Eurovision has been at the forefront of musical competitions in Europe since its founding. The 2023 contest will be its 67th edition and is set to take place in Liverpool instead of Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion of the country. The Eurovision Week will have two semifinals, on May 9 and May 11, and be capped by the grand final on May 13.
The popularity of the song contest has made it a viable betting option for punters. Many bookmakers, including those on the updated list via NonGamstopUkCasino, have odds for its events. Punters can bet on which country will win, which will come in last, the top 5 finish, the top 10 finish, and the like.
Before betting on these events, you should know the top favourites and their current standings. This information will help you place better-informed wagers with higher chances of winning. Here, you’ll learn more about the 2023 Eurovision Contest, the favourites, and other countries besides the favourites that will interest you.
Liverpool 2023: United by Music
The 2023 Eurovision in Liverpool will hold its first semifinal on May 9 and the second on May 11. Thirty-seven countries are set to participate, of which 26 will proceed to the grand final on May 13. The Liverpool Arena, an indoor venue in the ACC Liverpool complex with a capacity of 11,000, was chosen as the location for the event. This same arena has hosted the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics and the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards.
In addition to the main venue, there’s the Eurovision Village, which will be located at the Pier head. There will be large screens set up so that spectators can watch the semifinals and the final of the event live. It’s also where a few shows will be held during the week. Although there’ll be no entry fee to the Eurovision Village in 2023 for the semifinals, spectators will pay to watch the grand final.
To ensure that the event runs smoothly, the UK government contributed £10 million towards its hosting. Liverpool’s local government also contributed £4 million to the event. The BBC, as the host broadcaster, will be responsible for the lion’s share of the expenses, contributing between £8 million and £17 million.
This year’s favourites
Bookmakers are altering their odds based on the outcome of events leading up to the contest. The oddsmakers’ preference has changed from favouring the defending champions, Ukraine, to favouring Sweden as the team to win the 2023 musical. Let’s look at the top seven favourites and their chances of winning.
Sweden
Loreen returns to the Eurovision Song Contest for a second time after winning it in 2012. The veteran performer is widely considered this year’s frontrunner for the Eurovision Song Contest. It’s therefore not surprising that the bookies are giving odds of less than 2 for Sweden winning the competition for the seventh time. To select a representative, Sweden held the Melodifestivalen, which spanned for six weeks between February and March. Loreen won the contest with the song “Tattoo.”
Ukraine
Ukraine, one of the most diverse cultural countries in Europe, won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. Since its debut appearance at the event in 2003, it has participated seventeen times and is the only country to have made it to the final of every competition since the semifinals were introduced in 2004. Considering their awesome performance in 2022, it’s little wonder that they are a strong favourite for the 2023 contest. It chose the pop duo Tvorchi as its representative.
Spain
From Spain, we’ll be hearing “Eaea” by Blanca Paloma, who was chosen via the Benidorm Fest. It is one of the “Big Five” countries that automatically advanced to the final round of the Eurovision Song Contest. Spain has competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 61 times prior to the 2023 competition, but the country has won the competition only twice.
Finland
The Finnish broadcaster organised the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu to choose its entry for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. At the end of the competition, Käärijä won with the song Cha Cha Cha and is set to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Finland first joined Eurovision in 1961 and emerged victorious once in 2006 with the song Hard Rock Hallelujah.
Norway
Norway made it to the top of the favourites list with Alessandra’s song, Queen of Kings. She was selected after winning the Melodi Grand Prix, a competition the country holds to pick its Eurovision representative. Norway has been participating in the Eurovision song contest since 1960 and has won three times, the latest being in 2009 with the song Fairytale, which Alexander Rybak performed.
Czechia
This is one of the countries with an impressive record. From its debut in 2007 to 2009, it never made it to the finals. After withdrawing from the contest from 2010 to 2014, it returned with a bang in 2015 and then qualified for the finals in 2016. Though the country has never won, its chances seem better in 2023 with Vesna’s My Sister’s Crown.
Israel
Israel, a four-time Eurovision winner, is the seventh country on our list. For the 2023 contest, Noa Kirel is performing her phenomenal song, Unicorn. 2023 will be the forty-fifth time the country participates in the competition. Having won in 2018 and considering the impressive song from its representative, Israel might surprisingly win Eurovision 2023.
Which are the interesting outsiders?
Besides the top seven favourites, there are a few interesting countries that might surprise us in this competition that represents everything about music. These include:
Ireland
Wild Youth, an indie rock band, will be performing “We Are One” for Ireland. Though the song seems generic, it’s a performance that many are looking forward to. Ireland has won the contest seven times, including three consecutive years (1992, 1993, and 1994). So, while they are not topping the charts in terms of favourites, they could be a strong competitor.
UK
Being one of the Big 5, the United Kingdom has secured its place in the grand final. Mae Muller, with her song “I Wrote a Song,” will represent the country. The United Kingdom has recorded five wins and is recognised for finishing as the runner-up in 16 contests. So, while it has been over 20 years since the country won the Eurovision Song Contest, it’s still worth looking out for.
