2025 Oscars Category Betting Predictions, Odds, Best Bets

2025 Oscars Category Betting Predictions, Odds, Best Bets

The 2025 Oscars are set to take place on Sunday, March 2, 2025 from Hollywood, California in one of the most anticipated Academy Award races in quite some time.

Many of the popular categories are close calls, while underlying categories seem to have runaway favorites. We will go through 20 of the 23 Oscars categories to cover the current odds, value plays, picks and best bets.

It's important to note that betting on the Oscars is legal in just four states along with Canada. For those that are not located in Canada or one of the four states (New Jersey, Indiana, Arizona, Louisiana), sportsbooks offer prize pools to join.

Prize pools have a series of questions to answer, where the winner splits a prize pool with others. For the Academy Awards, the questions are usually 'Who will win each category'? Whether you're betting on the event or simply playing in an online or offline pool, we've got you covered!

2025 Best Picture Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

Anora is the current favorite to win Best Picture, passing The Brutalist about a month ago. Conclave, however, has seen the most movement after picking up an award at the SAGs.

To Win Best Picture Odds

• Anora -200
• Conclave +225
• The Brutalist +600
• A Complete Unknown +4000
• Wicked +5000
• Emilia Perez +6500
• The Substance +100000
• Dune Part Two +100000
• I'm Still Here +100000
• Nickel Boys +100000

Pool Pick: Anora Best Bet: Anora -200

2025 Best Director Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

Sean Baker has won most of the important pre-cursor awards for this market, and his odds reflect that after seeing plus-value almost one month ago. Brady Corbet is the only other contender here, and although he juggled a big-budget film, the pre-cursor hardware sides with Baker here.

To Win Best Director Odds

• Sean Baker (Anora) -175
• Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) +135
• Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez) +2000
• James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) +2500
• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) +2500

Pool Pick: Sean Baker Best Bet: Sean Baker -175

2025 Best Actor Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This is one of the most anticipated categories of the event, and possibly the big underdog bites here. Timothee Chalamet took home the SAG award, which is a big deal and the top pre-cursor award to note when picking this category. Adrien Brody is still the favorite, but the narrative and hardware is there for Chamalet - it's a bit surprising he's not the favorite to be honest. Brody has more pre-cursor awards but Chamalet got the one that matters, and he has better odds.

To Win Best Actor Odds

• Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) -250
• Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) +150
• Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) +1800
• Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) +3500
• Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) +5000

Pool Pick: Timothee Chalamet Best Bet: Timothee Chalamet +150

2025 Best Actress Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This is another tight race between Demi Moore and Mikey Madison. With the Best Actor market also a veteran vs. youth narrative, it seems likely if they were to split that Moore would get the former nod and Chamalet the latter. Madison crushed her performance and screen time, but Moore won the SAG and the narrative that Moore's legacy is due while Madison will have plenty of other opportunities to win in the future, is there. Moore is the pick, but the value is with Madison.

To Win Best Actress Odds

• Demi Moore (The Substance) -250
• Mikey Madison (Anora) +165
• Fernanda Torres (I'm Still Here) +1400
• Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) +3500
• Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Perez) +4000

Pool Pick: Demi Moore Best Bet: Mikey Madison +165

2025 Best Supporting Actor Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

Jeremy Strong is worth a long shot bet here, personally my favorite supporting actor of the 100-plus movies I reviewed. However, this is Culkin's award to lose and has swept every pre-cursor award show. He's too expensive to bet but will win. If you have house money or pocket change, then Strong would be a solid long shot pick.

To Win Best Supporting Actor Odds

• Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) -3500
• Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown) +1100
• Yura Borisov (Anora) +1800
• Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) +2000
• Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) +2000

Pool Pick: Kieran Culkin Best Bet: Jeremy Strong +2000

2025 Best Supporting Actress Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

It's difficult to see Zoe Saldana lose, but if she does it will be Ariana Grande who wins the award. Zoe Saldana will win and is the rightful pick here, but much like the Best Supporting Actor, if you're betting then Saldana is too expensive, and value should be considered with Grande instead.

To Win Best Supporting Actress Odds

• Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez) -2500
• Ariana Grande (Wicked) +800
• Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) +1400
• Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) +2000
• Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown) +2500

Pool Pick: Zoe Saldana Best Bet: Ariana Grande +800

2025 Best Original Screenplay Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This should go to Anora, but there is a real shot either A Real Pain or The Substance surprise people here. Due to the uncertainty here, it's recommended to not bet this category. The two underdogs have a real chance to bite, while Anora is slightly too expensive for the chance it falls. The screenplay category has almost become a consolation category to Best Picture, so Anora is just out of our price range for the uncertainty it has against A Real Pain or The Substance.

To Win Best Original Screenplay Odds

• Anora -250
• The Substance +300
• A Real Pain +450
• The Brutalist +1400
• September 5 +4000

Pool Pick: Anora Best Bet: Hedge - The Substance +300 and A Real Pain +450

2025 Best Adapted Screenplay Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

Conclave is the runaway pick here, going up against some pretty weak competition for the second-favorite to win Best Picture. Screenplays that do well typically have a lot of dialogue, and Conclave is full of slow conversations full of intensity. This is one of the layup picks, but it's too expensive to wager on.

To Win Best Adapted Screenplay Odds

• Conclave -1000
• Nickel Boys +750
• Emilia Perez +1000
• A Complete Unknown +2000
• Sing Sing +2200

Pool Pick: Conclave Best Bet: None

2025 Best Cinematography Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This category will be interesting, as Maria actually won the important pre-cursor award for this category. It does seem like The Brutalist will win, but the best bet actually lies with Nosferatu. The vampire film has jumped Dune Part Two in the market odds and utilizes many things cinematography voters appreciate. This is a tighter race than the odds indicate and although The Brutalist might have the edge, it's not the best bet.

To Win Best Cinematography Odds

• The Brutalist -340
• Nosferatu +350
• Dune Part Two +550
• Maria +2000
• Emilia Perez +6500

Pool Pick: The Brutalist Best Bet: Nosferatu +350

2025 Best Animated Film Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

Last year we saw an international film upset an American blockbuster when The Boy and Heron beat Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. We have a similar situation this year with The Wild Robot and Flow. However, the director for The Boy and Heron was legendary and also his final film while going up against a sequel in Spider-Man. So the narratives are different and The Wild Robot also has nominations in a handful of categories. Personally, both could be nominated for Best Picture but The Wild Robot edges out Flow by a fingernail's length. Currently, though, The Wild Robot is too expensive for me to consider.

To Win Best Animated Film Odds

• The Wild Robot -340
• Flow +225
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl +1600
• Inside Out 2 +2000
• Memoir of a Snail +3500

Pool Pick: The Wild Robot Best Bet: None

2025 Best Documentary Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This is the most difficult category to pick this year, mainly because some of the nominations are unable to be viewed in certain countries. Due to the overarching mystery with the films in this category, there is no recommended bet. However, it seems to be a two-horse race between No Other Land and Porcelain War. The latter jumped from +700 to +150 though, so following the line movements we'll go with the latter for both our pick and bet - although our top recommendation is to avoid this category all together.

To Win Best Documentary Odds

• No Other Land -165
• Porcelain War +150
• Sugarcane +700
• Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat +1600
• Black Box Diaries +2000

Pool Pick: Porcelain War Best Bet: Porcelain War +150

2025 Best International Film Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

I'm Still Here was +500 to win this market, but after the Emilia Perez controversy it is now nestled in as the favorite with -200 odds. Emilia Perez has a nice trend working though, as the Best International Film winner typically sees its director nominated for Best Director - which Emilia Perez has. The recent backlash though, added with I'm Still Here being a better movie overall, seems enough to go all-in here. Sorry if you missed the +500 odds.

To Win Best International Film Odds

• I'm Still Here -200
• Emilia Perez +140
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig +1600
• Flow +2500
• The Girl with the Needle +5000

Pool Pick: I'm Still Here Best Bet: I'm Still Here -200

2025 Best Production Design Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

The production and costume categories typically go hand-in-hand, and this year is no different with Wicked. The film is a heavy favorite to win both categories, for obvious reason as designing the world of Oz takes a lot of creativity and detail to pull off. From a spinning library to the city of Oz itself, the production design is top notch but too expensive to consider wagering though.

To Win Best Production Design Odds

• Wicked -400
• Nosferatu +500
• The Brutalist +800
• Conclave +900
• Dune Part Two +3500

Pool Pick: Wicked Best Bet: None

2025 Best Costume Design Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

As stated above, this category is Wicked's to win and should be a slam dunk pick. It's too expensive to bet on, however.

To Win Best Costume Design Odds

• Wicked -2000
• Conclave +800
• Nosferatu +1400
• A Complete Unknown +2500
• Gladiator II +3500

Pool Pick: Wicked Best Bet: None

2025 Best Makeup & Hairstyle Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

From the moment The Substance came on screen it, to me, has been the frontrunner for this particular category. Body horror does well in makeup and hairstyle due to the prosthetics needed, and The Substance has plenty of that. Demi Moore's makeup smearing and hair pulling scene is also brilliant display of this category's work, along with the hideous creature in the final stages of the film. This should be an easy winner but far too expensive to wager on.

To Win Best Makeup & Hairstyle Design Odds

• The Substance -1400
• Wicked +600
• Nosferatu +1400
• Emilia Perez +2800
• A Different Man +3500

Pool Pick: The Substance Best Bet: None

2025 Best Sound Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This should be Dune Part Two here, which is ironic since it's going up against three musicals. A Complete Unknown won the important pre-cursor award for this category, and saw its odds jump Wicked. Either one is a good pick and a great hedge to consider, but the sound mixing of Dune Part Two is hard to beat but so is beating out three solid musicals in a sound category. This is tougher to decide than what the odds indicate.

To Win Best Sound Odds

• Dune Part Two -400
• A Complete Unknown +350
• Wicked +400
• The Wild Robot +5000
• Emilia Perez +5000

Pool Pick: Dune Part Two Best Bet: Hedge - A Complete Unknown +350 and Wicked +400

2025 Best Score Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

One memorable tone typically does well in this category, such as the (annoying) horn from All Quiet on the Western Front. Conclave has the most street talk but The Brutalist has the memorable tone that voters in Best Score typically side with. We'll go with The Brutalist and play it safe but taking Conclave at +800 is a solid dark horse to consider here. It should be noted The Wild Robot jumped Conclave in the odds and now lies at +400.

To Win Best Score Odds

• The Brutalist -400
• The Wild Robot +400
• Conclave +800
• Emilia Perez +1600
• Wicked +3500

Pool Pick: The Brutalist Best Bet: Conclave +800

2025 Best Original Song Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This is a pretty disappointing category to be honest, especially after Barbie bangers and Naatu Naatu in the past. El Mal is the best song of the nominees by a long shot, but the odds don't reflect that. -300 is too expensive for recommending, but El Mal should easily win this category.

To Win Best Original Song Odds

• El Mal (Emilia Perez) -310
• The Journey (The Six Triple Eight) +400
• Never Too Late (Elton John: Never Too Late) +800
• Mi Camino (Emilia Perez) +800
• Like a Bird (Sing Sing) +2000

Pool Pick: El Mal Best Bet: None

2025 Best Film Editing Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

It does seem the value has passed here, with Conclave moving into the favored position at minus-value. Anora presents good value here and should be considered if betting this market. However, Conclave seems set up nicely to win here based on some pre-cursor results and the line movements.

To Win Best Film Editing Odds

• Conclave -165
• Anora +175
• The Brutalist +700
• Wicked +1400
• Emilia Perez +3500

Pool Pick: Conclave Best Bet: Anora +175

2025 Best Visual Effects Betting Prediction, Odds & Best Bet

This should be a layup for Dune Part Two, with both practical and computer-generated visual effects on full display. There is chatter about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes with an upset win, but Dune Part Two was both top notch quality and quantity so it's hard to recommend any other film for this market.

To Win Best Visual Effects Odds

• Dune Part Two -1000
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes +500
• Wicked +2000
• Better Man +2500
• Alien: Romulus +3500

Pool Pick: Dune Part Two Best Bet: None