Tomorrow sees the annual European music extravaganza that is Eurovision, but whom to back and lay?

In the first semi-final we saw the Russian entry get booed, some say for a mixture of Russia’s contretemps in Ukraine and Russia’s approach to the LGBT community. Given the demographics of Eurovision watchers and voters, that may not help Russia, so I’m laying Russia.

YouGov conducted some polling on this, and they found  55% think Russia will do worse at Eurovision because of events in Ukraine. On the flip side it maybe worth backing Ukraine at 25/1 which I have done. Ukraine’s entry can be viewed here.

When I saw Iceland’s entry for the first time in Tuesday’s semi-final, I knew I had to back them, their entry ticks all the right Eurovision boxes for me, fun, poptastic and camper than a row of pink tents. Myself and others PBers backed them at odds as high as 500/1 outright and 37.5/1 each way.

This maybe a truly great trading bet (and many thanks to isam, who alerted us to the fact they were available at 500/1 when I was backing them at a mere 250/1.) The Icelandic is the video above.

The Austrian entry, Conchita Wurst,  is another one I’ve backed from the start. There are those who say the Austrian entry has turned Eurovision into a hotbed of sodomy, but the entry is what Eurovision is all about, and we only has to look at Dana International’s victory in 1998 as an omen. Though the value has gone that there was earlier in the week. But still worth a punt. The Austrian entry can viewed here. 

Finally onto Le Royaume-Uni, I’ll be honest, this is our finest entry since Gina G’s Just A Little Bit in 1996 (I know Katrina and the Waves won it in 1997, but I maintain their only decent contribution to music was Walking On Sunshine)

Molly Smitten-Downes entry is greatly enjoyable, you can still back her at 14/1 to win outright, or 9/4 for a top four finish. I’ve backed both options.

Her video can be viewed here. 

All the Eurovision odds can be viewed here.

 TSE