Eurovision 2023: The bets before the first semi-final!
We are just a few hours away from the first Eurovision 2023 semi-final and the betting tables are on fire, with the odds constantly changing.
Your favourite column will bring you everything that has changed in the last few days, both in terms of the case-win, and in terms of qualifying from tonight’s show to Saturday’s final.
Top 10
New shuffles occurred yesterday after the first and second Dress Rehearsal on the betting tables. Nevertheless, one thing remained and will remain constant: Sweden is the heavy favourite to win the 67th Eurovision Song Contest. The Swedish victory is being played at some bookmakers at under 1.60, with the maximum available odds being 1.75.
In second place, with a slight downward trend at some companies, is Finland. Käärijä and “Cha Cha Cha” are Loreen‘s rival in this year’s contest, with Finland’s win odds ranging between 2.75 and 3.75.
Ukraine and France are in third and fourth place, with similar odds. The maximum odds on offer for both countries to win return up to 15 times the stake of anyone who believes in them. The top five is rounded off by Spain, whose odds to win range between 7 and 21.
Sixth place Norway is played at 26, seventh place Israel at 34, eighth place Italy at 56, ninth place United Kingdom at 61, and tenth place Austria at 56. It is worth noting that when one observes the betting tables, one can see that with the exception of Sweden, all the countries in the top ten are trending downwards, with their win odds going up.
1st Semifinal
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, today’s article will also deal with the chances of the countries in the first semi-final, according to the bookers.
Looking at the betting tables of the first semi-final, the bookmakers almost take the qualification of 5+1 countries for granted. Sweden, Finland, Israel, Norway and the Czech Republic are the firm favourites to qualify today, with the odds of qualification not exceeding 1.05. Moldova are also largely assured of a place in the final and are being offered slightly higher at around 1.10.
Beyond that, Serbia seem to be in a league of their own as they are seen as the seventh favourite to qualify for the grand final on May 13. Luke Black‘s qualification is offered at odds of around 1.30, with a clear distance between both the leading and trailing countries.
Four countries will battle it out for the last three ‘tickets’ to the Eurovision 2023 grand final, according to bookers. Portugal, Switzerland, Croatia and the Netherlands have their own very high chances of qualifying, with Portugal being played between 1.33 and 1.44, Switzerland between 1.29 and 1.44, Croatia between 1.4 and 1.5 and the Netherlands between 1.53 and 1.8. The Netherlands are in a more difficult position compared to the other three, but their qualification odds are anything but a betting opportunity.
Malta, Latvia, Ireland and Azerbaijan are seen as underdogs for qualification, but in any case the odds on offer could be a lure for those who believe in the qualification of any of these countries. In particular, Latvia‘s odds, which are trending downwards, might be the value for money option of the day for those who like to bet on high odds.
Regarding the winner of the first semi-final, things are clear. The absolute favourite to win the first semi-final is Finland, which is offered at odds between 1.3 and 1.53. The dynamics of Käärijä and “Cha Cha Cha“, as well as the fact that the crowd decides this year in the two semi-finals are key reasons why the Finnish victory is offered at such low odds.
Second favourite is Sweden, which is being offered at odds between 2.5 and 3.5, making it a value for money choice, especially for those backing the heavy favourite for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest. Otherwise, all other countries are offered at much higher odds. Norway, who are the third favourite, are being played at 26, Israel at 34, as is the Czech Republic.
Which countries do you think will qualify from the first semi-final to Saturday’s grand final?
