Game of Thrones will begin its eighth and last season on April 14. Who will die first, and who will rule Westeros when all is said and done?
Game of Thrones Betting Odds
One of the biggest shows in the history of television is about to end. Season 8 will be the final season for Game of Thrones on HBO; the season premiere will be broadcast on April 14, with the sixth and last episode airing May 19. Unlike many TV shows, Game of Thrones has yet to jump the shark, with viewership increasing steadily over the first seven seasons – the most recent of which earned nine Primetime Emmy Awards, making it a record 47 Emmys since the show’s debut in 2010.
With millions of fans tuning in, Game of Thrones betting has become a major event of its own. You can find Game of Thrones odds listed under the Entertainment section at Bodog Sportsbook, featuring these two key storylines:
WHO WILL RULE WESTEROS AT THE END OF SEASON 8?
In case you haven’t been keeping up with the story, Westeros is one of two fictional continents (Essos being the other) in the “Known World” created by George R. R. Martin for A Song of Ice and Fire, the series of novels on which Game of Thrones is based. The main storyline, which draws inspiration from the English civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487), centers around the Iron Throne, the seat of power for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Several clans have been fighting over the throne since the overthrow of the Targaryen dynasty.
At the end of Season 7, we learn that Jon Snow (portrayed by Kit Harington), who has become the most popular character in the series, is a Targaryen and the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne – the rebellion that caused the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty having been proved a sham. However, Snow is not the favourite to control the throne at the end of Season 8. Here are the top five favourites at press time:
Bran Stark +300
Jon Snow +350
Daenerys Targaryen +500
Sansa Stark +600
Gendry +700
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The Stark clan is one of the five Great Houses that controls territory in Westeros, and Bran Stark (played by Isaac Hempstead Wright) is the second son of Lord Ned Stark (Sean Bean), who was the central character of Game of Thrones in Season 1 – only to be forced from power and executed. Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) is Ned’s first daughter; Snow is originally believed to be Ned’s illegitimate son.
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) has become the other main character in Game of Thrones, alongside Snow, and has been trying with all her might to regain control of the Iron Throne. Daenerys and Snow hooked up near the end of Season 7, before it was discovered that she’s actually his aunt. Gendry (Joe Dempsie) is one of several illegitimate children fathered by King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy), who led the rebellion that overthrew the Targaryen clan.
The people behind Game of Thrones have done a good job overall of keeping the details of the story from leaking. There are some interesting fan theories about how things will play out; the most prominent is that Snow is the Prince Who Was Promised, and will end up killing Daenerys, thus fulfilling the legend that says the Prince must slay his one true love to save Westeros. Another theory has Gendry as the legitimate son of King Robert and not a bastard, which would give him claim to the Iron Throne instead.
WHO WILL DIE FIRST IN GAME OF THRONES SEASON 8?
There’s no shortage of gruesome deaths in Game of Thrones. Picking who will die first in each season has become tremendously popular, and this year’s top favorites all belong to the Greyjoy clan, which has been losing members left and right:
Euron Greyjoy +155
Yara Greyjoy +300
Theon Greyjoy +450
In addition to the standard “futures market” wager, you’ll find head-to-head Game of Thrones betting odds for which of two characters will die before the other. For example, Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) is listed at –220 to perish before Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), who’s available at +155. Theon is the more established character of the two and a natural choice to outlive Euron, but one of the main reasons Game of Thrones has been so successful in the first place is how the writers always manage to throw their audience for a loop – especially with the death of Ned Stark.
If you think you’ve figured out what’s in store for these characters, now’s the time to place your bets. Check out the Entertainment section at Bodog Sportsbook for the latest Game of Thrones odds, and don’t forget to tune in for the season premiere on April 14.