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Newsletter: Early Favourites Emerge As Final Songs For Lisbon Go Public Written by on March 15, 2018

In the latest edition of the ESC Insight newsletter, John Paul Lucas looks at how the betting market is reacting now that all 43 of this year’s Eurovision entries have entered the public sphere…

 

Eurovision betting markets can be a tricky beast – often a great indicator of which entries have momentum heading into The Contest, but never immune to an upset. Remember when Amaury Vassili had it all sewn in 2011, Aram MP3 was the one to beat in 2014 and last year’s contest in Kyiv was going to be little more than an extended coronation for Francesco Gabbani?

In this week’s newsletter, we bring you an update on some of Portugal’s plans for the trio of shows in May, Alexander Rybak’s ambitions to become the new Johnny Logan and details of the final official ticket release for those who are still hoping to see the Contest live this year.

In the meantime, here are some of the favourites to follow in Salvador Sobral’s footsteps according to the bookies…

Israel: Netta – Toy

A frenetic dance-pop workout that takes full advantage of Next Star for Israel winner Netta Barzilai’s tongue-twisting vocal abilities, this thoroughly modern confection is as narrow as 2/1 for victory with some bookies.

Estonia: Elina Nechayeva – La Forza

Elina swept to a commanding victory at Eesti Laul this year, leading to a drastic shortening of her odds to bring Estonia their long awaited second Contest win. Opera entries have had mixed fortunes at Eurovision in the past, but Il Volo won the televote by a considerable margin in 2015. If this catches the same audience – and also wins over the juries – we could be back in Tallinn next year.

Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef – Lie To Me

A victory for Czech Republic would represent a huge turnaround for a country that has only previously made one appearance in the Grand Finals out of six attempts. But Mikolas Josef’s self-penned groove has proven a huge YouTube hit and currently sits at third with the bookies. Will we be in Prague next year – and will the reaction in Czech Republic be one of elation or bemusement?

Australia: Jessica Mauboy – We Got Love

After a vocally shaky interval performance in 2014, Australian superstar Jessica Mauboy has plenty to prove with her return to Eurovision as a bona fide competitor. This uplifting dance-pop song should be a huge hit in the Euroclub, but will it translate into the points required for a win? The bookmakers certainly fancy her chances, with Australia currently in 4th position with odds as narrow as 11/1.

Bulgaria: Equinox – Bones

They made a spectacular comeback in Stockholm and gave Salvador a strong fight for the crown in Kyiv – can Bulgaria ride their upward momentum to their first victory this year? You’d be hard pressed to find a country that wants it more, and while odds have drifted a little since Bulgarian-American collective Equinox presented their song, they’re still top five with most bookmakers.

Stay tuned next week for more updates over the coming weeks, including more details of the Lisbon shows, the inevitable wave of revamps and remixes and reports from the annual pre-concerts in London, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv and more…

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About The Author: John Lucas

A writer and content marketing professional with a passion for getting lost in strange cities and a strange fascination with micro states, John has been with ESC Insight since 2015 and has also had his writing featured in publications including The Guardian, Popjustice and So So Gay. Tweetable @JLucas86.

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