It's the 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel on Saturday night, and we put Punting Pointers' David Massey in a darkened room, made him listen to all 26 songs, and see if he could find us a bet or two.
Eurovision betting tips
2pts win Austria to win outright at 16/5 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
0.5pts e.w. Finland at 20/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair, Star Sports 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt win Finland to win the Televote at 20/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt win Portugal to finish last at 16/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
, kids, he listens to them all so that you don't have to.
In performance order, then...
Norway
Kyle Allesandro goes for the quiet-loud-quiet trick and never quite pulls it off, coming away with an unremarkable three minute piece of power Europop that doesn’t know where its going. Lot of fire on stage, too. I hope he’s done the necessary risk assessments. Won’t be nul points for Norway, but it’s bottom five, you fancy, particularly with a coffin draw in trap 1 to contend with. Next.
Luxembourg
Laura Thorn is nobody’s puppet, as you’ll hear when she sings La Poupee Monte Le Son, a little ditty that includes the words 'New Instruction Manual' in the lyrics, so fair play for that. It’s a strangely familiar old-style Eurovision tune brought into the modern day, and she sings this pop melody well. Loses some clothing at halfway, again reminiscent of Eurovisions of yesteryear.
Estonia
Tommy Cash, surely a lost Fast Show character, performs his number, Espresso Macchiato, in front of the 'Winners Cafe' – geddit? And it does indeed appear to be an ode to his favourite coffee, so it does what it says on the tin. The song? All over the shop, going from pop to music hall to comedy rap in under three minutes. Terrible, despite Tommy’s rubber hips. Going third isn’t helping, either.
Israel
A New Day Will Rise is the message delivered by Yuval Raphael and leaving the politics aside, this is a powerful, piano-driven melody that she sings very well. It’s a little downbeat overall, if you’re being picky, but as a well-crafted melody, there’s no doubts on that score. It’ll do well with voters at home, regardless of what reception she gets on the night, and after Estonia this will sound like a blessed relief.
Lithuania
Some Lithuanian shoegaze for you now, courtesy of Katarsis, a young four-piece that come over all mean and moody. It takes a minute to warm up but once into stride, it’s an indie crash-banger that will corner the angst vote without too much fuss. Lithuania inevitably finish somewhere mid-table when they make the final, and this could creep into the top 10.
Spain
Spain, one of the big five (which means they don’t have to qualify) go with power and with Melody (that’s her name, rather than her style) who delivers a three-minute piece of yer standard Europop called Esa Diva. Inevitably, maracas. Won’t trouble the judge(s).
Ukraine
A change of style from Ukraine, who go for a simple male soloist in Ziferblat, whose Bird Of Pray (and that’s the way it’s spelt, don’t blame me) chugs along nicely enough. He struggled a little with the high notes in first rehearsals, and this isn’t the easiest number to sing. Could pick some points up if he nails it on the night.
United Kingdom
Sam Ryder’s runner-up spot with Spaceman in 2022 reminded us that Europe doesn’t totally hate us, but that lasted 12 whole months before Mae Muller limped in 25th in 2023 and Olly Alexander a mid-table 15th last year. Monday’s What The Hell Just Happened? is a perfectly neat piece of power-pop that’s swirls and swings, but it doesn’t stand out, and I fear we’re heading towards a relegation play-off again. Which is a shame, as this is by no means one of the worst songs on show Saturday night.
Austria
JJ’s Wasted Love has been one of the favourites for this and rightly so. A beautifully crafted ballad, almost operatic at times with the notes he reaches, it’s 'a Group horse in a field of handicappers' (that quote from Vicki, my work partner, who had the good fortune to hear these tunes with me). The drop in the final minute as the song reaches its crescendo is unexpected but somehow works. It’s a belter that will score well with both the judges and public. Every chance.
Iceland
Iceland go quirky, inevitably, with five lads that look like they should be out on their bikes, apple scrumping, rather than performing Eurovision. Tinfoiled to the hilt, it’s actually pretty standard Europop fare that’ll have you longing for the days of Dadi Freyr well before half-time.
Latvia
Latvia’s all-ladies six-piece, Tautumaitas, start their performance in the CGI rain, which can’t help their hairdos, and whilst this tribal Eurotune is performed well enough, it never bursts into life, which you keep imagining it will do, but instead fizzles away to be built up again. A shame, as there’s probably a decent song in there, but it might have to settle for top-half rather than anything grander.
Netherlands
Claude’s C’est La Vie will remind you of something when you hear it but you won’t what, until you wake up in a hot sweat at three in the morning shouting 'Dr Alban! DR ALBAN!!'. But it’s decent, this; tuneful, well performed, inoffensive. Claude comes across as squeaky-clean, the sort that’s good to his old nan. It’ll do well with both judges and public, but a middle draw means it could get somewhat lost.
Finland
One for the dads here, as Erika Vikman has more leather on than you’d see at your average Nottingham Saturday night S&M do (apparently). Ich Komme (and you don’t need to be fluent in German to know where this is going) rattles along apace, Erika making the most of the microphone stand and showing us how flexible she is. She leaves the stage atop a golden mike with sparks coming out the end, in a final metaphoric climax. Some show, and you have to feel for whoever’s on after...
Italy
...and that’s poor old Italy. With the biggest shoulder pads on show, Lucio Corsi delivers his piece of bog-standard rock in a very 1980s style, so much so he shares the mic with the other guitarist at one point, who runs the length of the stage to his compatriot. It’s like Whitesnake never went away. The Eastern Bloc will love it, though, and it’ll keep picking the points up. Top half.
Poland
Poland’s Justyna goes all Warrior Queen on us, descending to the stage on ropes whilst her male dancers give it what-for on the floor. Also, a dragon. Solid start. Sadly, it goes downhill rather quickly, this stop-start piece of powerpop never really hitting top gear. Some dreadful rapping near the end just finishes it off, in many a way.
haven’t had a lot of luck in Eurovision over the past decade or so, but that’s down to the amount of tripe they have managed in their output in that time (2021’s Jendrik a particular lowpoint). This year’s entry, Abor & Tynna’s Baller, at least has something about it; it’s unashamedly electro-Euro, and there’s some live cello in there for a bit of culture. Probably their best effort for a while, and a top-10 finish beckons.
Greece
Klavdia has glasses bigger than my own reading goggles (she reminds me a little of fellow Greek chanteuse Nana Mouskouri) but her Asteromata has had crack teams on it trying to discover anything resembling 'a tune' for some time, sadly without success. It’s over halfway before any beat kicks in at all and by then, you’ve gone and put the kettle on. Twelve points from Cyprus, mind.
Armenia
Parg (for it is he) is angry. What he’s angry about is open to debate, perhaps he’s left the heating on, but he shouts, a lot, prowls, a lot, stomps, a lot and generally lets all his energy out in this three-minute tubthumper. If the tune doesn’t have you after the Anadin, the strobing will. Survivor is decent enough, and he grew into it in rehearsals and the semi-final. Vicki liked it, but mainly because he took his top off, and bizarrely, because he performed on a treill.
Switzerland
In an evening filled with tubthumpers that will have you reaching for the volume controls at time, along comes Zoe Me with her Voyage, a perfectly lovely three-minute ballad that she performs very well. Doing so in French might not help her cause (it used to be a plus point in the competition’s early days, but no longer) but that won’t hinder your enjoyment of this. Picks up to an almost operatic finish, too. Lots to like, and could go close to giving the Swiss a repeat win.
Malta
Oh my word. If it’s a big personality you’re after, stop here, as Malta’s Miriana Conte dishes up (not even remotely sorry) a camp-as-Christmas and unashamedly Lizzo tribute Serving, which is going to go down a storm on the night. It’s proper pop, and the kids are gonna love it; the background visuals will make you think you’ve tuned in Babestation early, but this is a belter. Top five.
Portugal
Portugal go all rockw*nk on us with Napa’s Deslocato, a weirdly Beatles-ish melody that’s spoilt by the guitarist thinking he’s Clapton. Claptout, more like. Also, the lead singer looks too much like Neil Channing for comfort. Never see them in the same room, makes you wonder. This just follows three crowd-pleasers, for differing reasons, and will just get lost in the midst of it all. A candidate for the wooden spoon.
Sweden
The hot favourites to win, but it’s a really quirky number – lots of accordion, thumping drums, plenty of talking the lyrics rather than singing them, all taking place in a sauna, and the audience appeal – which they’ll need – isn’t a given. It’s funny, sure, and the visuals will give you a laugh, but is that enough? Also, they’re Finnish, in an Antti Niemi way, rather than finished.
’s Louane comes into this as one of the favourites, and it’s not hard to see why. Maman, a song all about how she’s grown up into a better person and wants her mum to see it, is a sweeping string melody that she carries off really well; a proper pop song. She’s going to have to fight the Austrians and the Swiss off in the slower-song category, but she’s a chance of success if she can.
San Marino
A blatant attempt to get 12 points from Italy, with their ditty Tutta l’Italia (told ya) which even takes place in front of a CGI Colosseum for added effect. There’s nothing remarkable about it, it’s just another three minutes of your life you won’t get back. Get back to women doing power ballads, San Marino, that’s what I say.
Albania
There’s a lot of what I’d call 'warbling' here, both front and back of house, none of which helps it along. Almost inevitably, the beat picks up after a minute with those Mediterranean drums and synths, and this just rapidly turns into another piece of standard Europop. Struggled a bit in rehearsals, too. Needs to up her game, although there’s been a shekel or two for this in recent days, and pulling the final slot can only help her cause.
Recommended bets
Sweden have been hot favourites for this for a while and having a 'producers' pick' – meaning the production team can place them where they want them – has certainly helped, with them performing fourth from last. But it’s a quirky little thing, and quirky doesn’t always cut it, plus with ’s excellent Louane performing straight after, it’s got some hot competition next to it.
AUSTRIA could have fared better with the draw, but ninth isn’t a disaster, and neither the UK entry that precedes it nor Iceland’s that follows, is particularly memorable. It’s a beautiful song, and had it been drawn better I’d have been more confident, but all the same I think it can win out.
FINLAND tend either to finish top six or bottom six, and Erika Vikman’s Ich Komme looks an each-way contender.
It’s an absolute Eurovision crowd-pleaser, aurally and visually, and is going to score fairly highly in the public vote; it’s just whether she can stay in touch at halfway, as the jury vote will go for songs that have been better crafted than this.
The 20/1 available with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook she wins the public vote looks too big, and the 20s each-way four places looks worth a punt, too.
Looking at who might pick up the tab for last place, it’s perhaps unsurprising to see the United Kingdom favourites, as they haven’t been handed the kindest of draws.
However, despite a decent draw, PORTUGAL's entry isn’t a strong song, and could get lost among a sea of cracking late-draw melodies. Double-figure prices for the wooden spoon make some appeal.
Posted at 1130 BST on 16/05/25
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