Eurovision Song Contest: Bookies’ odds place UK in bottom three

Bookies have placed the UK’s odds of winning in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest at 100/1.

William Hill are putting the UK in the bottom three of the contest, with the Netherlands tipped to win.

Others believed to have a good chance are Australia, in second place at 5/1.

Back for its 63rd year, the contest will take place tomorrow (Saturday 18 May) in Tel Aviv, Israel after Netta Barzilai secured a win for her country last year with her song, Toy.

The biggest live music event in the world sees 26 countries from Europe (and since 2015, Australia) compete to raise the Eurovision trophy.

But the UK is a long way off from topping the scales say the bookies.

William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said: “Now we have our complete line-up, the Eurovision final picture is starting to take shape and unfortunately, the UK entry has been painted out of it.”

The UK has entered the Eurovision Song Contest 62 times – every year since 1957 – and their past record has been one far more likely to succeed.

Indeed, they and Sweden are the only countries to have bagged Eurovision victories across four decades, winning five times.

The United Kingdom’s five winners were Sandie Shaw with the song “Puppet on a String” (1967), Lulu with “Boom Bang-a-Bang” (1969 tied), Brotherhood of Man with “Save Your Kisses for Me” (1976), Bucks Fizz with “Making Your Mind Up” (1981) and Katrina and the Waves with “Love, Shine a Light” (1997).

This year’s UK entry sees singer Michael Rice attempt to reach the top, with his song Bigger Than Us.

William Hill’s odds for other countries in the competition are:  10/1 Sweden; 12/1 Switzerland; 14/1 Azerbaijan; 16/1 Italy; 16/1 Russia; 20/1 Iceland; 25/1 France; 25/1 Norway; 50/1 Malta; 100/1 Cyprus; 100/1 North Macedonia; 100/1 Denmark; 100/1 Spain; 100/1 Serbia; 100/1 UK; 100/1 Greece; 125/1 Czech Republic; 150/1 San Marino; 150/1 Estonia; 150/1 Slovenia; 200/1 Belarus; 200/1 Israel; 200/1 Albania; 200/1 Germany.