions and picks. Entertainment websites such as Variety and Entertainment Weekly don’t get into the numbers, but you can learn more about the nominees before making a wager.
Yes. Many of the sportsbooks that feature Oscars odds also offer Oscars prop bets. Check with your favorite sites to see which prop bets they offer, and at what odds.
Indiana, Michigan, and New Jersey are the only two states in which you can bet on the Oscars.
You can find odds on The Golden Globes, The Grammy Awards, and the Emmys–but it depends on where you look. 888sport offers Golden Globes bets. DraftKings does not. Search your sportsbook of choice to find out which wagers you can place.
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