The Academy Award winners are selected by the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

This group is made up of over 9,000 industry professionals, including actors, directors, producers, writers, and other experts from various branches of the film industry.

The voting process for the Academy Awards is divided into two main stages:

Nomination Process:

Each year, members of the Academy nominate candidates in specific categories (such as Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director).

Academy members can only vote in their own branch (for example, actors vote for acting categories), but in categories like Best Picture, all members are allowed to participate.

Final Voting:

Once the nominations are announced, a final round of voting takes place to determine the winners.

The entire membership votes for most categories, with each member casting a vote for their top choice in the category.

For the major awards like Best Picture, Best Director, and acting categories, voting is done through a preferential voting system, where voters rank nominees in order of preference.

The final results are kept secret until the night of the Academy Awards ceremony when the winners are revealed to the public.

In short, the winners of the Academy Awards are chosen by the Academy’s members, who are professionals within the entertainment industry, ensuring that the Oscars represent the collective judgment of the film industry’s finest talent.

Previous Betting News

Nominations and betting odds are set for the 2024 Academy Awards. The 96th version of the golden statue eunuch awards takes place on March 10, 2024. The absolute best in Hollywood have shined their shoes in hopes of leaving the Dolby Theatre in L.A. with their non-genitalia trophies. Who will score the wins in the major categories? Check out Academy Awards odds, analysis, and picks for the top categories.

Entertainment Betting News | The 96th Academy Awards Betting Odds & Predictions

When: March 10, 2024
Where: Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Host: Jimmy Kimmel
TV/Streaming: ABC

Best Adapted Screenplay

• American Fiction -175
• Oppenheimer +275
• Barbie +350
• Poor Things +750
• The Zone of Interest +2500

Analysis: Satire doesn’t happen as often in movies as it should, which is why although Oppenheimer, Barbie, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest are all excellent adapted screenplays, nothing should beat American Fiction.

The story, about a fed up Black professor who decides to write a satirical novel that nobody believes is satirical, is as brilliant as it is funny. Jefferey Wright brings the main character to life and, again, satire rules.

Bet On Oscars: American Fiction

Best Original Screenplay

• Anatomy of a Fall -200
• The Holdovers +150
• Past Lives +900
• Maestro +2500
• May December +3300

Analysis: Anatomy of a Fall is a fantastic original screenplay. It’s victory wouldn’t surprise, but the winner in this category is The Holdovers. The Holdovers is a classic story. Cranky old teacher dude must hang out with troubled but super smart student and an angry person.

Sounds simple because it is. The most simple stories are often the most effective because we can relate. We all know the angry cook, the cranky old man, and the troubled kid. The Holdovers is the pick.

Bet On Oscars: The Holdovers

Best Director

• Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer -4000
• Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things +2000
• Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon +2500
• Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest +2500
• Justin Triet – Anatomy of a Fall +3300

Analysis: Nolan is at -4000. Ah, but in recent years the Academy hasn’t handed out Best Director and Best Picture Oscars to the same movie. In fact, many times in the past decade, the vote splits. Nolan should win, but why not take a shot?

The Zone of Interest is awesome. Jonathan Glazer does an unreal job. So that’s the pick. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if Martin Scorsese somehow scored the Golden Dude. So he’s in the running.

Bet On Oscars: Jonathan Glazer

Best Supporting Actress

• Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers -3300
• Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer +1200
• Danielle Brookes – The Color Purple +1400
• America Ferrera – Barbie +2000
• Jodie Foster – Nyad +2500

Analysis: This is one where the favorite should have it in the bag. Da’Vine Joy Randolph does an excellent job in The Holdovers. She’s well-known throughout the entertainment industry as a terrific Broadway and movie actress.

There’s no beating Randolph. If you want to take a stab, America Ferrera offers decent odds and Barbie was a critically acclaimed film. So take a shot on Ferrera if you want to go for an underdog.

Bet On Oscars: Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Best Supporting Actor

• Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer -4000
• Ryan Gosling – Barbie +1000
• Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon +1600
• Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things +1600
• Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction +2500

Analysis: Everyone believes Robert Downey Jr. wins. He probably will, but he’s difficult to back at -4000.

Ryan Gosling has become one of the best actors on the planet. The man can do anything. He dances, he sings, he acts. He’s a true modern day vaudeville superstar. Our money is behind Gosling.

Bet On Oscars: Ryan Gosling

Best Lead Actress

• Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon – 162
• Emma Stone – Poor Things +120
• Sandra Huller – Anatomy of a Fall +1800
• Carey Mulligan – Maestro +3300
• Annette Bening – Nyad +4000

Analysis: Taking a shot on an underdog makes sense. The top two choices are at -162 and +120. So if the vote for Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone split, Sandra Huller, who is exceptional in Anatomy of a Fall as a woman defending herself against accusations she murdered her husband, gets the nod.

Pull the trigger on Huller to walk off the stage with the eunuch.

Bet On Oscars: Sandra Huller

Best Actor

• Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer -1400
• Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers +900
• Bradley Cooper – Maestro +1600
• Jefferey Wright – American Fiction +6600
• Colman Domingo – Rustin +6600

Analysis: Murphy is the likely winner. However, Paul Giamatti has been doing this for years and he’s never won a statue. He should have won an Oscar for Sideways in 2004. The Academy didn’t even nominate him. Giamatti is due. So we’re calling the upset.

Bet On Oscars: Paul Giamatti

Best Picture

• Oppenheimer -3300
• Poor Things +1600
• Barbie +2000
• The Zone of Interest +2500
• Killers of the Flower Moon +3300
• Anatomy of a Fall +3300
• The Holdovers +4000
• American Fiction +6600
• Past Lives +10000
• Maestro +10000

Analysis: We’re not feeling the odds on Oppenheimer. Sure, it’s got the Oscar pedigree, historical story, great sets, awesome direction, great acting, etc.

Still, other movies that have received nominations can upset Oppenheimer. American Fiction offers ridiculous, insane, overlay odds. It’s the best movie of the year from this writer’s point of view and should sweep. A small bet on American Fiction is the way to go.

Bet On Oscars: American Fiction

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Oscars Betting Online
MyBookie Odds for the Games

One of the most popular Oscar categories, Best Director, used to go hand in hand with Best Picture. Not anymore. The person who wins Best Director doesn’t always win the award for the film that takes Best Picture. This year, two of the favorites to win best director worked on movies that should grab nominations for Best Picture. So there’s a chance that the Best Director and Best Picture reverts back to the old trend. Check out prediction information for the Academy Award for Best Director so you can keep planning your bets against the Academy Award odds.

Entertainment Betting News | Oscar for Best Director Predictions Update

2022 Academy Awards Oscar Nominations

• When: Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022

Early indications are Belfast director Kenneth Branagh and The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion are locks

This could be Kenneth Branagh’s year. Belfast, the English auter’s black and white filmed coming of age story, released in the U.S. on Nov. 12. The movie made an incredible $3,111 per venue in it’s opening weekend, which is one of the best profits for an indie film this year.

Audiences at multiple film festivals fell in love with Belfast. Branagh has received five Academy Award nominations. He has yet to win a single one. It’s almost a given that Belfast grabs Branagh his sixth nom. 

Jan Campion appears to be another lock. Campion received a Best Director nomination for The Piano. She won the golden statue for Best Original Screenplay for the the movie.

The Power of the Dog is Campion’s first feature length film in a decade. She is likely to grab a nomination for sure because the movie includes heavyweight talent like Benedict Cumberbatch and Jess Plemons.  

Dennis Villeneuve, Reinaldo Marcus Greene, and Paul Thomas Anderson have gotten buzz to secure Best Director noms

Villenueve directed Dune, which, amazingly, is a really good film. We write amazingly becuase if you’ve ever read the Frank Herbert novel, you’d probably agree that creating a movie from the novel that made sense is close to impossible. Sadly, though,Villenueve likely gets left off the Best Director list.  

Reinaldo Marcus Green’s movie, King Richard, is one of the feel-good films of the year. Green crafts a terrific story, but many voters could see the film as little more than a Will Smith vehicle. It’s a shame, but the prediction is that’s what happens.

Paul Thomas Anderson could also get shut out. Most everyone agrees Anderson is one of the best directors on the planet, maybe, one of the most skilled in history. 

But PT is up against a bevy of strong candidates this year. His film, Licorice Pizza, could be one of his beset and he’d still miss out on a nomination. 

Aaron Sorkin for Being the Ricardos, Joel Cohen for The Tragedy of McBeth, and Steven Spielberg for West Side Story have a shot at nominations

If Anderson, Green, and Villenueve don’t grab nominations, there’s a good chance the directors filling in the final three spots will be Aaron Sorkin, Joel Cohen, and Steven Spielberg. 

Hollywood loves Joel Cohen. They mostly love him becuase he and his brother Ethan have never created a bad film. Think about it. Even Miller’s Crossing and Raising Arizona¸the brothers’ first two films, are brilliant. 

Aaron Sorkin is another Hollywood fave. Sorkin has the added benefit of directing a movie abvout Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo. 

Steven Spielberg could get a nomination for West Side Story. As far as we know, ET’s dad has never made a musical. 

If Spielberg nails it, you know it’s going to be great. So keep the old dude in mind if odds come out before the Academy announces nominations.