This Eurovision betting post will first begin with defining the meaning and purpose behind the song contest. After that, we will explore the origin and the history of how Eurovision began and where it is now. Once we have established an idea of what the contest is about, we will look at some of the best Eurovision betting sites and talk about the odds. Finally, we will wrap up this blog post by answering some of the most frequently asked questions.
What is Eurovision?
The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). It features participants who represent primarily European countries, with some exceptions. After an internal contest, each participating country submits an original song to live television and radio to determine a candidate. After the Eurovision songs are introduced around the EBU’s networks, nations then cast their votes. They can only vote for other countries’ songs, thus determining the winner.
The Beginning of Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest is based on the Sanremo Music Festival that has become a popular Italian event since 1951. The EBU’s spectacle has been held every year since 1956, with the only exception being the 2020 edition that was cancelled. That makes the Eurovision Song Contest the longest-running annual international televised music competition in the world. At first, the spectacle consisted of a single evening event with only seven participating countries.
The original purpose for creating the Eurovision Song Contest was the desire to promote cross-border cooperation between European countries in the years following World War II. British journalist George Campey first used the name “Eurovision” in the London Evening Standard in 1951. He used this new term regarding a BBC programme being relayed by Dutch Television.
By 1960, the number of competing countries rose to over 16 as more countries showed interest in joining. During the 70s and 80s, the Eurovision Song Contest saw countries from North Africa and Western Asia also enter the event. However, perhaps the most pivotal moment for the competition followed the end of the Cold War. Together with the winds of change, many Central and Eastern European countries looked to reunite with the rest of the continent and joined Eurovision.
From the year 2004, the Eurovision Song Contest expanded to a multi-programme event. The Semi-final stage was introduced, thus allowing all interested countries to compete each year. Later in 2008, a second semi-final was added as well. In 2015, during Eurovision’s 60th edition, Australia became the first non-EBU member country to compete. Throughout the years, there have been 52 countries that have taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Non-European Participating Countries
First and foremost, it must be noted that the eligibility for countries to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest is not determined by geographically being within the continent of Europe. Despite the competition’s name, Eurovision does not have a direct connection with the European Union either. That said, there have been several countries outside of the borders of Europe that have competed in the music contest. Below you can see all competing countries outside of the European continent.
- 🇦🇲 Armenia
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
- 🇬🇪 Georgia
- 🇮🇱 Israel
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
About Eurovision Online Betting
Whenever there is a competition, there is always something to bet on. Eurovision betting is just another example of how diverse online bookmakers have become. Nowadays, when you think about placing a bet, it is no longer limited to a few events or old-school sports. You can pretty much place a bet on virtually anything. In fact, some of the best Esports betting sites, cover golf, football, and many other disciplines as well.
The case with Eurovision betting is just the same. You can find the odds and coverage of the song contest at many amazing sports betting sites, that follow all kinds of sports. Anyhow, you can bet on multiple categories, such as to predict who the Eurovision contest winner is going to be, or even which country is going to be last. Finally, as some of the top online betting sites follow the EBU competition closely, you can expect to find many lucrative wagering opportunities.
In terms of Eurovision betting tips, we want to point out that you should always conduct your own research before placing a bet. Every year, once the time for the Eurovision Song Contest draws near, many fans and bookmakers start to share their predictions of the future winner. However, as the situation might change until the very end of the spectacle, such speculations might be misleading.
Eurovision Betting Sites
In the following table, you will find systemised information about the top online betting Eurovision websites. To ease your search for the best online bookie, we have presented you with a brief overlook of their promotional offers, mobile compatibility, and respective rating.
| Sports Betting Site | Welcome Bonus | Cash Out Time | Payment Options | Min. Deposit: | Site Rating: | Secure Link: | Terms: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Unibet | £40 Bonus | 1-4 Days | Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, |
£5 |
4.75 ★ out of 5 |
www.unibet.co.uk | Full T&Cs apply. New customers only. 18+, Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus. Wagering requirements: Sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), Casino 35x. Only one bonus can be used at a time, Sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the Casino, unless the bonus has been forfeited. Bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in. BeGambleAware.org. |
| 2. Betway | £30 Free Bets | 1-4 Days | Visa, Skrill, Neteller, |
£10 |
4.65 ★ out of 5 |
www.betway.com | Full T&Cs apply. United Kingdom – *New customers only. Opt-in required. 100% Match Bonus up to £50 on 1st deposit of £10+. 50x bonus wagering applies as do weighting requirements. Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Irregular gameplay may invalidate your bonus. |
| 3. Bet365 | £100 Bet Credits | 1-3 Days | Visa, PayPal, ApplePay, |
£10 |
4.60 ★ out of 5 |
www.bet365.com | Full T&Cs apply. New Casino customers only. Deposit min. £10. Applies to first deposit to Casino only. Max. bonus £100. 15x wagering (game weighting applies) on deposit and bonus to make the bonus balance withdrawable. Time limits apply. |
| 4. 888sport | £30 + £10 for Casino | 1-4 Days | Visa, PayPal, Skrill, |
£20 |
4.55 ★ out of 5 |
www.888sport.com | Full T&Cs apply. 18+ Min deposit of £10 using code 30F• A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 placed on any sports market • Min odds of 1/2 (1.5) • Free bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager bonus amount x40 within 14 days • Casino bonus wins are capped at £500, exc. JP wins • Valid for selected games only, when playing Casino • Withdrawal restrictions apply |
All of these online operators offer unique and highly attractive welcome bonuses. They are appealing to the point that you might be uncertain of which one to pick. Therefore, in an attempt to ease your selection of Eurovision betting bookmakers, we will quickly explore two of them, respectively, Betway and Unibet.
Eurovision Betting at Betway
Following on the last section, Betway is one of the best sports betting sites out there. Anyhow, as a wise man once said, five main pillars make a good sports betting site, namely security, bonus terms, platform, mobile compatibility, and payment options. Hence, let us quickly look at how Betway is performing on all of these components.
First off, the operator is licensed by the UKGC, and its platform is well-secured by the latest encryption technology. Betway Sports online offers a welcome bonus of £30 in free bet credits after your first deposit. Looking at the bookmaker’s platform itself, it is very intuitive and easy to navigate. Despite a vast number of sports events and betting options, you can still find your way quickly.
Also, you would be pleased to find out that you will be able to participate in Eurovision betting while using your phone, as Betway is completely mobile-compatible. With a wide choice of different payment methods, you will not be experiencing any issues to bet for your favourite Eurovision contestant.
Betway Sports has been one of the first operators to open their platform for betting on the Eurovision Song Contest. If you visit its website, you can find a ranking of all the competing countries and their respective odds. So far, it can be seen that Betway predicts that Iceland and their song “Feel The Love” has the highest chance of taking the first place.
Online Betting Eurovision at Unibet
Similar to the Eurovision betting Betway section, we will examine the Unibet bookmaker site’s security, bonus terms, platform, mobile compatibility, and payment options. First, we want to state that we would only suggest operators that are legit and safe. An excellent example of an online bookmaker that we would gladly play at is Unibet.
By making your first deposit on Unibet, you can obtain up to £40 as part of the welcome bonus promotion. Unibet’s welcome offer is well-balanced for all kinds of punters. Unibet’s bookmaker platform is also fully mobile-friendly and offers a vast odds selection on sports, TV events (such as Eurovision), and even politics.
Eurovision Betting Odds
The Eurovision betting odds are gathered from many online bookmakers that have odds on the 2021 Eurovision song contest. If you are a big fan of the competition and are looking to place some bets this year, you should not worry about missing out on anything. The online bookmakers are putting out their Eurovision betting odds pretty much when this year’s official songs come out. Thus, you will have plenty of time to listen to them all and perhaps find out which one you want to bet on.
Anyhow, we would like to stress the fact that the Eurovision betting odds are subject to a change and might shift drastically when the live shows begin. Also, some dishonest and fake bookmaker pages often appear around this time of the year. Therefore, we advise you to always go for the best online sports betting sites that are fully licensed and safe.
Our Vision on Eurovision Betting
The Eurovision Song Contest is a magical part of the year in which many countries come together to organise a fantastic spectacle. Like any other big competitive event, the contest has experienced a large fan interest in the Eurovision betting scene. Ultimately, there have been many incredible online bookmakers that follow the event and offer attractive betting services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eurovision Betting
Using the already gathered data on Eurovision betting and the contest itself, we figured out that we could still be of some help. For that reason, the following section will present you with some of the most frequently asked questions. Respectively, we will use our knowledge to give answers to these topics.