Flip-flopping Favourites in the Lead Acting Oscar Betting but 'The Artist' a Shoo-in to Make Silence Golden

LONDON, February 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Leading online betting firm Sky Bet has updated its full list of Oscars betting markets ahead of the 84^th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday.

Black and white silent movie 'The Artist', which picked up the Producers Guild Award and also won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical, looks a shoo-in to win Best Picture at 8/1 ON, with the odds having been cut from a pre-Christmas 2/1. 

The French tribute to the silent movie received ten Oscar nods, although it was beaten by Scorsese's 3D charmer 'Hugo' (25/1), which received 11 nominations.

'The Artist' dominates several other categories, with its helmsman Michel Hazanavicius, looking certain to win Best Director at odds of 1/10 after being hailed as outstanding director of the year at the Directors' Guild of America Awards last month.

The film's leading man Jean Dujardin shot to favouritism in the Oscars Best Actor betting after winning the BAFTA and now heads the betting at 8/11 (from 2/1). George Clooney was relegated to second favourite to take home the lead actor gong for his performance in comedy-drama 'The Descendants' and may now be backed at 11/10, having drifted from 2/5. Gary Oldmanis bidding for his first ever Oscar and is quoted at 20/1 to win for his performance in 'Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy'.

The lead in the Best Actress race has also changed over the past fortnight, with double Oscar winner and 17-time nominee, Meryl Streep, having been usurped at the top of the betting by 'The Help' star, Viola Davis. Davis is odds-on at 4/6 to prevent Streep (out to 11/10 from 1/2) claiming a third Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady'. It looks a two-horse race between Davis and Streep, with 'My Week with Marilyn' star, Michelle Williams, their nearest rival at 18/1.

Sky Bet's Oscars betting expert, Helen Jacob, said: "The Artist seems way ahead of its rivals in the race to win Best Picture and Director but the lead acting categories are closer, with the favourites having flip-flopped in recent weeks."

For Best Supporting Actor, Christopher Plummer ('Beginners') looks all but home and hosed at 1/33 and Octavia Spencer at 1/25 ('The Help') looks certain to land what could be the best actress double for 'The Help'.

Sky Bet is also offering a number of novelty special bets on the Oscars ceremony itself, which takes place at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, February 26^th.

Veteran actress Meryl Streep accidentally swore onstage at the Globes and Sky Bet go 7/2 that the Oscars best actress winner turns the air blue again in her acceptance speech. It's even money that the best actress cries during her speech and 10/1 that any recipient's address consists of a single 'Thank you!'

Sky Bet Odds: Oscars Betting

Best Film
The Artist 1/16
The Descendants 10/1
Hugo 25/1
The Help 25/1
War Horse 40/1
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 80/1
Moneyball 80/1
Midnight in Paris 80/1
The Tree of Life 100/1

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist 1/10
Martin Scorsese - Hugo 6/1
Alexander Payne - The Descendants 22/1
Terrance Malik - The Tree of Life 33/1
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris 50/1

Best Actor
Jean Dujardin - The Artist 8/11
George Clooney - The Descendants 11/10
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 20/1
Brad Pitt - Moneyball 20/1
DemianBichir - A Better Life 50/1

Best Actress
Viola Davis - The Help 4/6
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady 11/10
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn 18/1
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs 40/1
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 50/1

Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer 1/25
Berenice Bejo 8/1
Jessica Chastain 25/1
Melissa Mccarthy 25/1
Janet McTeer 40/1

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer 1/33
Kenneth Branagh 14/1
Max Von Sydow 22/1
Nick Nolte 33/1
Jonah Hill 40/1

Oscars specials
Lead or supporting actress to cry during acceptance speech Evens
Lead or supporting actor to swear during acceptance speech 9/4
Lead or supporting actress to swear during acceptance speech 7/2
Lead or supporting actor to cry during acceptance speech 6/1
Any recipient's speech to consist of single "thank you" 10/1
Streaker to run on stage and interrupt ceremony 16/1
Any of the 6 major award winners to drop the statuette 16/1
Any winner to fall over on stage 20/1
George Clooney win best actor and Meryl Streep win best actress 6/4
George Clooney win best actor and The Descendants win best picture 9/1
George Clooney to win an Oscar No 8/11 Yes Evens

For the full range of Oscars odds from Sky Bet, click here

Notes to editor

About Sky Bet

Sky Bet is the sports betting division of Sky Betting and Gaming, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Sky Broadcasting Group plc (Sky). One of the country's leading betting and gaming companies, Sky Bet is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire and fully licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). Sky Bet offers an online sports betting service http://www.skybet.com and boasts a recently enhanced mobile platform, Sky Bet Mobile. The Sky Bet app is free to download from the iTunes App store. Customers can also bet through their TV or by telephone.

For more information, please contact:
Helen Jacob, Sky Bet PR Manager
Helen.jacob@bskyb.com
+44(0)113-389-5941
+44(0)7866-442167