If long-winded acceptance speeches and bad jokes get you down, there’s a way to spice up Oscar night — by placing bets on such details as what color Lady Gaga’s hair will be and what Sylvester Stallone will do with his arms should he win.
The Academy Awards is believed to be the biggest nonsports gambling event in the country, with one inside source putting the amount wagered at $100 million and growing.
That includes everything from office pools to offshore gambling sites that take bets on who will win, along with proposition bets on what celebs will do.
One of the surer bets, at just 2.25-to-1 at Betsson’s sports book, is that Stallone will lift both his arms, à la Rocky, should he take Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Creed.”
Based in Sweden, Betsson is one of several online sites taking Oscar wagers.
The field is a little more open if you want to bet on Lady Gaga’s unpredictable hair color. Blond or white is just 1.48-1. Black will be 3.5-1 and red will be 5-1. Pink is a long shot at 10-1.
Betsson is also taking bets on Leonardo DiCaprio’s facial hair, with 4-1 for clean shaven and 8-1 for a thick beard. Stubble is the best bet at 1.8-1.
One major field is which late celeb will be the last featured in the night’s “in memoriam” montage. Leonard Nimoy is the favorite at 2.1-1, with “Harry Potter” actor Alan Rickman in second at 3.2-1 and “Miracle on 34th Street” actress Maureen O’Hara in third at 4.4-1.
Such sites are illegal in the United States, but Americans can place such wagers online.
The 88th Annual Academy Awards is slated to air live on ABC on Sunday.