How to Bet on the Emmys: Predicting TV Show Awards
Callum McIntyre 
The Emmy Awards honor the best in television each year, recognizing outstanding shows, actors, writers and more across a variety of categories. For TV fans, predicting who will take home the coveted Emmy statue can be almost as exciting as watching the shows themselves. And with the rise of online betting, viewers now have the chance to put money behind their Emmy predictions.
If you want to get in on betting on the Emmys, here is a guide to navigating the odds, assessing the nominees, and placing your wagers.
Understanding Emmy Betting Odds
Most online betting sites will release odds on the Emmy nominees and winners in the weeks leading up to the awards ceremony. These odds provide bettors with an early indication of who the frontrunners might be in the various Emmy races.
The odds will be presented as a ratio, like +300 or -150, which represents the payout you would receive if you bet $100 and your prediction was correct. The favorites in each category will have minus odds, meaning you would have to bet more to receive a smaller payout. Underdogs will have plus odds, providing an opportunity for bigger payouts on smaller bets.
For example, if a nominee is listed at +300 odds to win Best Drama Actor, a $100 bet would net you $300 in winnings. Meanwhile, if the Best Drama Actor favorite has -200 odds, you’d have to bet $200 just to win $100.
As more Emmy predictions roll in from experts and reviewers, the odds will fluctuate to reflect which direction bets are trending for each nominee. Keep checking back on the odds right up until showtime.
Studying the Nominees in Major Categories
Once the Emmy nominations are announced, the real handicapping can begin. To make smart bets, you’ll need to be familiar with the shows and performers up for the top awards. Focus your research on categories like:
- Best Drama Series
- Best Comedy Series
- Best Limited Series
- Lead Actor/Actress for each genre
- Supporting Actor/Actress for each genre
Look back at the nominees’ full bodies of work for the eligibility period. For an actor, does this performance represent a career high point? For a show, does it mark a drop in quality from previous seasons?
Take note of which nominees have won recently versus those who are overdue for recognition. The Emmys love to award the same show or actor multiple years in a row, but they also enjoy coronating a new winner.
Pay attention to other awards shows leading up to the Emmys, especially the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, which could foreshadow Emmy success. And check reviews and recaps of the nominated shows and performances to gauge critical buzz.
Using Expert Emmys Predictions
In the weeks before the Emmys, entertainment journalists will start making their official predictions for each category. Keep an eye out for these Emmy predictions from reputable sources, including:
- BetEntOddsEmmy predictions and odds
- Experts’ Emmy ballot predictions from Variety magazine
- Emmy picks from television critics at The Hollywood Reporter
- Emmy predictions from IndieWire editors
See where the experts are forecasting upsets or consensus picks in the major races. If certain nominees are being unanimously predicted to win or lose, that intel can inform your betting choices.
You can also enter Emmy prediction contests against entertainment journalists and other fans. Test your skills at forecasting winners based on your research.
Placing Bets on Emmy Favorites and Underdogs
With your research done, it’s time to place some Emmy bets! Here are approaches for betting on favorites versus underdogs:
Betting on Favorites
The favorites, as denoted by the minus odds, provide less risk and reward. But you can still win money betting on a frontrunner by:
- Making a straight bet on them to win their category
- Parlaying multiple favorites together in a multi-category bet
Betting on Underdogs
Longshot nominees, with plus odds, offer exciting upset potential. Ways to back an underdog include:
- Betting on them to win their category outright
- Taking them to place (finish 1st or 2nd) against a frontrunner
- Grouping them in an exact order bet for their category
Betting Across Categories
Don’t limit your bets to just Best Drama or Best Comedy. Consider these cross-category wagers:
- Pick an actor/actress to win and their show to win Best Series
- Combine your picks for Best Limited Series, Lead Actor, Lead Actress
- Bet on one show to sweep multiple acting categories
Tuning Into the Emmys Ceremony
After all your research and betting, it will be time to watch the Emmy Awards ceremony and see if your predictions pay off!
The ceremony airs live in September each year. As you watch the awards unfold, keep track of which of your bets are winning versus losing. With the odds fluctuating up until showtime, you can even place live bets as the show is happening.
While you hope to walk away with a big betting payday, remember that predicting and rooting for the Emmys is ultimately about celebrating exceptional television. Enjoy the show and let your wagers make TV’s biggest night even more thrilling!
