Eurovision 2026 Betting Shock: None of the Favorites Finished in the Top Three

^{Pictured: Dara, Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2026 winner}

Bookmakers’ odds for Eurovision 2026 proved wide of the mark, with none of the three main pre-final favourites finishing in the top three. Finland, Australia and Greece had been seen as the leading contenders to win, but the top three places ultimately went to Bulgaria, Israel and Romania.

The gap between bookmakers’ odds and the final results is clearly shown in the table:

The biggest surprise was Bulgaria’s Dara. Before the semi-finals, Bulgaria’s entry was only 14th in the betting markets, but it climbed sharply to fourth place before the final. Dara eventually won with “Bangaranga,” giving Bulgaria its first Eurovision victory.

A few hours before the final, odds on Bulgaria to win ranged roughly from 10.00 to 15.00.

Notably, Finland remained the bookmakers’ main favourite just hours before the final. Most operators offered odds of around 2.00 on Finland to win. Finland was represented by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen with the song “Liekinheitin.” The country finished sixth in the final standings.

Australia was second in the pre-final betting markets. Delta Goodrem’s chances of winning with “Eclipse” were priced at odds ranging from 3.25 to 3.80. Australia ultimately finished fourth, also missing out on the top three.

Israel, which was fifth in the betting markets, finished second in the contest. The country was represented by Noam Bettan with “Michelle,” with odds on him to win reaching 15.00.

Greece was also among the favourites. Akilas’s chances of winning with “Ferto” were priced at odds ranging from 10.00 to 14.00. Before the second semi-final, Greece had been rated higher, with odds in the 5.00 to 7.50 range. Greece finished 10th in the final.

Romania, which was sixth in the betting markets, took third place. The country was represented by Alexandra Căpitănescu with “Choke Me,” with odds on her to win reaching 17.00.