Betsson Group: Odds Favourites for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

TA'XBIEX, Malta, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, 8 October, the Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced by the Swedish Academy. At Swedish-founded global betting company Betsson, which has offered odds on the prize for more than a decade, Chinese author Can Xue is currently the favourite, followed by Anne Carson and Gerald Murnane.

This year's list features around 40 authors from across the globe, many of whom have appeared regularly in Nobel discussions over the years. Notably, Asian literature is particularly well represented, with writers such as Can Xue and Amitav Ghosh among the strongest contenders. 

Can Xue, widely regarded as China's leading experimental writer, has long been mentioned as a potential Nobel laureate and was the odds favourite in 2023. The author is currently priced at 5.00, followed by Canadian poet Anne Carson at 7.00 and Australian novelist Gerald Murnane at 8.00. 

"A recurring pattern is that authors who attract strong support from both literary experts and bettors often remain leading contenders year after year. Can Xue, Anne Carson and Gerald Murnane all fit that pattern. More commercially prominent literary stars, by contrast, can generate significant buzz and climb into the top five, only to fall back in the rankings the following year," said Robin Olenius, Head of PR at Betsson.

In recent years, Nobel winners have often been found among Betsson's leading candidates. Last year's winner, László Krasznahorkai, had the second-lowest odds before the announcement. Jon Fosse was also ranked second among the favourites before receiving the prize, while Annie Ernaux was the third favourite in the year she won. Louise Glück was likewise among the leading contenders before winning in 2020.

"As Betsson has become increasingly international, we are seeing betting activity and literary interest from a broader range of markets around the world compared with earlier years," said Robin Olenius, Head of PR at Betsson. 

However, the Nobel Prize also has a history of producing surprises. Bob Dylan and Han Kang were not among the top favourites, while perhaps the biggest surprise in recent years was Abdulrazak Gurnah, who was not even included in the betting market.

Betsson: Odds Nobel prize in literature 2026
https://www.betsson.com/en/sportsbook/specials/specials/nobel-prizes?tab=outrights 

Can Xue                           5
Anne Carson                    7
Gerald Murnane               8
Amitav Ghosh                  9
César Aira                        9
Cristina Rivera Garza     11
Thomas Pynchon           13
Jamaica Kincaid             13
Alexis Wright                  13
Michel Houellebecq       15
Mircea Cartarescu         15
Haruki Murakami            19
Salman Rushdie             19
Enrique Vila-Matas         19
Pierre Michon                 21
Carl Frode Tiller             21
Raul Zurita                     21
Colm Toibin                    21
Benjamin Labatut          21
Margaret Atwood           27
Juan Gabriel Vasquez   27
Gabriela Wiener            27
Mariana Enriquez          27
Ko Un                            29
Karl Ove Knausgard     29
Ersi Sotiropoulos          29
Joyce Carol Oates       32
Helle Helle                   32
Peter Nadas                 32
Milton Hatoum             32
Samanta Schweblin     32
Homero Aridjis             32
Lyudmila Ulitskaya      36
Yoko Tawada               36
Elena Poniatowska      36
Isabel Allende              36
Stephen King               50
Paul Simon                  50

For more information, please contact: 
Robin Olenius, Head of PR, Betsson Group
email: robin.olenius@betssongroup.com 

About Betsson Group
Originally founded in 1963, Betsson Group is a global leader in the entertainment industry, offering multiple services to consumers, including gaming, betting and infotainment. With proprietary technology across its diverse product offering, Betsson serves customers with a B2C offering and other gaming operators as a B2B supplier. The company's vision is to provide the best customer experience in the industry. Sustainability is an integrated part of Betsson's strategy, as taking responsibility for customers, employees and communities is a prerequisite for running a sustainably successful business. 
 
Betsson Group employs around 3,000 people in Europe, South America, Asia and North America. The parent company, Betsson AB, is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Read more on: www.betssongroup.com and www.betssonab.com 

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