Bet on political voting at Eurovision!

The most important event in Europe occurs on Saturday night: Eurovision. Before putting your money on your favourite, you have to consider political voting at Eurovision.

Best Eurovision odds at Netbet Sportsbook

• Russia @ 1.53 (8/15)
• Australia @ 4.65 (62/17)
• Ukraine@ 9.00 (8/1)
• France@ 15.00 (14.00)

All eyes of Europe will be on Stockholm this Saturday, as Eurovision 2016 takes place. As ever, you can bet on political voting at Eurovision. Bu there’ll also be awkward presenting, incredible costumes and, obviously, classic European pop. All the biggest online sportsbooks have odds on Eurovision, and we’ll take you through the main contenders. We’ll explain why to bet on Russia, and why not to bet on the “big 5”.

If you’re looking for a favourite… bet on Russia to win

Russia are making gambling news by having by far the shortest odds of all the competitors. It makes sense: they have a classic Eurovision-style song, with expensive effects, and a legitimate pop-star singing. They have a solid group of close-by countries who tend to support them. However, they aren’t necessarily as certain to win as their low odds suggest.

For a political story… bet on Ukraine to come close

For those who aren’t fans of Russia, Ukraine may gain a lot of popularity. Their entry is Jamala, a Crimean Tatar, and her song 1944 has a not-so-subtle political theme. It may be about events long past, but the anti-Russian sentiment is very much current considering recent events in Ukraine. The song may be more tragic than a dance classic, but political sympathies (especially if Jamala puts in an emotional performance on the night) could catapult Ukraine into a surprise lead. 

Bet on Australia to lose out on public vote

Online sportsbooks in the UK place Australia second favourite. Korean-born Dami Im won the Australia X Factor, and her performance in the semi-final was very popular judging by the iTunes download chart subsequently. You can usefully bet on political voting at Eurovision mean that neighbouring countries lend each other a helping hand. As New Zealand aren’t invited it’s hard to see Australia gaining enough votes to win. Bet on them leading with the judges, but just missing out on the public vote. 

Don’t Bet on the Big 5

The big 5 – Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK – qualify for the final automatically, due to their strong sponsorship of the event. However, since rule was implemented only Germany has won the event. This was with Lena in 2010, thanks to a stone-cold-classic song. The decline of the big 5, who (along with Ireland) dominated Eurovision in the 20th century, can also be put down to the increased role of popular vote.

Bet on Sweden to be the Scandinavian choice

Its rare to win two Eurovision contests in a row, but Sweden look well placed to come close. Scandinavian countries have done incredibly well in recent years, with Sweden winning in 2012 as wel as last year. Their entry this year is a catchy pop-number, and if the political voting at Eurovision splits the Russia and Ukraine supports, the Scandinavian bloc could send Sweden to the top.