The 96th Academy Awards kick off this Sunday night (7:00 p.m. ET, ABC), with the writers' strike and the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars dustup now seeming like ancient history. The entertainment awards show of all awards shows has become a cult classic among bettors over the years, so today we will offer up our advice on the best bets and full betting odds for the top categories like Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and more.
A number of different blockbuster hits have generated plenty of Oscar buzz, highlighted by "Oppenheimer" and "Killers of the Flower Moon." Other super popular films like "Barbie" landed some nominations but also got snubbed in certain spots. And as always, many of the nominated films, filmmakers, and stars will go home empty-handed Sunday evening.
Here's a guide to Hollywood's biggest night of the year, from how to watch the Academy Awards to the betting odds and other information you need to help you dominate your Oscar pool or betting picks.
STREAM: Watch the 2024 Oscars for free with Fubo
2024 Oscars predictions and pool picks: Full list of nominees
Below is a complete list of nominees from each major category of the 96th Academy Awards, along with Sporting News' official predictions. All betting odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Picture
| Film | Odds |
| Oppenheimer | -5000 |
| Poor Things | +2000 |
| The Zone of Interest | +2500 |
| The Holdovers | +2800 |
| Barbie | +3500 |
| Killers of the Flower Moon | +4000 |
| Anatomy of a Fall | +4000 |
| American Fiction | +8000 |
| Past Lives | +10000 |
| Maestro | +15000 |
SN pick: "Oppenheimer." This might be the biggest lock since "The Departed" in 2006.
We can't get over Cillian Murphy's phenomenal performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, and esteemed director Christopher Nolan has told his most masterful story yet.
Enjoy the free square in your pool, folks, unless you somehow have the overhead to risk $5,000 to make $100. The -5000 odds translate to a 98 percent win probability.
MORE: Remembering Kobe Bryant's Oscar win for 'Dear Basketball'
Best Director
| Director | Odds |
| Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) | -5000 |
| Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) | +2000 |
| Martin Scorcese (Killers of the Flower Moon) | +2200 |
| Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) | +3500 |
| Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall) | +6500 |
SN pick: Nolan for "Oppenheimer." The man responsible for "The Dark Knight" trilogy, "Inception," and "Dunkirk" has told his most brilliant and complex story yet.
"Oppenheimer" is a work of art, and the eighth Oscar nomination will be the charm for the 53-year-old British filmmaker. Sorry, Marty, you can't win 'em all!
Best Actor
| Actor | Odds |
| Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) | -1000 |
| Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) | +500 |
| Bradley Cooper (Maestro) | +1600 |
| Colman Domingo (Rustin) | +8000 |
| Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction) | +8000 |
SN pick: Murphy as "Oppenheimer."
Most other years, Giamatti would probably run away with a statue for his portrayal of a hilariously brutal Barton College professor in the mid-1970s. Alexander Payne, who directed Giamatti in "Sideways" in 2004, brings out the best in his counterpart.
But, alas, Murphy will not be denied for his historically haunting portrayal of the rise and fall of the man behind the atomic bomb. He has already won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, ans SAG Award, a clear indicator he's about to win his first Oscar. Three up, three down
Best Actress
| Actress | Odds |
| Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) | -225 |
| Emma Stone (Poor Things) | +150 |
| Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall) | +3500 |
| Carey Mulligan (Maestro) | +5000 |
| Annette Bening (Nyad) | +5000 |
SN pick: Gladstone for "Killers of the Flower Moon." In a film about wicked men ruthlessly killing in the name of greed, it's the beautifully staggering performance of Gladstone as Mollie that really makes the movie.
An Indigenous woman who lived her first 11 years on a Montana reservation, Gladstone operates as the main vessel for a dark central narrative so few members of cinema have been willing to tell. As RogerEbert.com Managing Editor put so eloquently, "How did we allow blood to fertilize the soil of this country?"
Stone was brilliant in "Poor Things," but she already has an Oscar for "La La Land." Huller was even more moving in "Anatomy of a Fall," which has been criminally overlooked this awards season. We can't see either getting in the way of Gladstone making history as the first Native American to win an Oscar.
Best Supporting Actor
| Actor | Odds |
| Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) | -3500 |
| Ryan Gosling (Barbie) | +1000 |
| Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things) | +2000 |
| Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon) | +2500 |
| Sterling K Brown (American Fiction) | +4000 |
SN pick: Downey Jr. in "Oppenheimer." It's almost unfair for an actor of Downey Jr.'s ability to be allowed to team up with Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy and be eligible for Best Supporting Actor. Like the odds suggest, this one was over before it was announced.
Side note: the Oscars messed up royally by nominating Gosling for "Barbie" here yet snubbing Margot Robbie for the title role. Talk about tone-deaf on the part of the Academy.
Best Supporting Actress
| Actress | Odds |
| DaVine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) | -3500 |
| Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer) | +2000 |
| Danielle Brooks (The Colour Purple) | +2000 |
| America Ferrera (Barbie) | +2000 |
| Jodie Foster (Nyad) | +4000 |
SN pick: Da'Vine Joy Randolph for her breakout performance in "The Holdovers." It's not often a household-name actor with Paul Giamatti's range has the show stolen by a supporting actress few film buffs knew a year prior.
Randolph's deeply heartbreaking performance as a grieving mother brought tears to the eyes of parents worldwide, and it will soon make her the 10th black woman to win Best Supporting Actress.
What time are the Oscars on in 2024?
- Date: Sunday, March 10
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. PT
The Oscars will start at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on Sunday, March 11, live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The pre-event coverage will be streamed live for free on Twitter (@TheAcademy) starting at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
STREAM: Watch the 2024 Oscars for free with Fubo
What channel are the 2024 Oscars on?
- TV channel: ABC
- Live stream: Fubo
The Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC to a national audience. You can also stream the show via Fubo which is offering a free trial.
Who's hosting the Academy Awards in 2024?
Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', will host the Academy Awards for the second consecutive year and fourth time total.
Kimmel also hosted last year, after comedian Chris Rock hosted in 2022. In the most infamous moment in Academy Awards history, Rock got assaulted by superstar actor Will Smith after the comedian cracked a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.
MORE: Smith's Best Actor win for playing Venus & Serena's dad in 'King Richard'
