Oscars 2020 Betting Odds Now Available in New Jersey

Oscars betting odds are available to New Jersey bettors with DraftKings online sportsbook posting odds on Monday. Expect a host of top New Jersey sportsbooks to follow suit.

The 92nd Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. The event will be televised live on ABC in the U.S. at 8 p.m. ET. The Oscars are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and are universally considered the film industry's most prestigious awards for artistic achievement and technical merit.

In 2019, odds for The Academy Awards were available in New Jersey, introducing American bettors to the “specials” markets for no-sports events, which are extremely popular in Europe. The state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement said at the time it was for one year but could be renewed.

Other awards shows have also had US odds, but sportsbooks still don’t allow betting on the US election like they do abroad.

With the release of odds three weeks ahead of the awards show, there is a chance other state gaming regulatory bodies will allow Oscars betting in their states.

Best Actor and Actress Categories Include Huge Favorites

Both Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger are huge favorites to land top honors in their respective categories. Phoenix starred in the American psychological thriller "Joker" directed and produced by Todd Phillips, which centered around the DC Comics character most commonly known as the arch-enemy of Batman.

Zellweger starred in "Judy", a biographical drama about American singer and actress Judy Garland. Garland is the pop culture icon famous for playing the role of Dorothy in the 1939 adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz," as well as numerous other roles until her death in 1969.

Oddsmakers love the chances of both. Phoenix is -2500 to take home the top honor next month, while Zellweger is -2000 to do the same. Phoenix has been nominated four times for an Oscar but has never taken won. Zellweger previously won an Oscar in 2004 in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in the film "Cold Mountain."

RELATED: Just because you’re a favorite doesn’t make you an Oscar certainty

Other 2020 Oscars Odds

At 92nd Academy Awards, 53 films received 124 nominations, led by "Joker" with 11 nominations, and "The Irishman," "1917" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" with 10 each.

"The Irishman" is an American epic crime film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese.

The favorite for Best Picture is the Sam Mendes-directed war film "1917" at -167, followed by Bong Joon-ho's South Korean dark comedy thriller "Parasite" at +275, and Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" at +450.

The biggest favorite on the board overall is "Parasite" in the Best International Feature Film category at -10000.