2026 Oscar predictions and odds for every category

By Deniss Novickis | Published: March 13, 2026, 13:40

With the 98th Academy Awards approaching, the conversation is heating up around the strongest contenders across all categories. From Best Picture and Best Director to acting, technical achievements, and animated features, the race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history.

In this article, we break down the latest Oscar odds for every category, giving you a clear look at how the awards landscape currently stands. By comparing betting markets, industry buzz, critics’ awards, and historical voting patterns, we highlight which nominees have the strongest momentum heading into the ceremony. Some categories may appear wide open, while others seem to have clear frontrunners emerging.

Alongside the numbers, we will also share our Oscar winner predictions. Whether you’re tracking the awards race closely or simply looking for a quick overview before the ceremony, this guide will help you understand the situation ahead of the event, which will be hosted in the Dolby Theatre by Conan O'Brien.

• One Battle After Another 1.25
• Sinners - 3.75
• Hamnet - 19.00
• Marty Supreme - 34.00
• Sentimental Value - 67.00
• Train Dreams - 101.00
• Bugonia - 126.00
• Frankenstein - 126.00
• F1 - 151.00
• The Secret Agent - 201.00

Oscar Best Picture prediction

One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson collects one award after another, and it’s really hard to predict anything but another victory here. The Sinners by Ryan Coogler is the only rival, according to the bookies, but we won’t go with a surprise here.

• Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) - 1.03
• Ryan Coogler (Sinners) - 11.00
• Chloe Zhao (Hamnet) - 15.00
• Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) - 34.00
• Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value) - 41.00

Oscar Best Director prediction

Paul Thomas Anderson is an even bigger favourite in this category. He has received 11 Oscar nominations previously without actually winning, but this series of failures will definitely end on Sunday night.

• Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) - 1.53
• Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme) - 2.62
• Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) - 15.00
• Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) - 17.00
• Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) - 21.00

Oscar Best Actor prediction

Here’s the first category with a real intrigue. Michael B. Jordan surely had a more difficult task, as he is playing identical twins in the Sinners. Meanwhile, Timothee Chalamet said a controversial thing about ballet recently. While he is not getting cancelled just yet, that might be the reason he won’t win the Oscar in 2026.

• Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) - 1.02
• Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) - 19.00
• Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) - 26.00
• Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) - 26.00
• Emma Stone (Bugonia) - 26.00

Oscar Best Actress prediction

This is another category that is settled long before the ceremony starts. Jessie Buckley has already won all major awards for her role in Hamnet, and she’ll add an Oscar to those awards soon. Even if you like betting on the upsets, this is not the one to take a shot at.

• Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) - 1.28
• Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) - 5.00
• Delroy Lindo (Sinners) - 10.00
• Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another) - 13.00
• Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein) - 26.00

Oscar Best Supporting Actor prediction

Sean Penn, arguably, stole the show from Leonardo DiCaprio, playing the much-hated Col Lockjaw. He already has two Oscars, and it looks like the third one is coming. Stellan Skarsgård has a slight chance to leapfrog him, but we don’t think it will happen.

• Amy Madigan (Weapons) - 1.28
• Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) - 3.25
• Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) - 3.75
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value) - 36.00
• Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value) - 101.00

Oscar Best Supporting Actress prediction

We expect a full triumph for One Battle After Another in California. Though Amy Madigan is an accomplished actress, newcomer Teyana Taylor seems set to overtake her in this category at very juicy odds of 3.25.

• Sinners - 1.062
• Marty Supreme - 9.00
• It Was Just an Accident - 17.00
• Sentimental Value - 21.00
• Blue Moon - 41.00

Oscar Best Original Screenplay prediction

Sinners claimed virtually all possible awards in this category ahead of the event in Hollywood. This is our lock of the ceremony, as any other contestant becoming the winner will be a huge sensation. However, the odds of 1.062 are never worth making a bet.

• One Battle After Another - 1.03
• Hamnet - 15.00
• Train Dreams - 17.00
• Bugonia - 26.00
• Frankenstein - 26.00

Oscar Best Adapted Screenplay prediction

Another category with everything known already, and one more Oscar for One Battle After Another. Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of Vineland by Thomas Pynchon is just too good, yet Chloé Zhao's Hamnet is a great work as well. Just not the year for her.

• Sinners - 1.20
• One Battle After Another - 3.75
• Hamnet - 23.00
• Marty Supreme - 23.00
• The Secret Agent - 34.00

Oscar Best Casting prediction

We’d say that Sinners’ biggest rival here is not One Battle After Another, but rather The Secret Agent at 34.00. If betting a small part of the unit at huge odds is your thing, this might be worth looking at. However, Sinners should be the winner.

• KPop Demon Hunters - 1.05
• Zootopia 2 - 10.00
• Little Amelie or The Character of Rain - 13.00
• Elio - 34.00
• Ne Zha - 36.00

Oscar Animated Feature Film prediction

Netflix wins this one easily with the KPop Demon Hunters. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, this musical urban fantasy film was simply destined for success, even though the ratings are not ideal.

• Frankenstein - 1.083
• Sinners - 8.00
• One Battle After Another - 15.00
• Hamnet - 21.00
• Marty Supreme - 26.00

Oscar Best Production Design prediction

Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau simply did a brilliant job for Frankenstein, a science fiction drama directed by Guillermo Del Toro. This is another category without any intrigue. The first Oscar for Frankenstein.

• One Battle After Another - 1.28
• Sinners - 4.00
• Train Dreams - 9.00
• Frankenstein - 21.00
• Marty Supreme - 81.00

Oscar Cinematography prediction

Michael Bauman’s cinematography portrays a chaotic contemporary political world reminiscent of ours, capturing both its calmest scenes and its most dynamic action with striking visual beauty. Add one more Oscar for One Battle After Another, as this is a good parlay piece at 1.28.

• Frankenstein - 1.03
• Sinners - 12.00
• Hamnet - 15.00
• Marty Supreme - 23.00
• Avatar: Fire and Ash - 29.00

Oscar Costume Design prediction

The adaptation of Mary Shelley’s book has been widely praised for its detailed and convincing period setting. SInners did a great job as well, yet there’s no way that Frankenstein won’t get the Oscar in this one.

• One Battle After Another - 1.25
• F1 - 3.75
• Sinners - 11.00
• Marty Supreme - 26.00
• Sentimental Value - 101.00

Oscar Film Editing prediction

By shifting forward in time and weaving through several intense set pieces, Paul Thomas Anderson creates an exhilarating experience, culminating in the standout car chase that leads to a happy ending. F1 looks like a decent underdog, but its victories will come in other categories.

• Frankenstein - 1.04
• Sinners - 9.00
• The Smashing Machine - 17.00
• The Ugly Stepsister - 26.00
• Kokuho - 34.00

Oscar Makeup & Hairstyling prediction

Guillermo del Toro’s extraordinary creature designs never fail to astonish viewers and earn the respect of industry voters. Frankenstein is a piece of art when it comes to makeup. Sinners were strong too, just not strong enough.

• F1 - 1.12
• Sinners - 6.00
• Sirat - 13.00
• One Battle After Another - 19.00
• Frankenstein - 41.00

Oscar Sound prediction

Finally, here’s an award for F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski. The whole environment of the Formula One world is ideal for winning in this category. Sinners will be one step short once again.

• Avatar: Fire and Ash - 1.03
• F1 - 15.00
• Sinners - 15.00
• The Lost Bus - 26.00
• Jurassic: World Rebirth: 34.00

Oscar Visual Effects prediction

The third installment in the Avatar film series couldn’t live up to expectations in many ways. However, James Cameron and Сo do know their job when it comes to the visual effects. They won’t leave the Dolby Theatre without an award.

• Sinners - 1.03
• One Battle After Another - 13.00
• Frankenstein - 17.00
• Hamnet - 17.00
• Bugonia - 26.00

Oscar Original Score prediction

Ludwig Göransson appears on track to win a third Oscar, adding a second award to his collaborations with Ryan Coogler. This is another category where we all know the winner before the envelope is opened.

• ''Golden'' by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick (KPop Demon Hunters) - 1.12
• ''I Lied To You'' by Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq (Sinners) - 5.50
• ''Train Dreams'' by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner (Train Dreams) - 21.00
• ''Dear Me'' by Kesha (Diane Warren: Relentless) - 23.00
• ''Sweet Dreams of Joy'' by Nicholas Pike (Viva Verdi) - 36.00

Oscar Original Song prediction

We just spoke about the genius of Ludwig Göransson, however, he’ll be second-best in the Original Song category. Golden achieved chart-topping success in over 30 nations worldwide, including major markets such as South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and that speaks for itself.

• The Perfect Neighbor - 1.40
• Mr Nobody Against Putin - 4.00
• Come See Me in the Good Light - 7.00
• The Alabama Solution - 15.00
• Cutting Through Rocks - 67.00

Oscar Documentary Feature prediction

The bookmakers see the doc on Florida’s Stand Your Ground law as a favourite here. However, here’s our underdog of the event - Mr Nobody Against Putin at 4.00. This film has already won the BAFTA Award and the Special Jury Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

• Sentimental Value (Norway) - 1.44
• The Secret Agent (Brazil) - 2.62
• It Was Just an Accident (France) - 15.00
• The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia) - 29.00
• Sirât (Spain) - 51.00

Oscar International Feature Film prediction

Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier has received nine nominations, demonstrating strong support from the Academy. Yet we will opt for another underdog in this category. The Secret Agent, a political thriller written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, will get the nod in our opinion.

Subscribe to our free Telegram channel, where MightyTips provides daily betting tips and predictions on various sports events.