James Leyfield is a freelance betting, sport and entertainment writer. He has worked for a number of national publications, including MailOnline, The Sun, and the Daily Mirror, and has experience writing tips for sports and celebrity events.
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Amid the terrifying wildfires, Hollywood has responded by delaying the 2025 Academy Awards nominations from January 17 to January 19, and they've since been moved again to January 23.
While the Academy is determined to still house this year's Oscars in Hollywood, insisting the event will "bring a sense of healing to our global film community," if things worsen between now and March 2, a change of venue might be required.
If the Oscars do move away from LA this year, Las Vegas is the early frontrunner to host the 2025 Academy Awards.
Oscars 2025 Alternative Locations Odds
Venue
Odds
Probability
Sphere (Las Vegas)
+138
42.1%
The MGM Grand (Las Vegas)
+188
34.8%
Madison Square Garden (New York)
+200
33.3%
Caesars Palace (Las Vegas)
+300
25%
Prudential Center (New Jersey)
+350
22.2%
UBS Arena (New York)
+400
20%
Bridgestone Arena (Nashville)
+500
16.7%
The Exploratorium (San Francisco)
+600
14.3%
Barclays Center (New York)
+800
11.1%
The Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix)
+1000
9.1%
Oscars In The Sphere
The Las Vegas Sphere is one of the most talked about venues in recent times due to its immersive video and audio capabilities, which include a mesmerizing 160,000-square-foot wraparound LED display around the interior of the venue.
It certainly looks the part, and where better to house Hollywood's finest than the Sphere (if not at the Dolby Theater)?
The venue is the early +138 favorite to be the setting for the 97th Academy Awards, which Conan O'Brien will host, but it could face competition from some other Sin City arenas.
The MGM Grand (+188) is second-favorite and has plenty of awards show pedigree.
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The Big Apple To Step In?
Should the Academy decide to move the Oscars this year and fancy a switch to the east side of America, then a New York venue will likely be a big runner.
Step forward, Madison Square Garden.
The multi-purpose indoor arena is no stranger to star-studded spectacles after hosting the Grammy Awards on four occasions, most recently in 2018, as well as the Latin Grammy Awards.
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The Garden, as it is affectionately known, is +200 to house this year's Oscars ceremony, but the arena could face competition just 11 miles down the road.
New York's Prudential Center (+350) is also thought to be in contention after the venue featured the MTV Video Music Awards in 2023 and 2022.
The UBS Arena, on New York's Long Island, took over VMAs hosting duties last year, and, at +500, the Big Apple venue is another runner to be the setting for this year's Oscars.
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Low-Key Oscars Venue
Given the circumstances, the Academy might choose to move away from the bright lights of Vegas and New York.
Oscars bosses may be searching for a more low-key venue to evoke the ceremony's 2021 location in Los Angeles' Union Station.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco's The Exploratorium (+600) or Phoenix's The Phoenix Art Museum (+1000) could be just what they're looking for.
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However, Kramer and Yang said they wanted to honor "our frontline workers who have aided with the fires" during the ceremony, so they might need a large alternative venue after all.
If so, the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee—which hosts the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards annually—could have an outside chance at +500.
*Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts. Track the latest Oscar betting sites and odds with Gambling.com.
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