2025 Academy Awards Odds and Predictions

The 2025 Oscars are going to be wild. Based on previous award shows like the Golden Globes and the official 2025 Academy Awards nominations, some massive names are about to get rewarded in Hollywood.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Oscars without some upsets, would it? Betting on entertainment markets such as this can be a lot of fun – especially if you can spot the value before it hits.

If you’re betting on the latest Oscars odds, you still want to pay mind to the top favorites for a lot of categories. But how do you know when to hammer the favorites and when to seek out some sleepers? 

I’ll help you walk down the red carpet in winning fashion by answering key questions and pointing you to some winning Oscars picks.

When Are The Academy Awards?

• When: March 2nd, 2025 at 7:00 pm EST
• Where: Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA
• How to Watch: ABC and Hulu

The 97th Academy Awards aren’t here just yet, but it won’t be long, with the biggest awards show in Hollywood officially rolling out the red carpet on March 2nd, 2025.

The biggest names in Hollywood will get together to throw heaping praise on each other at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. You can take in the nominees, wins, and spirited acceptance speeches on ABC or Hulu this year.

Who Is Hosting The Academy Awards?

The Oscars went a decent stretch without an Oscars host, with the show opting for a more ensemble approach from 2019-2021. That ended with a trio of female comedians taking over in 2022, while Jimmy Kimmel returned to man the show for the 2023 and 2024 iterations.

This year there will be a first timer, as the legendary Conan O’Brien picks up the Oscars hosting torch and prepares to make everyone laugh all night. 

It’s a fitting choice, as the Oscars have long been hosted by a massive name in comedy, with comedic icons like Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, and so many others manning the event in the past.

This time it’s Conan’s turn, as the 61-year old night show host will make his Oscars debut.

Where Are The Academy Awards held?

As noted, the 2025 Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The Academy Awards have been hosted here for over a decade, with a small break in 2021 with the event going down at the Union Station.

Outside of that, though, the Oscars have been at the Dolby Theatre every other year since 2013.

Academy Awards Odds

Check out the latest Academy Awards odds, courtesy of the top online betting sites:

The Oscars odds are very interesting, as some really important categories seem like they could go a number of ways. Best director seems fairly cemented, and there are some spots I wouldn’t feel great about going away from the favorite, but there could be serious potential for value bettors.

I’ll break down all of the major Oscars categories to provide further insight for each of my Academy Awards picks. If you’d like even more help – with Oscars betting or any other wagers – I suggest trying our sports betting handicapping free trial.

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Academy Awards Predictions

Check out our predictions for the 97^th Academy Awards:

Best Actor

• Adrien Brody – The Brutalist (-150)
• Timothee Chalamet – A Complete Unknown (+150)
• Ralph Fiennes – Conclave (+800)
• Colman Domingo – Sing Sing (+1000)
• Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice (+2000)

It’s been 22 years since Adrien Brody won an Oscar for his role in The Pianist. Since then, he’s made a lot of questionable decisions when it comes to movie roles, but he’s come full circle with a brilliant performance in the critically acclaimed The Brutalist.

When a movie does as well as The Brutalist has, it’s easy to start attaching winners to it. This film has been nominated for a ton of Academy Awards, and due to its massive success, Brody is shaping up as a lock to win best actor.

Brody picked up some wins leading into the 2025 Oscars, but none were bigger than getting the nod for this same category at the 2025 Golden Globes. That has him set up for success on the biggest award stage, making his -150 line feel like robbery for eager bettors.

If you want to stray from the favorite, the only other realistic option is Chalamet. A fellow Oscar winner, Chalamet has been attached to massive blockbusters such as Dune, but still had the time to cram in a majestic Bob Dylan biopic (and one he absolutely smashed).

In any other year, Chalamet might be the favorite. That fact is enough to keep his +150 odds in play, but it probably won’t be enough to actually unseat Brody.

Bet: Adrien Brody (-150)

Best Actress

• Demi Moore – The Substance (-155)
• Mikey Madison – Anora (+185)
• Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here (+400)
• Karla Sofia Gascon – Emilia Perez (+1800)
• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked (+2500)

Cynthia Erivo was amazing in Wicked, so just for fun – especially if you watched and enjoyed her powerful and emotional performance – she’s not the worst +2500 flier bet.

That being said, this is undeniably a two-woman race, with Demi Moore leading the charge ahead of Mikey Madison. Moore has gained serious steam of late, and with this being her first ever Oscar nomination, it’s looking like she’ll finally launch her name into the upper echelon of actresses.

Moore has had a storied career, but her daring performance in the gut-wrenching The Substance may finally deliver that elusive hardware. Her shocking win at this year’s Golden Globes may signal victory at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The odds are pretty good and the narrative is air tight, but don’t write off Mikey Madison, who is certainly quite young and inexperienced, but has earned heaping praise for her role in Anora.

The film itself has gotten more recognition, but she’s a huge reason why. Madison has also racked up some big wins on the Hollywood awards circuit, so bettors should keep her in consideration as a viable sleeper pick at +185.

I don’t mind taking a shot on Madison at her price, but Demi Moore has been waiting a long time for this moment. There’s a feeling in the air that the Academy is going to throw her a bone.

Bet: Demi Moore (-155)

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Conclave (-350)
• Emilia Perez (+400)
• Sing Sing (+625)
• Nickel Boys (+1000)
• A Complete Unknown (+2000)

Anytime you see a huge betting favorite going into the Oscars, it’s typically a lock. Conclave comes in as a -350 favorite to win best adapted screenplay, and I’m not so sure I’d bet against it.

If anything, Emilia Perez is the only realistic challenger. The film leads the way with the most Oscar nods (13), and has been critically acclaimed. It’s not a major threat to push for wins in a lot of its categories, so instances such as this could allow the Academy to shine a light on it.

That said, Conclave was a terrific movie and its odds suggest betting against it might be a bad idea.

Bet: Conclave (-350)

Best Animated Feature

• The Wild Robot (-125)
• Flow (-120)
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (+1600)
• Inside Out 2 (+2000)
• Memoir of a Snail (+2200)

Unlike the previous Oscars wager, this one is basically coming in priced as a tie. Nobody really knows for sure who will win, other than it’s almost a guarantee to be one of The Wild Robot or Flow.

My gut instinct is to hammer The Wild Robot here, as it made waves last summer and by all accounts is the best animated movie of the year. The Pedro Pascal vehicle scored a 97% rating from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Flow can say the same, so it could be a legit challenger here. Regardless, The Wild Robot was the better movie and is a bit more widely recognized.

Bet: The Wild Robot (-125)

Best Cinematography

• The Brutalist (-210)
• Dune Part II (+250)
• Nosferatu (+450)
• Emilia Perez (+1400)
• Maria (+2200)

The Brutalist is in the running for a lot of awards, and it’s shaping up as the clear favorite to win for best cinematography. The -210 would normally have me sold – and it’s still a good bet to win – but it’s actually got some stiff competition here.

Nosferatu was a beautifully crafted horror movie, Emilia Perez seems to be a legit challenger everywhere it’s nominated, and Dune Part II was a masterpiece.

The Brutalist is the safe play here. It is clearly an Oscars darling, and it maye clean house. That said, it simply was not more visually stunning or pieced together better than Dune Part II or even Nosferatu, for that matter.

I would much rather roll the dice on one of those options than eat -210 to bet on The Brutalist. Considering Dune 2 has been largely disrespected, this could be a good spot for it to get some recognition.

Bet: Dune Part II (+250)

Best Director

• Brady Corbet – The Brutalist (-600)
• Sean Baker – Anora (+500)
• Jacques Audiard – Emilia Perez (+700)
• Coralie Fargeat – The Substance (+1800)
• James Mangold – A Complete Unknown (+2000)

Brady Corbet is going to win best director for his brilliant work in The Brutalist. He steered some serious star power in the right direction and pieced together a flawless work of art.

Sean Baker was originally a hot name for the well received Anora, but he’s lost major steam in recent months. You could still consider him and even Jacques Audiard – Emilia Perez is a fan favorite with the most Academy Awards nominations, after all – but the -600 price for Corbet tells us all we need to know.

Bet: Brady Corbet (-600)

Best Documentary

• No Other Land (-400)
• Sugarcane (+500)
• Porcelain War (+800)
• Soundtrack to a Coup D’etat (+1000)
• Black Box Diaries (+1400)

I haven’t personally watched all of these documentaries, but I know that No Other Land has been getting much more attention than anything else you see here. 

The material is hard-hitting and devastating, so that alone probably gives it the leg up. It’s also won at the IDFA awards, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Gotham Awards, the National Board of Review, and others.

Simply dominating this category all year, it’ll be tough to take another documentary film seriously in this category.

Bet: No Other Land (-400)

Best International Feature

• Emilia Perez (-350)
• I’m Still Here (+150)
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (+1600)
• Flow (+2000)
• The Girl With the Needle (+5000)

Emilia Perez is probably going to come up short in a ton of categories at the 2025 Oscars, which is admittedly a bit deflating considering how much it’s up for.

Because it won’t dominate, I think it’s a lock to win the best international feature award. The -350 odds probably suggest as much, while the only other viable contender seems to be I’m Still here.

Flow is a fun shot in the dark at +2000, but it’s a much better bet to contend for best animated film this year.

Bet: Emilia Perez (-350)

Best Makeup

• The Substance (-250)
• Wicked (+280)
• Nosferatu (+500)
• Emilia Perez (+1400)
• A Different Man (+2200)

This is a very competitive category, as most of these films had amazing makeup and costume work done. Nosferatu is a sneaky sleeper at +500, while Emilia Perez offers awesome value at +1400. I think if you’re going away from the favorite in this spot, though, it has to be Wicked.

Obviously Wicked stood out more for it’s killer soundtrack and the emotional depth of it’s characters, but the makeup and costume team also created a dazzling and fantastical world. Of course, all roads still lead to The Substance.

The Demi Moore vehicle was grotesque but ultimately extremely powerful and captivating, and the makeup team was a huge reason for its massive impact. 

Bet: The Substance (-250)

Best Original Score

• The Brutalist (-250)
• Emilia Perez (+350)
• Conclave (+500)
• The Wild Robot (+800)
• Wicked (+1200)

While I don’t hate Wicked as a flier bet for the previous Oscars category, this is where I’d be a bit more bold. The Brutalist leads the way at -250, but I smell an upset here. Wicked at +1200 probably isn’t it, but I don’t hate that as a flier bet.

The real contender is Emilia Perez, though. This film is a decent bet to take home the best international feature, but the musical also wowed audiences and critics alike with its impressive original score.

The Brutalist was rock solid, but there are certain areas where the Oscars voters are going to bend a bit and give another worthy contestant a shot. I think that happens here.

Bet: Emilia Perez (+350)

Best Original Song

• El Mal – Emilia Perez (-125)
• Mi Camino – Emilia Perez (+150)
• Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late (+700)
• The Journey – The Six Triple Eight (+800)
• Like a Bird – Sing Sing (+1400)

Emilia Perez is not the most stable bet to win best original score, so if you don’t want to take a big chance, just bet on the movie to win best song. El Mal is undeniably one of the best songs in any movie I’ve seen in a whole, so it’s not surprising that it leads the way with its -125 price tag.

Oddly enough, it has competition from its own movie, with Mi Camino coming in as the next best bet at +150 at most online sportsbooks. I’d keep the action between these two bets, but the other songs listed definitely have a case.

El Mal was my pick before I even really looked at this market, though, so that’s where I am staying put.

Bet: El Mal (-125)

Best Picture

• The Brutalist (-110)
• Anora (+400)
• Emilia Perez (+450)
• Conclave (+600)
• A Complete Unknown (+800)
• The Substance (+2500)

Each candidate in the running for best picture hits a specific genre or emits a unique feeling. The Substance certainly is jarring and memorable, but is it the most complete move of the year? Not really.

Conclave is engrossing and tense, but is it the best movie from 2024? I wouldn’t say it’s even close, to be honest. The same goes for A Complete Unknown and Emilia Perez, which were great movies, but didn’t necessarily stand out as the year’s best.

That honor comes down to The Brutalist and Anora. Both of these films have been talked about since this past summer, with Anora landing the initial blows, but The Brutalist managing to overcome.

As far as value goes, Anora is still a compelling bet at +400. However, all signs point to The Brutalist finding a way, especially after it did just that at this year’s Golden Globes. It’s fair to suggest that the Oscars doesn’t always perfectly mirror what goes down at the big award show before it, but in this case I think it will.

Bet: The Brutalist (-110)

Best Sound

• Dune Part II (-250)
• Wicked (+300)
• A Complete Unknown (+650)
• Emilia Perez (+1000)
• The Wild Robot (+1400)

Some movies have a way of capturing your attention with editing and acting. Others can reel you in with sound. Oppenheimer is a really good example of how the right sound work can change how you view films, and I think the same can be said of Dune 2.

There is a mild case for musicals like Wicked and Emilia Perez in this category. Wicked specifically has gotten a bit overlooked in the entire process, so it’d be really cool to see it score an upset.

While I don’t think it’s impossible, best sound is more than just music and songs. It’s about the experience and I don’t think anyone really touches Dune Part II this year.

Bet: Dune Part II (-250)

Best Supporting Actor

• Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain (-550)
• Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown (+475)
• Guy Pearce – The Brutalist (+600)
• Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice (+1200)
• Yura Borisov – Anora (+1400)

We’ve gone over the best actor and best actress nominees, but now it’s down to the ones who support them. Succession star Kieran Culkin has always been a magnificent scene-stealer, and he just keeps doing that in A Real Pain.

He is the obvious pick at -550, but it’s worth noting that Edward Norton played an amazing Pete Seeger and Guy Pearce had a crucial role in what many perceive to be the best film of the year.

Both are deserving, but the price gap unfortunately makes an upset extremely unlikely – especially with Culkin already taking home the hardware for this category at the Golden Globes.

Bet: Kieran Culkin (-550)

Best Supporting Actress

• Zoe Saldana – Emilia Perez (-400)
• Ariana Grande – Wicked (+275)
• Felicity Jones – The Brutalist (+1200)
• Isabella Rossellini – Conclave (+1400)
• Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown (+2000)

Zoe Saldana is finally getting the credit she deserves. She’s actually an extremely talented actress, but her work has gone overlooked and/or she simply hasn’t had the proper stage to this point. Her role in Emilia Perez finally got her an Oscar nomination, though, and she’s a really good bet to take it home.

Helping her case is the fact that this is a very weak best actress category. Ariana Grande was whimsical in Wicked, but her performance was not exactly best actress worthy. When in doubt, consider betting on movies up for best picture, but in this category I’d just go with the favorite.

Bet: Zoe Saldana (-400)

Best Visual Effects

• Dune Part II (-650)
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (+450)
• Wicked (+1200)
• Better Man (+1400)
• Alien Romulus (+1600)

Last, but not necessarily least, we have the Dune sequel coming in as an astronomical favorite to win for best visual effects. If it doesn’t win for best sound, it should at least clean up here, as there’s no legit contender in sight.

I do think Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Wicked offer solid value and they have their staunch supporters, but I wouldn’t target them ahead of the extremely deserving Dune Part II.

Bet: Dune Part II (-650)

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