Did you know that you can bet on the outcome of reality shows, annual music and movie awards, or even bet on presidential elections? These bets are available at pretty much every betting site now, and they’re called special or novelty bets. Find out more in our novelty betting guide, as we walk you through this exciting way to bet on non-sporting events.
What is Novelty Betting
Novelty, or specials betting as it’s more commonly known, is betting on non-sporting events. Or, as many prefer to say, it’s betting on absolutely any event across the globe.
That can really be anything that a bookmaker can gather data and create markets, depending on the outcome. In Specials/Novelty betting sections of betting sites, you’ll often find betting on awards and reality shows, betting on who will be the next president, and even weather betting.
Most bet types can be applied to these bets, too, so making novelty bets doesn’t differ much from betting on traditional sports. The only difference is that you’re not betting on the winner of a match, but on an awards show, for example.
How Novelty Betting Works
As we’ve already mentioned, there’s not much difference between sports and non-sports betting. To make special bets, you just need to follow these simple steps:
- Visit your favourite betting site and log in to your account.
- Find the Specials section in the sportsbook.
- Decide on the category and event you want to bet on.
- Select the betting market and add it to your betting slip.
- Enter a wager and confirm your bet.
Then, all you have to do is wait for the event to happen (or time to pass) to check whether your bet is a winner and, hopefully, collect your winnings. What’s different with novelty betting is that, sometimes, the bets can be time-sensitive. For example, whether a celebrity couple will get engaged by the end of the month. Not every novelty bet is an even with a clear date set in stone.
Other than that, really, it’s the same affair as with any other sports bets. Even the odds formats are the same, although depending on the chosen bookmaker, you might see the odds displayed in other formats. It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with different formats and learn how to understand the betting odds. You can use an odds calculator to help you understand the odds and conversions between different formats.
Tips & Strategies for Novelty Betting
A specific thing about novelty betting is that it can be more dynamic and unpredictable than traditional sports betting. It, obviously, depends on the type of event you’re betting on, so an awards show would be less risky than, say, betting on the outcome of the celebrity Big Brother.
Our biggest recommendation in this novelty betting guide is to familiarise yourself with the event you’re betting on. Check the news, social media, and online discussions. You may find some favourites early on if you’re attentive enough.
If it’s a long-form competition, betting on the outrights can net a very big payout, but it’s a risky choice. Depending on the betting site of your choice, you might be able to secure better odds when you make early bets, so even when your choice becomes a clear favourite, you still get a decent payout.
Speaking of odds - shop around. Look at the odds movement on several betting sites, find the markets you want to bet on, and take notes of trends. Also, check whether your preferred bookies impose stake or payout limits on novelty bets. It’s not common, but it may happen, as these bets tend to get wildly high odds.
Benefits and Risks of Novelty Betting
The main reason you’d place a novelty bet is that it’s simply a fun bet to make. Some of them are incredibly funny bets, too, like whether we’ll finally find out that aliens built the pyramids (spoiler alert: they didn’t). It’s the unusual and fun nature of novelty/special bets that makes them stand out from regular sports betting.
You also need to understand that novelty betting comes with a certain level of risk. Unlike football or basketball, the outcomes of these events aren’t usually determined by skill, but by other outside factors. This is especially true for anything involving voting, as people can change their opinions on a whim.
Types of Novelty Betting
Typically, these are the categories you’ll find at the novelty betting sites:
- Politics
- Awards
- TV Shows
- Music and Entertainment
- Global events
- Celebrity gossip
As for the types of bets you can make, it all depends on the event structure. For some, you may be able to place simple bets like the winner of an award, or the top finish if the event ranks the competitors in any way.
Long-form events like reality shows are great for outright betting, since they typically have weekly eliminations, so you’re making a long-shot bet. These can be very lucrative bets with massively high odds, but also volatile and risky.
You can, of course, combine multiple bets into accumulators/parlays, getting the acca booster along the way, or instead make each-way bets for a less risky approach to novelty betting.
The Best Prop Bets
Like the events you’ll find in the Specials/Novelty category of the betting sites, the bets you can make on these events are just as diverse and interesting. Pretty much anything that can happen during those events can be turned into a bet. While not all bookies offer prop bets for their specials, there are certain novelty betting markets you’ll find in most sportsbooks today.
Who Will Be the Next Pope
Papal elections are the biggest occasion in the Catholic world. A new Pope isn’t chosen very frequently; for example, before the current Pope Leo XIV was elected in 2025, Francis was the Pope for twelve years.
Betting on the next Pope, while arguably not a really Christian thing to do, is almost as big a thing as the Conclave itself. Bookies were taking bets on who would be the next Pope, his country of origin, as well as his chosen papal name.
Who will be the Next President of the United States
Political betting has always been a major part of the Specials betting categories in sportsbooks. In the United States, the president is elected every four years, and there is usually a lot of drama involved in the months prior to the election.
Since the country doesn’t have many political parties, betting on the American presidents has become attractive due to its simplicity. It also helps that the media regularly publishes predictions and statistics leading up to the United States presidential election, all of which help the punters who make these bets.
When will the End of the World Be
Betting on the end of the world is one of the sillier, but completely real bets you can make at certain bookies. The dark, humorous nature of these bets involves betting on the year our planet Earth or civilisation will end, as well as the way it’ll happen. Probably the ultimate long-shot bets you can make right now, but also the biggest money wasters, so we highly advise against wagering much on these.
What will be the New Royal Baby’s Name
The British royal family is under the public eye almost 24/7. When the Princesses Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi announced they’re expecting a child, the public immediately started speculating on the potential names for their baby.
Likewise, bookies released their own predictions and betting odds. For a while, it seemed like everyone was obsessed with the Royals and betting on them.
Who Will Be the Next James Bond
Entertainment betting has gotten huge at online sportsbooks. Annual award shows and competitions like the Oscars are ripe for betting. You can bet on the winner of the Voice competition or engage in equally exciting Eurovision betting.
But you can also bet on casting choices for the upcoming movies. The big question right now is - who will be playing James Bond in the next movie and succeed Daniel Craig as Agent 007? Fans are divided between Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, and Jacob Elordi, among many others, so the bookies are offering bets on this, too.
With no exact final date for the studio to decide on the next Bond, the odds are constantly changing, and it’s a side bet that can turn very lucrative in the end.
Super Bowl Prop Bets
The final match of the NFL, the Super Bowl, is already a big sporting event you can bet on. But, did you know that you can find Super Bowl prop bets on various events during, before, and after the match? These can be betting on the coin toss, who will cry during the national anthem, or the Gatorade colour (the winning team traditionally pours a gallon of Gatorade on their coach).
Even the half-time show is ripe for betting. Way before the program is announced, you can bet on the performers, but also the number of songs played, and other fun events that can occur during the entertainment part of the Super Bowl.
Wrapping Up the World of Novelty Betting
As you can see, novelty betting really took off as a fun way to enjoy various entertainment and global events. If you’re already following any competition, a TV show, or something else, chances are you’ll be able to find ways to bet on it. Not to mention being able to better predict the outcomes.
Making a novelty bet is the same as any other, except you’re picking the Specials category instead of sport. Granted, not every bookie promotes their novelty betting section, so chances are you won’t be able to use up your welcome bonus on these, or they won’t offer good odds.
Of course, don’t forget to manage your bankroll, especially if you choose to bet on a more dynamic, longer event like a reality show. Set aside a fixed amount of money you’ll bet with, avoid risky bets or betting by heart, and be sure to arm yourself with facts before you add anything to your betting slip.
And, of course, have some fun in the process!
