Eurovision odds 2018: who are the grand final favourites?
UK entry Storm by SuRie will be going up against hotly-tipped favourites from Cyprus, Israel and France
In just a few days, 26 countries will go head-to-head at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Lisbon to see who will inherit Portugal’s Eurovision crown.
Dark horse Cyprus, which snuck past heavily favoured Israel to become the bookies’ favourite earlier this week, holds onto the top spot with one day to go before the grand final, while previous second-place favourite Norway has slipped into seventh place.
The UK might not have had the best run of form in recent years, but last year’s entry - Lucie Jones’ Never Give Up On You - was something of a modest triumph, finishing in 15th place. This year, SuRie (real name Susanna Cork) will be hoping to do ever better with synthtastic pop ballad Storm.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
So who are the favourites to romp home to glory? And is the UK’s entry a runner or a rider?
Here are the bookies’ top picks for the winning entry, based on Oddschecker’s current best odds:
1. Cyprus - Fuego by Eleni Foureira (5/4)
Despite its seductive Spanish title, Fuego is Cyprus’ entry in this year’s contest, sung by Albanian-Greek pop star Eleni Foureira.
A last-minute surge of popularity has propelled Foureira from rank outsider - before the first show rehearsal on 30 April, she was 34th in the bookmakers’ rankings - to hot favourite for the title. So what’s all the fuss about?
The song’s English lyrics may be classic Euro-cobblers (sample: “Take a dive into my eyes / Yeah, the eyes of lioness”) but Foureira delivers them with plenty of Mediterranean heat, accompanied by some throbbing electro backing.
It’s a catchy enough number, but the staging might be what gives Cyprus the edge on the night. Given the title, the live performance is guaranteed to include spectacular pyrotechnics, green-screen flames and some red-hot dance moves.
If Fuego does manage to take the title in Lisbon, it will be a moment of glory for Cyprus which, despite a yearly ‘douze points’ boost from neighbouring Greece, has yet to win a Eurovision Song Contest.
2. Israel - Toy by Netta (6/1)
A victory for Netta would be a triumphant return to form for Israel, who spent 2011-2014 in the Eurovision wilderness without qualifying for a final. Their 2017 entry also failed to make a splash, finishing at an underwhelming 23rd out of 26.
Toy was the bookies’ favourite until Cyprus’ last-minute surge, and with good reason. Most importantly, it’s memorable: eschewing the usual soaring Europop synth sound for a quirky, klezmer-tinged empowerment belter that’s already a number one hit in its homeland.
3. France - Mercy by Madame Monsieur (7/1)
Mercy’s deceptively chilled country-pop vibe conceals lyrics which touch on the refugee crisis, telling the story of a girl born at sea and rescued by a ship.
Sombre topics can go either way at Eurovision - as France itself learnt to its cost in 2015, when its dour First World War-themed entry finished with a paltry four points - but Mercy’s feather-light brush with current affairs should go over a bit better.
4. Lithuania - When We’re Old by Ieva Zasimauskaitė (22/1)
Ieva Zasimauskaitė’s heartfelt acoustic ballad When We’re Old could not be further from the synth-heavy Europop sound usually associated with a true Eurovision barnburner, but the Lithuanian entry has slowly worked its way into the bookies’ top three.
Last year, it was a decidedly un-Eurovision quirky jazz waltz that won the contest for Portugal, so there’s no reason Lithuanian can’t do the same on Saturday night.
When We’re Old is unabashedly slow-going - no dramatic midway key change here - but it’s charming nonetheless, slickly produced and crooned with stripped back style by Zasimauskaitė, who gives off a strong Regina Spektor vibe.
While the acoustic ballad’s uncanny resemblance to a building society advert soundtrack is unlikely to win over UK televoters, its technical polish should find favour with the judging panel.
What about the UK entry?
Well, we’re afraid you’ll have to look a bit further down the bookmakers’ rankings before you find the UK’s entry. Storm by SuRie
Although the semi-finals will winnow the field (as one of the ‘Big Five’ major backers of the contest, the UK gets a free pass to the final), Storm remains a long shot, with bookies giving her odds of between 100/1 to 450/1 - putting the UK just ahead of last-place Serbia.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Paris 2024 Olympics: a guide to the Games
In Depth Everything you need to know about the biggest event in sport
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine using covert US long-range missiles
Speed Read The weapons are part of a $1 billion Ukraine aid package
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in Trump fake elector plot
Speed Read The state charged Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies in 2020 election interference case
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Eurovision stars weigh politics and principles as calls for boycott over Israel grow
Under The Radar One of the biggest artistic competitions on Earth finds itself in the middle of a widening debate about if — and how — to address the ongoing war in Gaza
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The Westbury Hotel review: stunning suites in charming Dublin
The Week Recommends This hotel is the perfect spot to while away a weekend in Ireland's capital
By Kaye O'Doherty Published
-
Drama movies 2024: new films out this year
In Depth Latest reviews include The Boys in the Boat, One Life and Tchaikovsky's Wife
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Best new hotels and places to stay in 2024
The Week Recommends Featuring stylish island resorts, historical properties and wilderness retreats
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Albums of the year: best music of 2023
The Week Recommends A look back at the best pop, rap, jazz, dance, classical and rock releases
By The Week UK Published
-
Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay review: an institution reinvented
The Week Recommends Traditions are maintained and the tweaks are clever and modern
By Neil Davey Published
-
Tulum: a Mexican beach town of 'two halves'
The Week Recommends With the 'pueblo' and 'Zona Hotelera', Tulum is home to great hotels, restaurants and beach clubs
By William Leigh Published
-
La Zebra review: beach chic, perfect tacos and secret cenotes
The Week Recommends Enjoy a stylish stay in Mexico at this family-friendly beach hotel and restaurant
By William Leigh Published