Yes entertainment bettors, it’s that time of year again – when Hollywood puts on its prettiest party frock and rents a limo. Yes, on Sunday, February 27th at the Kodak Theater In Los Angeles, everyone will be gushing about the rich and famous – especially the rich and famous.
But why is it always about them? Well, no more! Now you have a chance to get rich. Betting on the Academy Awards, in some cases, can be a lock. And if you put some cash down you could almost guaranteed to walk away with a win. However, each year there are upsets and knowing when to strike when the iron’s hot (so to speak) is the key to making some serious cash on Oscar night.
Sports Interaction has put Colin Firth as the 1/50 heavy favorite to win Best Actor for his portrayal of a stammering King George VI in The King’s Speech, a film that has won pretty much every pre-Oscar accolade out there, a bet that will earn you just $1 for every $50 you put down.
Now normally we would say “go ahead and put some money on the longshot” but we really don’t think longshot Javier Bardem for his role in Biutiful has a shot at an Oscar upset. We’re so confident, in fact, we put his odds of winning at a staggering 40/1, meaning a $50 would score you a cool $2050.
Following behind Firth in the Best Actor odds at 15/1, however, is a dark horse to look out for. If anyone could upset Firth it would be James Franco for his role as trapped hiker Aron Ralston in the harrowing 127 Hours. Franco, also the co-host of this year’s Academy Awards alongside Anne Hathaway, may appeal to the Academy and thus earn him the popular vote ala Sandra Bullock. The safe bet of course is Firth, but if you’re daring and think Firth’s collected enough awards this season, we’d say that Franco has a decent shot at an upset.
Of course, The King’s Speech dominates the Best Picture category at 4/25, but the odds are more evenly distributed meaning oddsmakers are thinking an upset is more likely. The Social Network follows quite close behind at 7/2, with Coen brothers True Grit at 20/1 and The Black Swan at 25/1. We’re thinking a bet placed on The Social Network may just be the way to go.
The Best Director field sees The Social Network‘s David Fincher as the Oscar favorite at 2/5. At 137/100, Tom Hopper’s work on The King’s Speech follows closely behind as well as Darren Aronofsky for The Black Swan at 20/1, The Coen brothers at 35/1 for True Grit and David O. Russell gets the 50/1 longshot slot for The Fighter.
If you don’t feel like betting on the best films, Sports Interaction does have one alluring Oscar prop bet to entice you. Will Natalie Portman suffer the Oscar curse? According to a research by University of Toronto and Carnegie Mellon University, Best Actress Oscar winners are associated with a greater risk for the break-up of their personal relationship. Portman, the 3/50 frontrunner in the Best Actress category for her role in The Black Swan, recently got engaged to Benjamin Millepied and is expecting her first baby and if she wins, Sports Interaction is offering a 1/2 bet that she and Millepied won’t split before December 31, 2012. Previous casualties of the Oscar curse include Sandra Bullock who split with Jesse James last year on the heels of her Oscar win, as well as Kate Winslet, Reese Witherspoon, Hillary Swank and Halle Berry.
Related posts:
- Academy Awards Odds: King’s Speech Leads 2011 Oscar Nominations
- Natalie Portman Pregnant and Engaged to Benjamin Millepied
- SAG Award Winners Help Handicap 2011 Oscars
- 2010 Oscar Odds: Betting on Longshots
- Best Actor Academy Awards Odds
