Academy Awards Betting
The cinematic experience is one that hasn’t withered, shed its glamorous veneer or downgraded the status of its biggest names in more than a century. In fact, since the first public theatre opened its doors in 1905, the film industry has gone from strength to strength, and dollar to dollar.
It’s an artform that transcends our differences to unravel something human: a story, a character, a certain visual mood and pace, a theme, or an actor’s performance. It’s these cinematic endeavours – or rather, the humans behind them – who have been celebrated each year since 1929, when the very first Academy Awards honoured the finest achievements of the burgeoning film industry.
In 2022, the tradition continues; each Academy Award nominee on the docket has offered the moviegoing public that extra special something. If you’ve been moved by the movies recently, then you’ll applaud Bodog for most outstanding Academy Award odds on those three most anticipated categories of the awards – best actor and actress, and best picture.
With betslip and popcorn on hand, on March 27th, you’ll be every bit as tied up in knots as the nominees themselves when the host speaks the words: And the Oscar goes to…
Odds to Win Best Actor
Of the five nominees for Best Actor, three stand out as clear favourites to take their rightful place in the limelight and proceed to make us laugh, cry, roll our eyes or scratch our heads in response to their acceptance speech.
Will Smith (-800)
Smith has already won eight awards for his standout performance in King Richard, which he co-produced and directed alongside Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Those awards include his first BAFTA; as well as the Critics Choice and SAG awards. Although Smith has yet to win an Oscar in his 30 year acting career (the Fresh Prince notwithstanding), the SAG awards have historically been a strong indicator of which way the Oscar winds will blow – and 21 of 27 actors with SAG awards have won an Oscar. Add that to the other two in Smith’s back pocket, and it’s easy to imagine the actor standing tall during his acceptance speech, Oscars in hand.
Benedict Cumberbatch (+400)
Cumberbatch’s memorable performance as rough-and-tumble Montana rancher Phil Burbank in “The Power of the Dog” has received effusive critical praise, not just for his commitment to the character, but also for investing a “tremendous amount of passion into his performance”.
The Power of the Dog is itself receiving much fanfare as the frontrunner nominee for Best Picture, but Cumberbatch’s unforgettable appearance surely has something to do with it.
Andrew Garfield (+1000)
Second-time Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield is on the tick, tick, ticket again for his performance in the Netflix movie “tick, tick…BOOM!” – Lin Manuel Miranda’s (Hamilton) feature film directorial debut. Garfield was also nominated for the SAG awards alongside Smith, Cumberbatch, and Denzel Washington for his role as playwright Jonathan Larson, but as we know, he lost out to Smith.
Odds to Win Best Actress
Each actress up for the award has long paid her Hollywood dues and poured her heart and soul into roles we all know and appreciate; but not only one can cradle the Oscar.
Jessica Chastain (-200)
Chastain has already won two awards for her high-pitched and manic performance as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in the film “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” Those awards include the SAG award the Critics Choice, which both have a big influence on the Oscars.
That said, Chastain’s standout performance was in a widely considered mediocre film, plus her lack of a BAFTA nomination could be two big factors that hold her back.
Nicole Kidman (+400)
Like Chastain, 2003 Oscar winner Nicole Kidman who starred as Lucille Ball in “Being the Ricardos” doesn’t have a nomination for BAFTA, but she did win a Golden Globe and receive a nomination for the crucial Screen Actors Guild award.
It’s possible that starring in a film directed by Aaron Sorkin who is a four-time Academy Award nominee could give her the boost she needs to win the award a second time.
Olivia Colman (+600)
Olivia Coleman won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2019 for her film “The Favourite”, and if she can manage to win again with her performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut “The Lost Daughter”, her two wins in three years will be a rare feat to remember.
Odds to Win Best Picture
This year’s Oscar nominations for Best Picture has a healthy mix of indie films, streaming highlights, and critical favourites, rather than the typical block-buster heavy Academy Award nominations it typically has.
The Power of the Dog (-250)
Jane Campion’s film starring Best Actor nominee Benedict Cumberbatch and best supporting actress nominee Kirsten Dunst was the number one hit of the fall season, and it has received plenty of attention leading up to the Academy Awards.
The powerful film won two crucial awards with the BAFTA and Critics Choice, as well as many others. It is missing a nomination for Best Cast at the SAG awards which is almost always a precursor for Academy Award nominees to win, but if this likely winner does claim an Oscar for Best Picture, it would be the first Netflix movie ever to do so, and Bodog’s odds of -250 are saying it looks pretty good.
CODA (+300)
Siân Heder directed a film that some believe might stray too far from the standard line, leaving out many international voters. Despite this, the artsy film about the only child of a deaf family who can hear is still a strong contender as an Academy Award nominee.
The film won the SAG award for Best Ensemble which has been known to be a sign of success at the Oscars. The SAG award might put it in good standing, but CODA is lacking a DGA nomination, which is another precursor to winning the Oscars, historically speaking.
Belfast (+800)
Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film places a working class family at the centre of in Ireland of the 1960s was recognized by the Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award, the National Board of Review and AFI, plus it has six more nominations associated with it including best supporting actor and actress and best director. The only question is whether or not the Academy will also recognize the film.
As fun as we all had watching the best films of 2021 and the talented actors and actresses that starred in them, betting on the Academy Awards will prove to be far more exciting than them all! To get in the mood before the big day, be sure to check out the best casino slots related to movies, then head to the Entertainment section at Bodog Casino, and cast your own vote for the Academy Award nominees.