The vast majority of our online betting articles have to do with sports. However, there are a few events that are so popular in the wagering world that we cover them too. One of them is the yearly presentation of the Academy Awards — also known colloquially as the “Oscars.” There is a whole range of awards, ranging from Best Picture all the way to awards for costuming, makeup and music. We have put together a list of the 2020 Oscars odds for the most popularly wagered awards along with our thoughts for the potential winners. The awards come out on Sunday, February 9th.
2020 Oscars Odds, Preview & Picks
- When: Sunday, February 9th, 2019. 8:00 PM ET
- Where: Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, California.
- TV: ABC
- Live Stream: The Oscars Live
Best Picture
- 1917 -240
- Parasite +300
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood +600
- Joker +1500
- The Irishman +6000
- Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit +10000
- Little Women, Ford vs Ferrari +20000
This is the most tightly contested, as far as odds go, of the major Academy Awards. Why is 1917 the favorite? It has a combination of a gripping story — the tale of two young soldiers carrying a message across no man’s land that has to arrive just in time — along with gorgeous artistry. The film feels like a single cut, beginning to end, and the photography is gorgeous. There is only one place that feels like a cut — the closing of a dying soldier’s eyes — and the rest seems continuous. That audacity in technique along with the artistry and the plot make 1917 outstanding. Parasite is a film I actually enjoyed more, but the horror genre sometimes pushes some voters away, plus the film is in Korean with English subtitles, not a disqualifying trait but one that puts the story on the other side of a linguistic barrier. Joker has 11 nominations, but that film is more about the lead than about the story or the cinematography, at least in comparison with the rest.
Best Director
- Sam Mendes (1917) -650
- Boon Joon Ho (Parasite) +350
- Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) +1400
- Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) +3300
- Todd Phillips (Joker) +6600
This is one category in which I think an upset is possible. A lot of people are saying that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Tarantino’s best film, but we have seen his routine before. It is an effective routine, but it is hard to see him jumping past Boon Joon Ho. Ho’s prior work Snowpiercer was one of those indies that smashed the cookie cutter, and the transitions in Parasite are outstanding. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Sam Mendes win, but I’m taking the value that comes with putting cash down on Parasite to snag Best Director.
Best Actor
- Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) -2200
- Adam Driver (Marriage Story) +900
- Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) +1700
- Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) +2000
- Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) +2000
The Joker is a role that has had some esteemed actors play it: Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger…and now Joaquin Phoenix. These are four of the best character actors of all time, and at least three of them can sink into characters well past the depth where most actors come back up for air. Phoenix’s portrayal of a mental descent into villainy makes the rest of these portrayals seem black-and-white in comparison.
Best Actress
- Renee Zellweger (Judy) -2000
- Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story) +1000
- Charlize Theron (Bombshell) +1500
- Saoirse Ronan (Little Women) +1800
- Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) +2000
Everyone loves Renee Zellweger in Hollywood, and she sinks into the period piece well. Judy Garland is another beloved figure in the industry, and the way in which Zellweger nails her portrayal makes her a no-brainer.
Best Supporting Actor
- Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) -2000
- Joe Pesci (The Irishman) +800
- Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) +1500
- Al Pacino (The Irishman) +1800
- Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes) +3300
Brad Pitt pointed out that his role in this film was to take off his shirt and walk around high much of the time, which he felt was not much of a stretch for him, to laughter at a press conference. None of the other performances in this list rival his; The Irishman suffers from its length, at three and a half hours, which is an obstacle for many audiences.
Best Supporting Actress
- Laura Dern (Marriage Story) -1600
- Margot Robbie (Bombshell) +800
- Florence Pugh (Little Women) +1000
- Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit) +2500
- Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell) +3500
Speaking of the Derns, check out Laura’s father Bruce Dern, still acting into his nineties, playing a supporting role in Peanut Butter Falcon. But Marriage Story is a terrific film that would have won more awards in other years; Dern’s performance is the most effective.
