The Oscars are the highest-profile award ceremony in the entertainment industry, giving immense prestige to the winners. Also known as the Academy Awards, it has been held annually since 1929. The 97th ceremony will take place on March 2nd, 2025, and attract some of the biggest filmmaking stars on Hollywood's red carpet. One of the most viewed awards shows globally, it has also grown significantly among bettors. Stemming from such prestige, Oscars bookmakers have multiplied as players have shown particular interest in the winners of the 24 sought-after statuettes.
Since they differ from classic sports events, how can you tell which sportsbook fits you? Our experts have shortlisted every factor that will affect your winning chances, from odds and markets to bonuses and specials. The Oscars betting tips we lay out cover all the major selections and provide the highest value, leading to some big winnings.
List of the Best Oscars Betting Sites
The sportsbooks we have picked score high in just about everything that matters, being a critical section in our Entertainment betting guide. High prices, vast selections of betting options, and regular promotions are the most influential factors in our best Oscars bookmakers.
Academy Awards Betting Preview 2025
Award Ceremony: 02/03/2025
Venue: Dolby Theater, Hollywood
Categories: 24
Winning an Oscar is one of the most prestigious recognitions in entertainment, and that goes back almost a century. Landmark movies like Ben-Hur, Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King have won a record 11 awards, thus earning a special place in history.
The same goes for individual performers like Katharine Hepburn, Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, all multiple-time winners. The Dolby Theater in Los Angeles (previously known as Kodak Theater) has been the annual meeting point of the Academy Awards since 2001. On the main stage of the auditorium, 24 Oscar awards will be granted for excellence in the film industry.
Also Read: Nobel Peace Prize Odds.
After several amendments, the current Academy Awards betting categories are Best Picture, actor & actress, supporting actor & actress, directing, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, cinematography, production design, editing, original score, original song, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, sound mixing, sound editing, visual effects, foreign-language film, animated feature film, animated short, live-action short, documentary feature, and documentary short.
Oscars Betting Tips & Available Markets
The number of categories goes up to 24, but the Big Five gets the most gambling interest. When you face so many selections with multiple candidates, it could be wise to focus on a few of them to get the most updated and accurate information. Therefore, our Oscars Betting Tips will target the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay categories. Let’s get right down to it. You can discover similar markets if you decide to start Sports Personality of the Year betting where the alternatives are valuable.
Oscar Best Picture Odds
If you want to bet on the Oscars, the best picture is probably your starting point. Bookmakers have it clear that the movie Anora is the clear favorite. The film received rave reviews from critics, reflecting the Best Picture odds. In addition, it received the Palme d'Or and BAFTA awards for Best Picture already. When a film does that, it usually goes on to win the Best Picture Award at the Oscars as well. For this reason, the payout for the likely outcome is low, and you might want to look for more valuable bets.
Anora ⏩ To win Βest Picture @1.50
Oscar Best Director Odds
Tradition has it that the best movie winner will also bag the statuette of the best director. According to the Oscars bookmakers, this will also happen in 2025 as Sean Baker, the director of Anora, is the ultimate frontrunner at 1.43 odds. Since the favorite's payout is low, some bettors will go for a dark horse. Brady Corbet, who directed 'The Brutalist' looks like a true adversary at 2.60 odds. Still, we will back the favorite this year:
Sean Baker ⏩ To win Best Director @1.43
Oscar Best Actor Odds
Now, here is a tricky one. Adrian Brody won the Best Actor in 2002 and has since been the youngest winner of the award. in 2025, he is nominated again and is the frontrunner at 1.40. The underdog, Timothee Chalamet, is hoping to break Brody's 2002 record and become the youngest actor to grab the title for himself. Bookies give him a decent 2.50. It's a good bet either way, but we will stick with the favorite:
Adrian Brody ⏩ To win Best Actor @ 1.40
Oscar Best Actress Odds
This is one of the hardest categories to predict. This year, after some notable stirrups from the nominations, we ended up with some surprise contenders. Karla Sofia Gascon dropped to the least likely to win for her role in 'Emilia Perez' due to controversy on social media. This gave the opportunity to Demi Moore to be the favorite winner at 1.40, followed by Mikey Madison for her role in 'Anora' at 2.80. We are betting on the movie making a clear win. Luckily, the main actress in this year's biggest film is given a decent payout:
Mikey Madison ⏩ To win Best Actress @2.80
How to bet on the Oscars
Now that you have all the info plus tips, you might think you are good to go and start betting. We suggest you hold back a little, as a strategy and a careful approach might be more important even from the most insightful predictions. What do we mean by that? Judging how the Academy Awards winners unfolded in the past will reveal factors that determined the prize.
You can check the Eurovision bookmakers to find bets that share a similar approach, signaling the outcome in advance. We rely on reviews from critics and viewers, and we look into everything that could influence your Academy Awards betting strategy.
Place your bet early
If you have an early hunch, your best guess is to place that wager as early as possible. The reason is that if your selection becomes the frontrunner over time, the odds will drop significantly. In the case of the Academy Awards, the candidates are announced in January, and the ceremony takes place in February or March. So, shortly after the announcements would be a good time to bet to make the most of the odds.
Follow other Movie Awards
Before the Oscars, a variety of other similar shows occur. The Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice and the Screen Actors Guild are the most significant. Many categories are the same as the Academy Awards, so the winners will likely show where the tide goes. While not set in stone, it can work as an excellent predictor of the big night in Hollywood. However, Oscars bookmakers are aware of that and tend to adjust the odds after a significant win or loss.
Check Critics and Audience Reviews
There are many sources like Google Reviews, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, where you can read the movies' consensus. You might notice some differences among the opinions of fans and critics. However, the chances are that a great film will have a non-polarized reception. Before betting on the Oscars, it is also a good idea to assess feedback on social media.
Which is the Best Oscar Bookmaker
We are players ourselves, and we know how important odds are. In our shortlist, you can find out the bookies that ranked high on Oscar Betting Odds so they can give the highest return for your bet. Moreover, we consider members' feedback and universal performance. You can also follow the exact pattern for other events, like the British Academy Film Awards, picking the right BAFTAs bookmakers.
Academy Awards Betting Offers
Since the Oscars occur on a single day, the most likely bonuses you can find are Enhanced Odds or a Free Bet. So, let's see how Oscars betting tips can get a nice boost in the Best Picture category:
A bookmaker could enhance the 1.17 to 1.50, so you can win more without risking more of your balance. The same goes for a Free Bet. You can find €/$10 free bets if you wager on underdogs like Mikey Madison to win the Best Actress. If your stake wins, you double the amount without taking risks. Underneath, you can find a list of sites that offer promotions on the big event.
More and more bettors choose to place a wager on the Academy Awards, so bookies offering such markets have multiplied. We can recommend bet365, 888sport and Unibet, as they offer high odds, various selections and hefty bonuses.
First and foremost, you should consult the info and tips we layout as they stem from extensive research. Moreover, it is wise to check the results of other movie awards and the reviews of both audience and critics.
The ceremony will take place on March 2, 2025 in the Dolby Theater, Los Angeles. This date is given according to local timing.
Anora is the universal frontrunner in Oscar's bookmakers and has the most nominations. Conclave comes second in odds, and right after it is The Brutalist, which is likely to grab awards under other categories, too.