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Emmy Awards Betting Odds: Game of Thrones, Veep Poised to Dominate

Tim Lavalli

Odds on the 2019 Emmy awards came out last month, and they don’t leave a lot of room for entertainment gamblers to play longshots. At least not with any confidence.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus looks to be in line for another Emmy or two this year. She’s already collected more than any other actor. (Image: AP)

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22. The show will air on Fox, with backstage interviews being livestreamed online.

Early odds suggest gamblers are looking at runaway favorites in five of the six top categories. According to Betonline, perennial and multi-award winning shows are prohibitive favorites. Games of Thrones, which has the most nominations of any show with 32, has a virtual lock on drama categories. On the comedy side of the awards-show equation, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Veep are positioned to go out in winning style.

End of Two Eras

These shows wrapped historic runs this year — eight seasons for GoT, and seven for Veep — and current betting odds reflect the belief that gone-but-not-forgotten status should give them an edge, as historically truly memorable shows usually walk out the primetime door with at least an Emmy or two.

Everybody loves a winner. And in the case of the Emmys, they tend to love a repeat winner even more. Louis-Dreyfus has 11 Emmys already, more than anyone else in the show’s 70-year history. The trophies on her mantle include six for playing Selina Meyer in Veep, and three for being the show’s producer — so it’s hardly a surprise to see her as the runaway favorite in three categories, including Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series.

And even though longtime fans balked a bit about the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, bettors expect GoT to clean up at this year’s Emmys. Already the show has shattered Emmy nomination records, and holds the record for the most Emmys ever won by any show, comedy or drama, with 47.

Emmy Odds for Best Actress in a Comedy Series

The odds can’t get much longer for Louis-Dreyfus, who is up for her seventh Lead Actress award for her role in Veep.

Emmy Odds for Best Comedy Series

The odds are only a bit shorter for a fourth producer Emmy for Dreyfus and Veep.

Emmy Odds for Best Actor in a Comedy Series

Bill Hader as Barry leads the Best Drama Actor race. (Image: HBO)

Will the SNL alum runaway with this category? Could take a Hollywood legend to stop him.

Emmy Odds for Best Drama Series

Games of Thrones leads the away (again) in Emmy nominations. (Image: HBO)

There’s no truth to the rumor that this category will be renamed the Iron Throne.

Emmy Odds for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Sandra Oh stars in Killing Eve. This is her second nomination for the role. (Image: TVGuide)

Will Sandra Oh’s second time be a charm? Bettors say yes.

Emmy Odds for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Bettors don’t know who they like here. Could Kit Harington’s long odds be worth a shot to see if he can ride the Game of Thrones cape-tails?

Not-So-Lovable Longshots?

While Game of Thrones is the likely winner for Best Drama Series, neither of the Lead Actor or Actress categories have a GoT favorite. But there still is an odds-on favorite with Sandra Oh playing Eve Polastri in Killing Eve.

Prospects for underdog nominees don’t get much better in other categories. In the race for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Bill Hader is the far-and-away favorite for his role as a depressed, low-rent hitman in the HBO show Barry. But if there is a sleeper anywhere, it could be Michael Douglas in this category, as voters sometimes play the lifetime achievement card and give an aging big movie star a surprise Emmy for their work on the small screen.

Only in the last of the big six nomination categories is there is a race without a runaway favorite. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series really is a toss-up, according to early bettors, with literally any of the top five nominees a possible winner.