Betting on the Mercury Prize

Do you enjoy listening to new music and keeping your thumb on the pulse of the UK music industry? Then, you might want to bet on the Mercury Prize Award.

Our guide will help you get started. One of the things we’re going to help you do is find the best Mercury Prize betting sites that you can join.

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Our guide to betting on the Mercury Prize also explains how to bet online for real money, in case this is your first time. We also explain how to start betting online in case this is your first time. But don’t worry, there aren’t many steps. None of the steps are difficult either.

Once you have a betting account with some money in it, you’ll be ready to start placing your bets. But which artist or group do you bet on? Our Mercury Prize betting tips will point you in the right direction.

The whole point of this guide is to get you up and running as quickly as possible. And if that sounds good to you, then read on!

Best Mercury Prize Betting Sites

The Mercury Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. It was established as an alternative to the Brit Awards.

What’s unique about the Mercury Music Prize is that the focus is more on indie artists and groups. You don’t see nearly as many popular artists nominated compared to other music awards.

The Mercury Prize nominee shortlist is usually announced in September (but sometimes earlier) and the winner is awarded the following October.

Our top-rated Mercury Prize betting sites all offer odds on who will win, and often have related betting markets, too.

The next section will show you how to get started.

How to Bet on the Mercury Prize Online

It’s easy to bet on the Mercury Prize online. There are only four steps you need to follow. We outline them all below for you.

Join a Mercury Prize Betting Site

Your first task is to join a betting site that offers Mercury Prize odds. Not every betting site does. But it’s also important that you ensure that the betting site you join is safe, fair, and reputable.

You can try to find a site on your own. Or you can join one of the top Mercury Prize betting sites we recommend.

The choice is yours. But get this part right, and it’s hard to go wrong betting online.

Sign up and Fund Your Account

Creating an online betting account is simple. Give the betting site the information they ask for—your name, email, physical address, date of birth, etc. then confirm your account via email.

The next step is to fund your account so that you can make real money wagers. Most gambling sites accept a variety of payment methods. These are the most common.

  • Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
  • Money transfers (MoneyGram, Western Union)
  • Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum)
  • Bank wires
  • E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, Neteller)

Most deposits clear in minutes, but it depends on the banking method you use.

Claim a Deposit Bonus

When you make your deposit, you’ll have the option to claim a deposit bonus. This is a great way to add some money to your bankroll. Think of it as a way to bet on the Mercury Prize awards for free.

Every online betting site handles this differently. Sometimes you check a box or enter a code when you make a deposit. Other sites ask you to email them. Make sure to read our reviews or their terms and conditions to be sure. You can also send them an email.

Place Your Bets

It’s time to place your wagers. Most betting sites are only going to offer a straight bet on the Mercury Prize. Here’s an example of what Mercury Prize betting odds look like.

Artist Odds
Michael Kiwanuka 7/4
Kano 11/2
Stormzy 11/2
Charli xcx 13/2
Moses Boyd 8/1
Laura Marling 8/1
Dua Lipa 10/1
Georgia 12/1
Anna Meredith 20/1
Porridge Radio 25/1
Lanterns on the Lake 25/1

Keep in mind that the odds, bets you can make, and Mercury Prize betting markets will vary. Betting on the Mercury Prize online offers a different experience at different sites.

Choosing the Top Mercury Prize Betting Sites

We just showed you how to bet on the Mercury Prize online. The first step we gave you is to join a high-quality betting site. The “high-quality” part is important. Don’t ignore this.

Think about it this way, are deposit bonuses, rebates, and great odds any good if the betting site steals from you?

This doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.

Thankfully, you can avoid this. All you have to do is join the right betting site.

It takes experience to know the good sites from the bad. And this experience requires time and money to accumulate. You can accumulate this experience on your own but why not piggyback off the work of others (like us) so that you can find a safe and reputable betting site fast?

All the Mercury Prize betting sites we endorse have a gambling license and great reputation. They also have the following traits in common.

  • Competitive odds – You’re not going to find many betting options. Most sites offer a straight bet. You still want to make sure you’re getting the best price, though.
  • Minimal limits – Most sportsbook have limits on how much money you can bet on entertainment markets (like the Mercury Prize or other awards or TV shows). They also limit how much you can win and cash out. We prefer to endorse betting sites with minimal limits.
  • Bonuses –You’re going to bet anyway, so why not earn extra money while you’re at it. A welcome bonus is a great way to do that. The betting sites we endorse have competitive matches and playthrough requirements.
  • Customer Support – You shouldn’t spend hundreds or thousands of dollars with any business that doesn’t have quality customer support. That’s why we only recommend Mercury Prize award betting sites that offer support through multiple channels (email, phone, live chat, etc.), respond quickly, and can help you solve your problems.

Most online sportsbooks and bookmakers have quality betting platforms and mobile apps. Most have banking options that anyone (including Americans) can use. Most have basic features like choosing the odds you bet in. You don’t have to worry about this stuff.

If you can find a betting site that ticks the boxes above, and is safe and reputable, then you’re in great shape.

Find a site like this and you’ll know you’re betting at one of the best Mercury Prize betting sites online.

Tips for Betting on the Mercury Prize

Betting on TV shows, award shows, and other entertainment betting markets is tough. The shows, artists, and competitors change every year. It’s tough to spot patterns.

With that said, we have a few tips that might help you make more money while betting on the Mercury Prize. Try them out and see if they work for you.

Keep Tabs on the Industry

Many of the artists qualify on their debut album. So, you need to have some insider knowledge of the UK music scene. You need to learn who the new artists are, and you should listen to their music.

You need to know what’s going on in the UK music industry as a whole.

Bet on the Unknowns

The Mercury Prize focuses on unknown artists and indie bands. While you will see artists or bands such as Radiohead, Gorillaz, Adele, and Coldplay receive nominations, they’re the exception and not the rule.

Instead, the Mercury Prize nominates lesser known UK artists such as the Arctic Monkeys, King Krule, Lily Allen, Dua Lipa, and Moses Boyd.

The Mercury Prize focuses on the music they think is the most unique or interesting.

Only One Artist Has Multiple Wins

There are many artists that have multiple nominations—Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, Adele, alt-J, Florence and the Machine, etc. But only one artist has won a Mercury Prize award twice. It’s PJ Harvey.

We’d be less likely to bank on an artist winning more than once unless we found killer odds and had a great reason to bet on it.

Multiple Nominations

Another potential opportunity is betting on artists that have had multiple nominations. PJ Harvey has had four nominations and two wins, while Radiohead, Adele, Laura Marling, Bat for Lashes, and many more have multiple nominations and zero wins.

If you can find these artists at a good price and think they have a decent chance of winning, it could be just a matter of time before they do. And those are just a few tips that might help you make more profitable bets on the Mercury Prize Award.

Ultimately, nothing will beat having experience. If you enjoy new music and staying on top of the music industry in the UK, that’s a huge edge you shouldn’t ignore.

Mercury Prize Betting FAQ

Is it legal to bet on the Mercury Prize for real money ?
AYou need to ensure it’s legal in your jurisdiction to bet. We have information that can help you figure that out. A good rule of thumb is that if you can bet on sports, you can bet on the Mercury Prize.
What types of Mercury Prize bets can you make?
AThe most common is a bet on which artist will win the Mercury Prize. You might also be able to find props or futures at the top sites for betting on the Mercury Prize.
Can you win money betting on the Mercury Prize?
AYes, you can. But you need to find markets with good odds. It helps to have experience too, so that you can spot bets that have value.
How many winners does the Mercury Prize have?
AThere is only one winner of the Mercury Prize each year.
How often can I bet the Mercury Prize?
AYou can bet on the Mercury Prize every year. This page gives you everything you need to do it, including a list of the best Mercury Prize betting sites.
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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.