How to Bet on the 2025 American Music Awards: Categories, Favourites & Long Shots

The American Music Awards (AMAs) are a highlight of the music calendar, celebrating the year’s most popular artists and albums based on fan votes. The 2025 ceremony, scheduled for May 26th in Las Vegas and hosted by Jennifer Lopez, marks a return after a hiatus and promises an exciting night for music enthusiasts and bettors alike. With nominations already announced, now is the time to consider your betting strategy.

Understanding AMA Betting: The Fan Factor

Crucially, the American Music Awards are decided by fan votes, making popular appeal and strong social media presence more influential than critical acclaim alone. Nominees are selected based on their performance in key fan interactions reflected on the Billboard charts, such as streaming, sales, radio airplay, and touring success. For 2025, most voting is now closed, though “Collaboration of the Year” and “Social Song of the Year” voting extends into the first 30 minutes of the live show. This fan-centric approach gives a clear edge to artists with highly engaged online followings.

Popular Betting Categories

While many categories are available, some attract more betting attention than others:

• Artist of the Year: This is the night’s biggest award, and for 2025, SZA is an early favourite according to some betting sites, though Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter are also strong contenders. Taylor Swift, the most awarded artist in AMA history, is also nominated.
• New Artist of the Year: Always a hotly contested category, this often highlights breakout stars. For 2025, first-time nominees like Chappell Roan and Shaboozey have made a strong showing with multiple nominations, including in this category.
• Collaboration of the Year: Reflecting the music industry’s trend for duets and group efforts, this category is always competitive. Voting for this award extends into the live show.
• Song of the Year: This award focuses on the biggest hits that have dominated the charts and airwaves. The 2025 nominees include tracks like “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar.
• Favourite Music Video: Recognising the visual artistry that accompanies popular songs.
• Genre-Specific Categories: Awards for Pop, Country, Hip-Hop, R&B, Latin, Rock, and more allow for specialised betting. For example, Beyoncé is nominated for Favourite Female Country Artist and Favourite Country Album for “Cowboy Carter”.

Identifying Potential Favourites

Spotting a favourite involves looking at several indicators:

• Chart Performance and Sales: Nominees are selected based on Billboard chart performance, so strong sales and streaming numbers are a primary indicator.
• Social Media Buzz & Fan Engagement: Given the fan-voted nature, an artist’s social media presence and the dedication of their fanbase are critical.
• Recent Media Exposure & Critical Acclaim: While fan votes are key, significant media attention and positive reviews can boost an artist’s profile.
• Past AMA Success: Artists who have previously performed well at the AMAs, like Taylor Swift, often remain popular with the voting base.
• Current Odds: Betting sites often reflect general sentiment. For 2025, Kendrick Lamar leads with 10 nominations, followed by Post Malone with eight, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey with seven each. SZA has been noted as a favourite for Artist of the Year by some oddsmakers.

Spotting the Long Shots (Value Bets)

While favourites often win, upsets can happen, and betting on a long shot can offer significant returns. Look for:

• Breakthrough Artists with Growing Momentum: Newer artists who have rapidly gained a dedicated following but may not yet be household names. First-time nominees like Doechii, Jelly Roll, and Tommy Richman could fall into this category for 2025.
• Artists with Critical Acclaim but Lower Mainstream Profile: Sometimes, a critically lauded artist can mobilise a strong enough niche fanbase to cause an upset.
• Genre Specialists: In less mainstream genre categories, a dominant artist within that specific field might be overlooked by general bettors but have a lock on the dedicated fanbase vote.
• Shifting Odds: Pay attention to how odds change as the awards approach; this can indicate growing support for a particular nominee.

How to Place Your Bets

Betting on the AMAs is similar to other entertainment betting:

• Find a Reputable Betting Site: Look for sites that offer entertainment or novelty betting markets. Ensure the site is trustworthy and offers competitive odds.
• Understand the Odds: Odds indicate the likelihood of an outcome and the potential payout. Higher odds mean a less likely outcome but a bigger reward if correct.
• Research is Key: Don’t just bet on your personal favourites. Analyse the nominees, their recent performance, fan engagement, and any expert predictions.
• Manage Your Bankroll: Set a budget for betting and stick to it. Gamble responsibly.
• Consider Different Bet Types: Most bets will be “straight wagers” (predicting the winner in a category). Some sites might offer prop bets related to performances or other non-award aspects of the show.

Betting on the American Music Awards adds an extra layer of excitement to the show. By understanding the fan-driven voting, researching the categories and nominees, and distinguishing between likely favourites and potential value long shots, you can make informed wagers and hopefully come out a winner.