August M
Denmark is heading into Thursday night’s Eurovision semi-final with an unusual level of confidence, as bookmakers predict the country is almost guaranteed a place in the grand final.
The strong expectations mark a dramatic turnaround from recent years, when Denmark often struggled to impress oddsmakers ahead of the competition.
Strong predictions
According to DR News, betting experts currently rate Denmark’s chances of reaching Saturday’s Eurovision final at close to certain.
Søren Torpegaard Lund will represent Denmark with the song “Før vi går hjem” during the second semi-final.
Peter Emmike, an oddsmaker at Danske Spil, told DR that Denmark’s qualification odds are estimated at 99 percent.
“We have to go back to Emmelie de Forest in 2013 to find something that was just as sure to make it to the final,” he said.
DR reported that betting markets place Denmark among the safest qualifiers alongside countries such as Australia, Romania and Ukraine.
Nordic tension
While Denmark’s path to the final appears comfortable, the situation looks far more uncertain for neighbouring Norway.
According to DR, bookmakers believe Norway and Latvia are battling for the final qualifying position in Thursday’s show.
Peter Emmike said Norwegian hopes could partly depend on support from Danish viewers during the televised vote.
“They seem to be on the verge of advancing,” he told DR.
Bookmakers have so far performed strongly in predicting this year’s Eurovision results. DR noted that betting markets correctly forecast nine of the ten finalists from Tuesday’s semi-final.
Pressure remains
Despite the optimistic forecasts, Emmike warned that strong odds do not automatically guarantee success on stage.
According to DR, he said Eurovision performances can still be heavily influenced by nerves, stage presence and live delivery.
“Do you really get beyond the edge of the stage?” he said while discussing the pressure performers face during the competition.
He added that Denmark’s representative had previously shown confidence during the Danish Melodi Grand Prix and was expected to deliver another strong performance.
Thursday’s semi-final will decide whether Denmark secures its place in Saturday’s Eurovision grand final.
Sources: DR News, Danske Spil
