Betting on American Idol

American Idol aired from June 2002 until April 2016 when it was canceled. The public didn’t like that decision, so ABC revived the show in 2018.

This is good news because ABC also revived your ability to bet on American Idol.

This guide will show you how to start betting. You’ll learn the types of bets you can make and how to make more money from them. And you’ll discover the best American Idol betting sites you should join.

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American Idol is a singing competition. Contestants compete each week in hopes that the judges won’t eliminate them so that they can sing the following week.

The audience plays a role, too. You can vote for who you think should move on to the next week. The show continues like this until the American Idol season finale, where the remaining contestants sing live for a chance to win $1 million and the right to say they’re an American Idol winner.

Along the way, there’s drama. Contestants are eliminated. The judges give feedback, which is sometimes harsh. And there are times when judges argue with each other.

The drama can get old fast, but the great thing about the show is the opportunities for betting on American Idol online. You’ll see what we mean below.

Before we get to that, though, let’s talk about how we pick the best sites for betting on American Idol

Best American Idol Betting Sites

The best American Idol betting sites. Big claim, we know. We’re sure your skeptical. After all, who are we to recommend betting sites to you?

We get it. You only see the finished product, a list of online betting sites. What you don’t see are the decades of combined experience our team has or the hours and resources our team pours into every site we review and rank.

It’s a long process, that’s for sure. But it’s worth every minute and dollar we invest if it means our readers only join the safest and best sites for betting on American Idol.

It all starts with reviewing each site. Here’s the type of information we look for during our reviews.

  • The gambling license and the commission that issued it.
  • The banking options the site accepts, the fees they charge, the limits they impose, and the withdrawal timeframes.
  • If the site has a positive reputation.
  • The betting site’s mobile platform, including how well it works and if all the desktop features are available to smartphone users.
  • The options you can use to contact customer support, the hours they’re available, and how quickly they respond.
  • The countries the online sportsbook or bookmaker accepts bettors from.

We hardly ever recommend betting sites that don’t exceed our expectations in each area. These aren’t even table stakes either. There’s still one more area we look at before we consider endorsing them.

The other area we look at is relevance. Are they a great site for betting on American Idol online? These are the questions we answer to figure that out.

  • What types of American Idol bets can you make?
  • What are their entertainment betting limits?
  • Can you claim a deposit bonus and use the bonus to bet on American Idol?
  • Can you bet on other TV shows part of the Idol network?

It’s the answers to these questions that determine whether the betting site is worthy of our endorsement. Many aren’t.

Those that are worthy are added to our shortlist, which we rank from best to worst then show to our readers. But don’t worry, even the “worst” betting sites on our list are worth joining.

That’s our process in a nutshell. It’s not random, as you can see. We put a lot of effort into choosing the sites we endorse as the best American Idol betting sites.

But don’t take our word for it. Join one of our recommended sites now and see for yourself.

American Idol Betting

How to Bet on American Idol Online

Betting on American Idol online isn’t complicated. Even if you’re new to online gambling, you can create an account and make your first bet in less than 10 to 15 minutes if you follow these steps.

  • Choose a betting site. Find a site on your own, or join a site we endorse and save yourself hours of time, hundreds of dollars, and loads of frustration.
  • Create an account. Give the online bookmaker site your name, email, address, and phone number so they know where to send your winnings. Afterward, check your email to confirm your account.
  • Make a deposit. Use a banking method such as a credit or debit card, e-wallet, or cryptocurrency to fund your account. Read this guide to learn more.
  • Claim a deposit bonus (optional). Take advantage of a deposit bonus and add thousands of dollars to your bankroll.

These are all the steps you need to take to go from never having placed a bet online before to making your first American Idol wager. But how do you do that?

First, navigate to the betting site’s American Idol section. You’ll find this under the entertainment, TV, novelty, or specials betting tabs.

Next, choose the bets you want to make. Here are the most common options.

  • Moneylines – Bet on a win/lose or yes/no outcome.
  • Futures – Bet on an outcome that takes place several weeks or months in the future.
  • Props – Bets that are unique to American Idol. This includes what’s going on in the season, current judges, or what’s going on in pop culture.

Here are some examples of American Idol bets from previous seasons, with some odds that were available for each one

American Idol – Season 17 Winner

  • Alejandro Aranda -200
  • Madison VanDenburg +400
  • Laine Hardy +250

The number of contestants you can bet on depends on where the show is at.

You’ll have more options (and looser odds) at the beginning of the season, but fewer options (and tighter odds) the closer you get to the season finale.

American Idol – Season 18 – Gender of Winner

  • Male -110
  • Female -110
  • Transgender +2000

American Idol – Season 18 – Song of Final Performance on Season Finale

  • Written by female -110
  • Written by male -110
  • Original song +500

American Idol – Season 18 – First Judge to Get Fired or Leave

  • Lionel Richie +100
  • Katy Perry +150
  • Luke Bryan +225

These are good examples of the types of American Idol bets you can expect to find online. You’ll want to join two to three sportsbooks minimum if you want the most betting options. But you should have multiple accounts to shop for the best odds, anyway.

Shopping for the best odds is one of the easiest ways to make more money betting on American Idol. The next section will show you a few more methods that require more effort but can make you more money with a little luck and proper execution.

American Idol Trends That Can Make You More Money

Betting is a form of entertainment. You bet on American Idol for fun, to enhance your experience watching the show. That’s how it works for most people.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also want to make money from bets. Winning money adds to the entertainment factor, too.

Making money from betting is tough to do if you’re not a professional. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. The following are a few trends you can use to make more educated American Idol bets and, hopefully, earn a little more profit.

  • Contestants from the South have won 11 out of 16 seasons (or 68.8% of the time). The other five winners are from all over the US.
  • 10 of the 16 American Idol winners are men (62.5%).
  • Four of the six female American Idol winners are from the South.
  • Nine of the ten male winners are white and play the guitar. This also has its own abbreviation, WGWG.
  • No contestant was eliminated before the final seven contestants if they were the final performer of the night. This trend is less reliable the fewer contestants that are left.
  • The top 12 artists usually sing songs from R&B and soul artists for the chance to show off their range. Contestants have covered Marvin Gaye songs the most (14 times).
  • 30 of the 90 finalists were in their early 20s.

We make no guarantees, but use this information well and you might just see an uptick in your American Idol betting profits.

We also recommend paying attention to social media since the public’s votes play a part in who is sent home and who’s allowed to continue. Twitter and Reddit are the sites we’d start with first.

American Idol FAQ

How does the voting work on American Idol?

The public votes for who they think should move on and, eventually, win the show. Voting opens when the show airs. You can vote online, using the American Idol app, or via text.

You can cast as many as ten votes per method, which gives you up to 30 votes each week. You must be at least 13 years old and live in the US.

Who is the most successful American Idol?

Probably Carrie Underwood. She has sold 16,843,000 albums, whereas Kelly Clarkson has sold 14,351,250 albums. They’re both the two wealthiest American Idol winners, too.

The most successful American Idol non-winner or runner up is Clay Aiken. He has sold a little more than 5 million albums and has an estimated net worth of $7 million.

What are some American Idol betting tips?

First, try using some of the trends we shared above. Then, try the following tips.

  • Compare odds. You can make a significant amount of money by simply finding the sportsbook with the best betting odds.
  • Watch the show. The performers who have great shows and connect with the audience tend to go farther than those that don’t.
  • Claim a deposit bonus. You can freeroll your American Idol bets to see if you enjoy betting on the show and to test some strategies.
  • Learn how to spot value. If you know that men win the show nearly 70% of the time, but a betting site has men priced way lower, that’s extra value you can pick up.

These tips are generic sports betting tips, but they still apply to entertainment betting. Understanding the fundamentals can take you far.

If you want to go hardcore, you can do what this guy did.

Is it legal to bet on American Idol online?

If it’s legal for you to bet on sports online, then it’s legal for you to bet on American Idol.

It’s all the same as far as betting online goes.

Place Bets on American Idol

People love American Idol. They couldn’t stand to see it off the air, so ABC decided to revive it in 2018. This is great news for fans, but also bettors who love to bet on American Idol online.

But don’t take this opportunity for granted. They canceled the show once. You never know when they’ll decide to cancel it again. So, hop on the wagon and start placing your American Idol bets today.

The first step to getting started is to join a quality betting site. The sites we endorse on this page are where we recommend you start. These are the best American Idol betting sites.

Don’t wait, get started now! Join one of our recommended betting sites now and follow our tips for betting on American Idol from above, and there’s a good chance you’ll make a little extra money this season.

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Kevin
Roberts
Content Editor
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Kevin Roberts, previously published under the pseudonym Noah Davis, is one of the more diverse writers at GamblingSites.com. Like many of his colleagues, he's a huge fan of both football and basketball. But he also writes about box office records, TV show prop bets, DFS, and all kinds of other subjects. When it comes to the NFL, Kevin's favorite team is the Green Bay Packers. He enjoys cheering them on with his wife and daughter.