Who Will Win American Idol Now that it's Down to 8?
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American Idol was due to reduce the contestants down to the Top 7 on Monday night - but judge Katy Perry stepped in to save one lucky wannabe.
Following the public vote, Oliver Steele, Marybeth Byrd and Tyson Venegas landed in the bottom three, but Perry rescued Steele from elimination, meaning there is now a Top 8 who advance to this Sunday night's episode.
But Perry won't be there to do the same again on Sunday, as she and fellow judge Lionel Richie will head across the pond to perform at the coronation of King Charles III.
As a result of the two U.S. stars playing at the UK-based spectacle, British singer Ed Sheeran and Canadian-born star Alanis Morissette will take their places as guest judges on Sunday night. Isn't it ironic? As Morissette might say.
Both Sheeran and Morissette will also perform live on the American Idol stage.
This Monday's episode saw the return of the Judge’s Song Contest, in which the three judges, Perry, Richie and Luke Bryan, all suggested tunes for the contestants to perform.
After Steele's last-minute save on Monday night's episode, just two acts were eliminated, but market leader Iam Tongi has tightened his grip at the top of the betting.
With these hypothetical odds provided by industry sports betting experts, we have looked into which contestants might have what it takes to be crowned this year's American Idol champion.
Tongi's American Idol Odds Cut
Another week on American Idol brought another superb performance from Tongi, who sang the aptly-titled "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
The 18-year-old Hawaii native is no doubt thinking it is indeed a wonderful world, after yet more positive remarks from the judges, with Richie describing him as a "phenomenon" and Perry failing to hide the fact she thinks he will win the current season.
She told Tongi: "When you win American Idol, will you please just sing "More Than Words" for me?"
As a result, Tongi is now +100 to triumph in season 23, with a 50% implied probability, narrowly ahead of Wé Ani.
Ani's odds have been shortened to +200, from last week's +300, after wowing the judges with a rousing rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing."
Bryan chose the song and admitted he was "so proud" of Ani's performance.
Venegas was the third favorite to win the show last week, but after a shock exit, Zachariah Smith has taken over the position at +300 after a strong delivery of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive."
Perry served up yet more superlatives, insisting the audience hadn't screamed louder for anyone else this season apart from favorite Tongi.
Danielle Makes American Idol Odds Leap
Megan Danielle is now up to +400 fourth favorite after an emotional performance of Vince Gil's "Go Rest High On That Mountain."
Richie described her rendition as "unbelievable," and he also had plenty of praise for +500 fifth favorite Haven Madison, whose price has more than halved in the past week.
Madison sang "The Only Exception" by Paramore, and Richie said afterward: "You are now in control of your entire career. You’ve got that it thing going for you."
Last week, both Nutsa and Lucy Love were saved by the judges as they advanced to the Top 12, but the pair were both eliminated at the end of Sunday's episode, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night.
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Tough For Stough On American Idol
Colin Stough remains an outsider to win this year's competition, but after progressing to the last eight, he is now into +600 for victory, from +800 last week.
But Stough could take heart from the fact he has an Idol win of sorts to his name after Monday's episode because Perry won the Judge’s Song Contest for picking "It’s Been Awhile" by Staind for Stough to sing.
Warren Peay continues to outdo his odds and remains in the competition, but the star remains +800 to win this year's series.
After his last-gasp judges save, Steele is now at the bottom of the betting market at +1000, a drop from his +750 odds last week, despite advancing to the Top 8.
Despite this, Steele can take plenty of heart from the judges' confidence in him, with Perry describing his performance of "High and Dry" by Radiohead as "so angelic" and Bryan calling him a "vibe."
Next week, the Top 8 will be whittled down to the Top 5.
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