Outside of baseball and Wimbledon, there isn’t much going on right now in major professional sports. Basketball and hockey leagues have ended their seasons, the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga are still a month away, and American football teams have yet to even begin training camp.
Naturally, sports bettors are turning to another competitive enterprise to wager on: the highly anticipated new season of Game of Thrones.
The HBO show’s seventh and penultimate season begins Sunday, July 16. Several betting markets around the world have updated their odds on which character will be the first to die, which will assume the Iron Throne by season’s end, and which will ultimately sit on the throne when the show ends for good next year.
You can actually bet real money on these odds, though be sure to check your country’s online gambling laws before making any wagers. (Americans should also consult their states’ laws.)
Who will win the throne this season?
(per international bookmaker Bovada)
Our picks:
- At 2/7 odds, Cersei isn’t a wise bet. She will start the season on the Iron Throne, but with so many enemies, how long can she hold onto it?
- Sansa Stark is a good value at her low 40/1 odds. She’s the rightful heir to the North, and has the cunning Petyr Baelish at her disposal, should she need him.
- At 66/1, Euron Greyjoy is also not a bad bet. All indications are that he will be this season’s “big bad” villain, and trailers suggest he may seek an alliance with the Lannisters.
Who will be first (of many) to perish?
(per British bookmaker Ladbrokes)
Our picks:
- Everyone expects those poorly written Sand Snakes to go. Not great value.
- Daenerys, Jon, Sansa, and Tyrion appear to be safe (for now), but at 100/1 odds you wouldn’t have to risk much to cash in big time.
- All three Greyjoys are in serious danger.
Who will sit atop the Iron Throne when Game of Thrones ends in 2018?
(per Ladbrokes)
Our picks:
- If Daenerys doesn’t grab the throne this year, it’s a good bet that she’ll do so by the time the show ends, though at 2/1 odds there isn’t much value there.
- Petyr Baelish is unlikely to fulfill his dream of sitting on the Iron Throne, with Sansa at his side. Some say to never bet against “Littlefinger”—except when real money’s involved.
- Again, Sansa is a good value bet at 9/1 odds. Wouldn’t it be fitting if the story came full circle, beginning with the death of Ned Stark and ending with the crowning of his daughter?
Other bookmakers, like SkyBet, have slightly different odds, but when it comes to winning the Iron Throne at the end, Daenerys Targaryen is still the favorite on every betting site.