According to betting aggregate site US-Bookies.com, Joaquin Phoenix is the surest bet to win Best Actor for his role in Todd Phillips’ Joker at the 92nd annual Academy Awards. “Of the major categories, the odds seem to like Joaquin Phoenix the most,” US-Bookies betting industry analyst Alex Donohue explains. “His 1/16 odds to win Best Actor are the shortest of the top categories, and he also holds the biggest lead over the nearest competitor, who happens to be Adam Driver at 10/1. The rest of the actors in the category are 50/1 long shots to win.” Phoenix also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture, which is another pointer that he has a good shot at the Oscar.

Sam Mendes’ 1917 is currently the predicted choice for Best Picture, with Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and Joker following behind. Mendes is also at odds to win Best Director, although Parasite director Bong Joon-Ho is "not far behind". Renee Zellweger is poised to take home the award for Best Actress for her portrayal of fading starlet Judy Garland in Rupert Goold’s biopic Judy. 

The official US-Bookies news release also states that New Jersey will legally allow gambling on this year’s Oscars, the second time after nearly $750,000 was bet last year. So if you live in the Garden State and are feeling particularly inspired by Uncut Gems (which was snubbed, by the way), you’ll have the opportunity to place your bets on who you think will take home each prize.

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