“Don’t Cut Me Off”: Bet on the Longest Speech of the 2019 Oscars

If there’s a takeaway from the confusion over the true winner of the Oscars in the Best Picture category two years ago (La La Land vs Moonlight), it’s that anything could happen at an Academy Awards ceremony. Should you want to bet on the longest speech of the next Oscars, however, there are some considerations that could help you make a great pick.

In theory, there is a 45-second limit on acceptance speeches. In practice, those clutching the golden statuette have some elbow room. The more popular a category is, the more leeway its winner has with the length of their thank you notes. (For those who prefer charts, the National Post made a nice one on the 2011 Oscars.)

Background Stats You Need to Know

The odds of next year’s Best Actor taking the longest to wrap up are higher (11/10) than those of the Best Actress (13/20). Still, both multipliers are promising and should not determine your bet in themselves.

Historically speaking, the longest Oscars speech was delivered by an actress: Greer Garson in 1943. The time limit had not yet been introduced back then, though. The longest speech in modern times that defied the 45-second rule was made by a male star, Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club, 2014). But the second and third longest ones (by word count) were delivered by women: Halle Berry (2002, Monster’s Ball) and Cate Blanchett (2013, Blue Jasmine), respectively.

The Most Likely Stars to Win

Blanchett alone can be a deciding factor in placing your bet on the longest speech of the 2019 Oscars. She appears in Richard Linklater’s upcoming film Where’d You Go, Bernadette and is considered a very strong candidate for the award.

Viola Davis, former winner of the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category (Fences, 2016) also has good odds. She delivered a 313-word long acceptance speech two years ago, which was wordier than those by that year’s Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Among potential Best Actors, Christian Bale seems not to worry too much about the clock: his speech (The Fighter, 2010) stretched to roughly 350 words. Ryan Gosling, another potential nominee who needs to be taken into consideration, hasn’t had the chance to deliver an Oscars speech yet. Judging by his monologue at the 2017 Golden Globe, however, he would not take longer than Blanchett or Davis.

Christian Bale

Best Actors might have delivered long speeches more frequently in Oscars history. Still, the speech-giving habits of some of the potential nominees indicate that 2019 may be different in that regard. It might be a good idea to risk betting on the category with the higher multiplier: Best Actress.

Where Can you Bet on the Longest Speech of the 2019 Oscars?

If you’re looking for great online sportsbook sites, take a look at 1XBet Sportsbook. And when the time comes, don’t forget to follow the Academy Awards Ceremony itself, which will be broadcast by ABC on 24 February, 2019.