Netherlands Strike The Right Note With Eurovision Punters

Punters have identified a clear favourite to win this weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest ahead of the first semi-final and they’re backing an Orange takeover of Tel-Aviv.

Two midweek semi-finals will whittle the hopefuls down to 26 finalists who will try to woo the juries during the 64th staging of the event on Saturday evening,

and it’s the Netherlands who have dominated the betting so far as they seek their first win since 1975.

Their representative Duncan Laurence has proved a hit on YouTube with his entry ‘Arcade’ and that’s the 9/4 favourite to be crowned the winner having attracted over 5 million online views.

Sweden, who lie just one victory away from equalling Ireland’s all-time record of 7 wins, are threatening a rewriting of the history books as 4/1 second favourites, but the UK’s chances of a first win since 1997 via Michael Rice’s ‘Bigger Than Us’ look remote at 100/1.

It’s been an even longer wait for Ireland to top the podium and their hopes this year lie on the shoulders of former Voice contestant Sarah McTernan. The County Clare hopeful will need to overcome odds of 150/1 to bring the contest back to the Emerald Isle for the first time since 1996 as she limbers up for her performance in Wednesday evening’s second semi-final.

*Prices correct at time of publication