Current Oscar Race Odds
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Outside of the Best Picture race there doesn’t appear to be a lot of suspense over who will win the Oscars in the top categories at the Academy Awards taking place on March 7th. The odds have been released by various betting outlets providing a bigger picture look at the favorites and those in position to possibly pull off an upset.
Best Picture
Avatar 4/13
The Hurt Locker 13/10
Up in the Air 12/1
Inglourious Basterds 15/1
Precious 28/1
The Blind Side 40/1
A Serious Man 50/1
An Education 50/1
Up 50/1
District 9 75/1
Thoughts: From all indications Avatar has pulled into front-runner status however I still feel that The Hurt Locker could come away with the award and I’d put my money on it if I was to place a bet at this time.
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) 2/7
James Cameron (Avatar) 3/2
Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) 16/1
Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds) 22/1
Lee Daniels (Precious) 35/1
Thoughts: Interesting that Bigelow would be the favorite here but not have The Hurt Locker in the same position for Picture. My gut feeling is that the opposite could happen, with Cameron winning Director but The Hurt Locker walking away with Picture. That feeling could change though as the date grows nearer.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) 1/7
George Clooney (Up in the Air) 17/4
Colin Firth (A Single Man) 10/1
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) 15/1
Morgan Freeman (Invictus) 18/1
Thoughts: Bridges is a virtual lock here. Very little chance he doesn’t come away as the winner. Clooney went into awards season with a chance but Bridges has cleaned up winning everything along the way including the Golden Globe.
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) 2/5
Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia) 7/4
Carey Mulligan (An Education) 7/1
Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) 10/1
Helen Mirren (The Last Station) 25/1
Thoughts: There is the potential for a Meryl Streep upset but most still expect Bullock to get the award. She is getting rewarded not just for her performance in The Blind Side but also the success of the movie and the year she had.
The Supporting Actor and Actress categories are so lopsided that odds have only been put out on the two expected winners vs the field, those being Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Mo’Nique (Precious).