Novelty betting has exploded in popularity in the last few years as the internet has opened up markets to more and more people. It’s a fantastic way to try something different, and the opportunities are basically limitless.
Simply put, a novelty bet is a wager on a non-sports related event. This could be the winner of your favourite reality TV show, whether it will be a white Christmas, or even the identity of the next James Bond. You'll also be surprised just how much fun you can get out of even the most boring subjects, like politics.
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Reality TV - fun in the sun, sequins, and glitter balls
In the UK we love reality TV, whether it’s guiltily watching Love Island or shouting at Lord Sugar’s latest candidates on The Apprentice.
Reality TV betting
can make watching the programmes even better too.
The most watched options for reality TV betting include:
Britain’s Got Talent
- On our screens since 2007, BGT showcases the best (and the not quite so good) of the nation’s talent, from singers to dancers, comedians, and magicians.
Masterchef
- Beautiful food, and thrilling competition, what’s not to love?! Masterchef sees 45 amateur chefs compete to create delicious dishes but, as all cooks will know, sometimes it doesn’t work out like that.
Love Island
- Love Island follows the journey of a group of beautiful, bronzed twenty-somethings as they try to find romance in a luxury villa. You can expect twists, turns, and not too many clothes as they compete for a £50,000 prize.
Strictly Come Dancing
- The sequins and the sparkle are nothing to the backstage shenanigans. The dances and costumes are amazing but the romance between couples guarantees some sizzling drama.
Usually when visiting novelty betting sites, you’ll make an outright bet on the overall winner of a TV show, but you could also place a wager on the next contestant to be eliminated or the runner-up of the competition.
UK politics - strange bedfellows make fun bets
The world of UK politics doesn’t stay still for long, and controversy and scandal are rife, all of which makes it a prime market for making bets. From Prime Ministers whose terms couldn’t outlast an iceberg lettuce, to a bacon sandwich that derailed Ed Milliband’s hopes of becoming the nation’s leader, it’s fair to say that, when
betting on UK politics
, you should expect the unexpected!
5 Popular Markets in UK politics betting
Outcome of a General Election
- Will a party secure a majority or is a hung parliament looming?
Next Prime Minister
- Who will be moving into 10 Downing Street next?
Party with the most seats after an election
- While the election result takes the headlines, this is an interest sub-topic in the instance of no party reaching the threshold for a majority.
Individual constituency betting
- It's possible to wager on the outcome of a specific constituency and which party will secure the seat.
Next party leader
- There is often a shake up after an election campaign, but who will take charge next?
These might seem like straightforward wagers, but given the UK had 3 different Prime Ministers in 2022 alone, things could move very quickly when it comes to the betting.
🗳️ UK elections happen at least every 5 years
💻 There are many betting options online
The UK Royal family - the king of novelty betting picks
Betting on the UK royal family
is another very popular novelty betting option. The UK’s most famous family is headed by King Charles III, who was crowned in May 2023 at a ceremony watched by 20 million people. That’s nothing to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton though, which drew in over 36 million viewers in the UK alone.
The sheer range of betting markets available on royal betting is staggering, from:
Royal babies
- The name, gender, and weight of a royal baby.
Length of a Monarch's reign.
The frivolous fashion choices
- what colour hat will the Queen wear at Ascot? How long will a royal bride’s train be?
👑 Even a Royal Coronation is a betting event
☝️ Public interest remains high in the Royals
Award Ceremonies - the award for best novelty betting market goes to…
Who doesn’t love an awards ceremony? The glitz and the glamour, the jokes that fail to land, and the opportunities for making a wager.
The Oscars
- The Oscars celebrates the best and brightest from the film industry but is also the scene for lots of controversy (wrong films being named and hosts being slapped are just two examples)
The Mercury Music Prize
The Golden Globes
The BRIT Awards
The Eurovision Song Contest
- Held in May each year, this competition is home to the weird and wacky. Far out costumes, voting scandals - it has it all.
Common wagers for award ceremonies include picking the overall winners in particular categories. You might also choose to predict runner ups, points scored, or nominees.
🎥 The Oscars are always highly anticipated
🎤 Eurovision is one one of the leading novelty betting events every year
Singing contests - striking the right note
What do One Direction, Beyoncé, Little Mix, and Justin Timberlake have in common? They all found fame on TV singing contests.
Betting on singing contests is an awesome way to add extra excitement to proceedings, and the opportunities are basically endless.
Some of the most popular singing competitions currently on TV include The Voice, where talented singers audition for music royalty for the chance to be coached to international fame. The Masked Singer too, where a panel of judges tries to identify disguised famous singers on this massively popular show. X-Factor was one of the original TV betting events of the year when it aired on UK screens from 2004 until December 2018.
A few of the most common types of bets you can make in this category are:
Overall winner
- not as easy as it sounds, as the clear front runner often falls at the final hurdle (even One Direction finished second on their series of X Factor!),
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New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
Our top tips for making novelty bets
To help you on the way to novelty betting success, we’ve put together a few expert tips:
📱
Keep up to date with news and social media
With all of these betting markets possible, keeping an eye on the news can definitely give you an edge. Social media can also come in handy, as long as you take it with a pinch of salt!
⏱️
Pick the best time carefully
The most favourable odds for novelty bets are released early, and odds will narrow as the final draws nearer. However circumstances can change very quickly so it’s a tricky balance between the best odds and the best timing.
✅
Choose the best betting site
Does it offer a range of markets; can it be used on the go? These are the questions Betting.co.uk answers in our comprehensive reviews.
How to make your first novelty bet - our step by step guide.
Once you’ve decided on the novelty betting area you’d like to wager on, making your pick is easy.
Choose your top betting site. Don’t forget to take advantage of any bonuses.
Search for special or novelty bets.
Choose the wager you’d like to make.
Look for your best odds.
Place your wager.
Novelty betting - limitless opportunities and year round entertainment
Novelty betting is a brilliant way to enhance enjoyment of your favourite events and TV shows, or a good way to make watching them a bit more bearable if your other half insists on being glued to the screen. Novelty betting markets last all year so there’s always some action. You don’t need specialist knowledge to place novelty bets and the opportunities are virtually limitless.
In this guide, we’ve outlined not only some of the top betting markets available to those seeking novelty bets, but we’ve also shared some of our top tips for getting the best value from your wager. To find out more about all of the markets mentioned, you can look through our special guides on everything from award ceremonies to Strictly Come Dancing and
how to bet on the Glastonbury Festival.
Novelty Betting Pros and Cons
There are a range of events to pick from
Many involve public votes
Novelty events can usually be followed closely in mainstream media
Novelty markets may be excluded from bonuses or promotions
Some markets can tie up your money for a long time
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18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
Novelty betting FAQs
❓How do I make a novelty bet?
In our guide to the world of novelty betting, we’ve shown you not only the different types of bets that are possible, but also how to go about making a novelty wager. Read through our complete guide to find out everything you need to know.
📱 What is the best site for entertainment betting?
The best novelty betting sites may vary depending on the particular market you’re interested in. The best place to start is with our guides on betting on the UK Royal Family, betting on reality TV, and more to find the best option for you.
💰 Are there any bonuses available when making novelty bets?
Bet bonuses are sometimes offered by sites to make a wager even better. To find out which sites offer bonuses on entertainment betting, look through the betting.co.uk list of top recommended sites.
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18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
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New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
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