Entertainment betting guide: From reality TV to the Oscars

Entertainment markets are some of the most unique and enjoyable ways to gamble online. All major online sportsbooks offer odds, specials, free bets, and markets on entertainment–and some of the markets are downright strange.

However, little is known about this form of gambling, and despite offering great value, few bettors take advantage of it. Your dedicated team at Whop is here to help change all that with our latest article.

By the end of the article, you’ll understand the many ways to bet on entertainment, how you can land a welcome bonus, common terms and conditions, finding the correct stake, and more useful information.

There’s even a handy step-by-step guide on how to quickly and securely register a betting account with any of the sportsbooks featured.

If you ever encounter a market or term you don’t understand when gambling on sports, our ultimate betting terms glossary will help. Bookmark this page and return to it anytime you need help clarifying something.

Whop’s expert voice

Online content writer Frank Monkhouse is Whop’s expert voice on all things related to the betting industry. A former professional boxer, Frank turned his passion for sports to gambling in 2007, working in several trusted roles at the head office of a giant of the betting game.

Since relocating from London to Glasgow and operating freelance, Frank has carved out a successful career as a copywriter. He produces in-depth reviews, reliable sportsbook picks, guides, and plenty more. He now uses that hard-earned experience to help Whop readers.

You can check out all of Frank's betting articles for free at Whop now. Keep reading as he places entertainment betting under the microscope.

Entertainment betting explained

First, what is entertainment betting?

The confusion over this style of gambling and the number of bettors missing out on great markets and odds inspired me to write this article.

Entertainment betting is a fun way to gamble and often offers high odds. It can make even the dullest program more interesting, and major bookmakers like to drum up interest by offering generous odds, exciting ways to bet, and great promotions, including free bets, risk-free bets, enhanced odds, and cashback.

Understanding how entertainment betting works will add another powerful weapon to your arsenal as you sharpen your tools and wage war on the bookies, targeting a regular profit at eye-catching odds.

Entertainment betting is the name given by bookmakers to gambling on reality TV, awards, and other unique markets. If you’re watching the Oscars, for example, and have a strong feeling about a popular category, you can deposit funds and bet on the winner at your chosen sportsbook.

If you’re watching the Sports Personality Awards, you can bet on who you think will be the winner.

Also known as novelty gambling markets, entertainment betting is a fun way to target a profit from some of the year’s most popular events on live television and live streaming apps.

There are celebrity betting markets like wedding dates, betting on the Great British royal family, political betting, and even the weather!

In short, if there’s a popular opinion on the outcome of a non-sports event, traders working at the betting apps will offer markets and odds.

An array of exciting options

You can bet on the winner of a reality TV show, White Christmas, aliens landing, or the Loch Ness Monster surfacing. It’s just as easy as gambling on futures markets from the NFL, the winner of a heavyweight boxing fight, or which player will score the first goal in the next English Premier League game broadcast live on TV.

The odds offered are often attractive, but they usually have terms attached, and it’s crucial to understand fully how a market works before placing your stake and confirming a bet.

It’s important to remember that betting on entertainment markets isn’t exactly like gambling on sports like rugby, tennis, snooker, and athletics. For instance, it wouldn’t be advisable to focus your betting on these markets as they are often very hard to predict and just for a bit of a laugh.

Bets and markets

Today, you can gamble on an impressive list of entertainment markets. Below are some of the most popular markets:

Popular Entertainment Betting Events
Reality TV betting
Awards show betting
Celebrity betting
Royal family betting
Pop culture
Music competitions and awards

When gambling on reality TV, you can wager on The Bachelor or Bachelorette, Survivor, Big Brother, and Love Island. Available markets include outright betting, elimination, surprise early exits, contestant pairing, including forming relationships, and more. There’s a market and bet to suit every player and budget.

Awards show betting allows you to have your say on major events, including the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and Golden Globes. Pick the winners or play one of the specials, like first-time nominees, length of an acceptance speech, controversies, number of jokes from the host on a certain topic, and the host to sing or dance.

The celebrity betting space is another interesting option for online gamblers and followers of popular culture. Make predictions and wager on engagements, weddings, divorces, or breakups. There are baby announcements, names, genders, and due dates. Bet on career moves, scandals, celebrity feuds, and more.

Do you enjoy following the latest news for the royal family? Major bookmakers have plenty going on to catch your eye. Bet on royal births, like names, gender, and dates. Gamble on official public statements, title changes, and abdications.

Novelty bets in pop culture are of interest at certain times of the year. But what falls into such a vague category? If you see novelty bets mentioned in your online gambling app, you can expect to find odds and markets available based on the popularity of a streaming show, like Game of Thrones or Stranger Things.

You can also predict which series a popular character will leave or be killed off. Gamble on how a movie will perform at the box office, get odds on the next viral TikTok or dance, or predict the next major trend.

Lastly, there are music competitions.

Pick the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest or where a nation will finish. Gamble on a singer forgetting the words or missing a beat. Music lovers can also make predictions on the champion of The Voice or American Idol or predict how far a particular contestant will go.

You’ll also find markets available on Dancing On Ice and similar shows.

Placing a bet using your smartphone

Now that you know the options available to you as an online gambler looking to wager on entertainment markets, let's get down to betting.

To gamble on entertainment markets, you must have a registered online betting account with a sportsbook that’s legal and licensed to trade in your city.

Open the betting app on your Android or iOS device and log in with your username and password.

Find the sports navigation bar, scroll to entertainment markets, and click to open. Scroll through the options and click the one that catches your eye to view all available markets, such as outright winner, next elimination, and stage of elimination.

Find the bet that interests you the most and click on the odds attached to add to your bet slip.

You can then decide on a stake, enter, check, and confirm. If you don’t have a positive betting balance, you can deposit funds using a card or e-wallet to cover the stake.

If you already have a positive balance, the bookmaker will automatically take the stake from your funds and instantly display your new balance.

Your bet is now live and can’t be changed. A cash-out value will appear, which will be equal to your stake but will rise and fall depending on how well your pick performs. Monitor the cash-out offer and consider taking any profit offered.

Finding the best odds

When gambling on entertainment markets like those mentioned on this page, you’ll find a variation of odds.

As these markets are open to interpretation and not based on stats like form and league standings, the range of odds offered is far greater than you’d get when betting on professional boxing or the UFC, for example.

How do you know if your sportsbook is offering value?

When gambling on entertainment markets, it’s always worth checking a betting odds comparison app. There, you’ll find all selections with the odds offered by major sportsbooks with the highest price in bold, making it easier to find.

The bookmaker with the biggest price is the one you should bet with, and that’s true when gambling on any sport or market. Making a profit from gambling is challenging, so please don’t give your bookmaker any more advantages than they already have by taking anything less than the best odds.

Entertainment promos, specials, and free bets

The best and most popular online sportsbooks offer all new players a welcome bonus. These promotions are designed to drive new customers to an app and come in many shapes and sizes.

The most popular welcome bonus is the deposit-matched free bet that gives you free bet tokens equal in value to your first deposit and wager. If you join a bookie, deposit $50, and gamble on entertainment markets, you’ll land a $50 free bet.

In addition to the welcome bonuses reserved for new players, you’ll also find recurring deals for existing members. Those include enhanced odds on your pick and cashback if your selection finishes second.

Visit your preferred betting site and click on the promotions tab for an updated list of what’s available.

When dealing with promotions and free bets offered by online sportsbooks, it’s worth reading the terms and conditions before accepting. Doing so will improve your understanding of how the offer works, how to withdraw any profits made using the free bet, and what’s expected of you as a new customer.

You’ll find a full list of T&Cs on your bookie's promotions page.

What to look out for

As betting on entertainment markets is unique, you must ensure you have a strong understanding of how the market works before risking your cash. You’ll find the terms of the bet in the betting rules section of your sportsbook.

I’d also advise gamblers to keep their stakes low when betting on entertainment markets like the Oscars, Emmys, and Reality TV.

These are what’s known as specials betting markets, and most bookies will enforce a maximum stake, such as $50 max on a White Christmas in New York or the various New Year specials available.

As is the case when betting on sports, the more you know and understand an event, the greater your chances of making a profit.

Research is key, and you should study the stats, read the opinions of experts, check results from previous weeks, keep up with the gossip columns, and more. It’s impossible to know too much about an event when betting.

They say nothing is guaranteed in gambling, but my experience has taught me one thing for certain: the traders employed by your bookmaker will do their homework.

To stand any chance of beating them and bagging a profit from your bets, you must also do the research.

Create an online betting account

Whether you’re betting on the various entertainment markets mentioned on this page or any of the top sports competitions, you’ll need to register an account with an online sportsbook.

Thankfully, creating an account is quick, easy, and secure. You can join your preferred bookie using your smartphone or desktop computer by following these steps.

Choose your bookmaker, visit their homepage, and click Join.
Complete the registration form, adding your name, date of birth, and other details.
Create a username and password.
Input the promo code and make your first deposit of $10 or more.
Place a qualifying sportsbook bet to secure your welcome bonus free bet.

Step up your betting game with Whop Sports Picks

Entertainment betting is a fun and exciting way to gamble on popular markets and events. But it’s only a small part of a growing online gambling sector.

When done responsibly, betting can help bring you closer to your favorite sports and events. But it can also be confusing, frustrating, and a little daunting, and that’s why it pays to follow the experts.

That's where Whop comes in.

You can find expert help and guidance with Whop Sports Picks communities.

Browse the tipsters to find one that suits your gambling style and budget, and follow them to get the latest tips and advice. All options are run by professional gamblers, handicappers, and industry experts.

Whop has everything you need to elevate your gambling game, ensure you avoid the pitfalls, and place you on the road to profits. Get expert betting tips, hacks from experienced bettors, tutorials, information on odds, and much more.

You can spend hours studying the stats and form, finding the best odds, checking markets, and deciding on your stake, or you can follow the cream of the crop at Whop.

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