Eurovision 2022 Odds and Predictions—Will Ukraine Be Crowned Winners?

Ukraine are favorites to win the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy on Saturday as the country’s forces continue to resist an invasion by neighboring Russia.

Viewers across Europe will get to vote for their favorite act when all 25 countries have had their chance to perform and betting odds suggest Ukraine could be on course for a stunning victory.

Folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra will take to the stage in Turin on Saturday to represent Ukraine after qualifying in the first semi-final on Tuesday with their song “Stefania.”

Betfair, which operates the world’s largest betting exchange, told Newsweek that Kalush Orchestra are “heavy odds-on favorites at 8/15.” Ukraine’s odds of scoring a record number of points stand at 2/1.

Irish bookmakers Paddy Power is offering odds of 1/3 on a Ukrainian Eurovision victory. A Paddy Power spokesperson told Newsweek the odds of Ukraine winning a record number of points are 1/2.

The current record was set by Portugal in 2017 when the country won 758 points.

Each country will award two sets of points – one based on viewers’ votes made by phone, SMS and in the Eurovision app, and the other based on the judgements of their national juries.

Points are awarded in both categories from 1 to 8 and then from 10 to 12. The country that has the most points on the board at the end of counting will be crowned the winner.

Though Ukraine appears to be in prime position to win, they are facing stiff competition. Betfair is offering odds of 15/2 on the U.K. and 13/1 on Sweden.

Paddy Power gives the U.K. odds of 8/1 and are offering odds of 13/2 on a Swedish victory. Sweden last won the competition in 2015 and has a total of six wins, while the U.K. has not won since 1997 but has a total of five wins.

Ireland holds the record for the most Eurovision wins, having triumphed seven times, but the country’s last victory was in 1996 and their entry this year was knocked out at the semi-final stage.

Ukraine has previously won the competition twice — in 2016 and 2004, when performer Ruslana recorded the country’s first victory with “Wild Dances.”

Betfair noted that the favorite to win the Eurovision Song Contest has only gone on to win five times over the past 10 years, and so an upset is possible, but widespread European support for the Ukrainians’ fight against Russia could translate into more votes from the public.

The Eurovision Song Contest — commonly called Eurovision — has been running since 1956 and is often seen as a major spectacle known for unusual musical choices, over-the-top outfits and complex performances.

Russia has been banned from competing in this year’s Eurovision. The country that wins the competition has the privilege of hosting the next one. It remains to be seen if the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Ukraine.

The grand final will begin at at 3 p.m. ET and a livestream will be available on YouTube.

Kalush Orchestra, Ukraine’s entry to the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, perform to Ukrainian Jewish refugees during a show at a hotel in Jerusalem on April 5, 2022. Kalush Orchestra are favorites to win this year’s competition. GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP/Getty Images