With the Oscar nominations out, several online
casino gaming and sports betting sites have already begun posting Oscar odds on the
nominees. Classified as entertainment bets, the Academy Awards are one of the
most wagered entertainment events all year. Following the Grammy's and the
recent Golden Globes, the odds on Oscar nominations are greatly influenced by
the outcome of the Golden Globes. Online entertainment bettors may also be interested
in the Razzie Awards, which are the exact opposite of the Academy Awards, in
that they recognize and "razz" the worst achievements in the movie business
all year.
As for the Oscar nominations, one of the most
competitive groups is that for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading
Role" followed by "Best Motion Picture of the Year". This year, the competition
amongst leading actresses is very stiff, with the likes of Judi Dench, Helen
Mirren, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz all in the running.
Considering the results of the Golden Globes - for which Meryl Streep won Best
Leading Actress in a Comedy and Helen Mirren won for Best Leading Actress in a
Drama - the odds are in favor of Mirren and Streep, with Mirren leading the pack
at around 30 to 1.
As for the Best Picture award, Babel and
Little Miss Sunshine are running neck and neck, followed by The Queen,
Eastwood's Letters From Iwo Jima, and Scorsese's The Departed. Of
course, plenty of movie fans are pulling for Scorsese, whose movies have been
nominated without winning an award more than anybody else. However, in terms of
bets, that isn't enough to bring home the money. And for Best Actor,
as much as anyone would love to see Ryan Gosling win for his heartfelt and
honest performance in Half Nelson, the likes of Forrest Whitaker
rightfully have the odds pulling for Whitaker's amazing performance in The
Last King of Scotland.
The Razzie Awards surprisingly get a fair amount of
traffic from online casino gamblers as well. Although they are not necessarily
deserved for the recipients in question (sometimes they are though!), most
nominees go along with the fun anyways. The bottom line is that the Razzie's are
legitimately voted on, which means they are like any other entertainment bet. As
of yet, it appears the movie Blood Rayne is faring the worst in terms of
multiple nominations.