Mercury Music Prize Betting
The UK is ready to announce a new winner for the prestigious Mercury Prize. Once regarded as the Mercury Music Prize, this high honor recognizes the very best British or Irish act for the entire year.
Going into the 2020 Mercury Prize, it’s nice to see numerous elite female talents garnering nominations. There are 12 Mercury Prize nominees in all, and of the lot, seven acts are either solo female artists or woman-fronted bands.
Unlike some other music awards, the overall winner of the Mercury Prize also receives a cheque; in 2017, the prize money was £25,000. The winner also receives an additional winner's trophy. To date, PJ Harvey is the only artist to have won the award on more than one occasion (in 2001 and 2011). Queen Of Dubai 100. Rapid Response 100. Readily Availabull 100. Regimental Music 100. River Snitty 100. Royal Ballet 100. Royal Court 100. Sandy Prince 100. Satirical Glory 100. Single Honor 100. Single Touch 100.
It’s a refreshing change, but it’s arguable a man is still running away with the 2020 Mercury Prize. That figures to be Michael Kiwanuka, who has strong odds as the leading favorite at most entertainment betting sites.
Before betting it all on Kiwanuka, though, let’s take a look at the best sites to bet on the 2020 Mercury Prize, the latest Mercury Prize odds, and how you may want to wager.
The Mercury Prize is a prestigious award coming out of the United Kingdom, so you can probably imagine that not all of the top US-based betting sites offer odds or bets for it.
Some probably will, but keep in mind that non-US betting sites may be the way to go here. If you’re unsure of which Mercury Prize betting sites to use, just stick to the list provided above.
We vet every single online betting site we suggest, as they’re extremely reputable and trustworthy. The options above are the best of the bunch, but if you decide to use another site to bet on the 2020 Mercy Prize winner, just make sure they’re safe.
Kiwanuka leads the way as the heavy favorite, and it’s fairly unlikely anyone upsets him.
A captivating voice with true artistry, Kiwanuka looks for a big Mercury Prize win to follow 2017 wins at the Worldwide Awards and the HiPipo Music Awards. This is his third nomination, and it stands to reason he’ll finally break through and get the big one.
KIWANUKA takes you on a slowly unraveling journey of self-discovery and connectivity with the surrounding world. Kiwanuka had already established himself as a pure artist with a soulful voice, but he’s taken it to another level with a well-traveled collection of independent anthems that weave perfectly together.
It’s a truly beautiful and approachable record that can be stuck on a loop yet carry you to a new place with each press of the play button. The question, of course, is if this is his award to lose.
Like many, I’ve become an instant fan of Michael Kiwunaka, and it feels rather unlikely that he loses this as the big favorite. He isn’t alone in terms of elite UK talent that has impressed this past year, of course.
Not too far behind Kiwanuka is Stormzy, as the British rapper offers a powerful voice and emotional depth.
There is a slew of ancillary plays for bettors here, as Charli XCX is a huge star and has a litany of nominations, as well as a win for top rap song at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
Charli XCX really made waves with How I’m Feeling Now, which was released to the public at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. It instantly received critical acclaim as perhaps her best album to date.
Dua Lipa is another mega star who could offer solid value to bettors. Already nominated for 138 awards since arriving on the music scene in 2015, Lipa also owns huge wins at the 2019 Brit Awards, and even won Best New Artist at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Lipa rose to new heights with Future Nostalgia, which included #2 UK hit “Don’t Start Now.” That helped push her latest album to #1 on the UK Albums Chart back in April, which could be enough to make her a viable sleeper bet.
Most everyone else here is deserving of their Mercury Prize nomination, but they’re not all legit contenders. I’d mostly stick to the elite value (Lipa and Charli XCX) or the top two contenders.
Ultimately, Michael Kiwanuka has pieced together too great of an album to be denied any longer. He’s firmly entrenched his standing in the music world, and it’s high time he gets recognized for it.
Mercury Prize Betting Pick for 2020
Understandably so, Kiwanuka is the safe play here. He’s going to win, but when you look at his current Mercury Prize odds, there isn’t much sense in investing a ton of cash in him as the winner.
That’s the way to go if you just want to get the win, but the only real way to bet on the 2020 Mercury Prize winner is to get a little cute.
Stormzy is the next best option in terms of reliability, but if I’m betting on the Mercury Prize, I’m just aiming a bit higher with someone like Lipa or Charli XCX.
They both offer really compelling odds and are already huge international stars. If I am picking one, I’m going with Lipa, who has more appealing odds and also feels like the more well-rounded artist.
While there is merit in going for value when trying to predict who will win the 2020 Mercury Prize, I still can’t get away from Michael Kiwanuka. I don’t see how he doesn’t win this thing.
The Arctic Monkeys are favourites to win this year's Mercury Music Prize for album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not', at a ceremony in London.
Bookmakers say the album, which became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK in February, has 'frozen the rest of the field out of the betting'.
'It'll be a major surprise if they fail to win,' said a spokesman for bookmakers Ladbrokes.
The Sheffield-based band are up against nominees including Muse and Editors.
More than 200 albums were considered for the 2006 prize. Other contenders include Guillemots, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, and Scritti Politti - who last experienced major success in the mid-1980s.
Mercury Music Prize Betting Odds
Mercury Prize Uk
The winner, announced at the London's Grosvenor House Hotel tonight, takes home a cheque for £20,000 (€29,600) - and can expect a surge in album sales.