The Oscars

While we may not all agree with the outcome each year, there is little doubt that the annual Academy Awards (The Oscars), which are broadcast live from Hollywood, California in the United States, is the most captivating of all entertainment awards shows with the most at stake for those lucky enough to be nominated.

The Academy Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and are intended to reward the feats of actors, directors, writers, producers and many others.

However, the Awards are not without controversy. The reason being that the voting members in the Academy are usually active participants in the industry, which means that films that have the most people from the industry working on them, are typically nominated.

Even William Friedkin, the producer of the Academy Awards TV show and a lucky Oscar recipient himself, has publicly criticized The Oscars as "the greatest promotion scheme that any industry ever devised for itself." But despite the "politics" associated with The Oscars, each year the Awards are enjoyed by hundreds of millions of film fans all over the world.

The Oscars always attract the who's who of the acting world, and the grandeur, glitz and glamour of the awards never fails to trump the other entertainment award shows like the Golden Globes, the Emmy Awards, the People's Choice Awards and the Grammy Awards. In fact, it is true to say that the Oscars are the "Rolls Royce" of awards shows.

The inaugural Academy Awards ceremony were held on May 16, 1929, at the famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and were hosted by legendary actor Douglas Fairbanks and director William C. deMille.

These days most leading online bookmakers offer the latest Oscars betting odds for the following markets:

• Best film
• Best actor
• Best actress
• Best director
• Best supporting actor
• Best supporting actress

You can select a bookmakers using our Odds selector to the right, view their odds, and visit their site to place a bet.