Olly Alexander's Eurovision Song Contest chances 'ruled out' ahead of final as odds drift
Olly Alexander is now just a day away from representing the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest and, while he has been given a rather favourable draw, bookies now reckon that his chances of a strong finish are 'slim to none.'
There was a lot of excitement when OIly made a surprise cameo during the Strictly final to announce he'd be representing the UK at Eurovision this year and then again when he debuted his entry Dizzy at the start of March. While not competing for votes on Tuesday, Olly did perform in the semi final as one of the Big 5, however, things didn't go entirely to plan, when his mic pack fell off midway through the routine, with the Years & Years star later having to hold it in his hand for the rest of the track.
Many UK fans are confident that Olly, whose staging has blown everyone away this year, can bunce back in style for Saturday night's Eurovision final, but bookies are becoming increasingly less optimistic. After Eurovision semi final 2 on Thursday, the odds shifted significantly so much so that Israel, despite all of the backlash, are now second favourites, while long standing favourites Croatia have pulled further away of their rivals.
READ MORE: Eurovision 2024 final running order as 26 countries left in Malmo competition
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However, the updated odds make bad reading for Olly, who, while given 13th spot in the running order for the grand final, is dropped to 150/1 with Ladbrokes, the same ranking as Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Georgia and Greece.
Assessing the latest changes in the betting, Ladbrokes' Alex Apati said: "It's all change at the head of the betting after this week's semi-finals - Israel now find themselves second-favourites, while Olly Alexander's chances of winning have pretty much gone from slim to none."
The picture is even worse for Olly with BetMGM, where he has plummeted to 200/1, with Sam Behar, UK Director at BetMGM, remarking: "As we approach the Eurovision final, anticipation runs high for what promises to be another unforgettable event. The finalists have set the stage for an exciting showdown, with Croatia’s Baby Lasagna leading the pack to win at 11/10.
"Unfortunately, the UK entry is a long shot at 200/1, but we’re sure Olly Alexander's performance of 'Dizzy' will bring his unique style and energy to the Eurovision stage. The Final is always an unforgettable night, and whoever comes out on top is sure to be full of twists and turns.”