Semi-final one qualifiers: Poll predictions and odds round-up

The first semi-final will take place tonight and the Wiener Stadthalle is already filling with tension and anticipation. There have been many polls and surveys held in the past few weeks, all giving clues as to which songs may or may not qualify for the grand final. Let’s take a look at the popular picks, ranging from music unprofessionals to betting pros.

Wiwi Jury

The Wiwi Jury – our in-house panel of music unprofessionals – travelled around Europe (and Australia) and assessed this year’s songs. When we look at just the entries from semi-final one, jury winner Estonia remains on top, followed by the high scoring songs from Belgium and Albania. Down the other end, Finland’s song least impressed jury members.

1. Estonia (8.50)
4. Belgium (8.31)
9. Albania (8.02)
11. Georgia (7.67)
15. Armenia (7.19)
16. Russia (7.06)
18. Netherlands (6.65)
20. Belarus (6.52)
22. FYR Macedonia (6.26)
23. Romania (6.13)
25. Serbia (6.0)
31. Greece (5.43)
32. Hungary (4.83)
35. Denmark (4.61)
38. Moldova (3.89)
40. Finland (2.13)

Wiwibloggs readers poll

We asked y’all who your favourites were and the poll showed Albania was the top favourite, with Belgium, Russia and Estona closely following. Down the bottom, you did not find Moldova’s hot cops to be arresting.

1. Albania 16.3%
2. Belgium 15.53%
3. Russia 15.2%
4. Estonia 14.99%
5. Georgia 12.17%
6. Armenia 7.55%
7. Greece 3.07%
8. Romania 2.73%
9. Netherlands 2.62%
10. Serbia 2.53%
11. Belarus 2.35%
12. FYR Macedonia 1.44%
13. Denmark 1.06%
14. Hungary 0.92%
15. Finland 0.8%
16. Moldova 0.74%

Betting odds

The bookies’ favourites to qualify from the first semi-final sees Russia as the favourite. Strangely enough while Finland is not amongst the top 10 qualifiers, in the odds to win the grand final Finland is currently the sixth favourite.

1. Russia
2. Estonia
3. Romania
4. Greece
5. Georgia
6. Armenia
7. Belgium
8. Albania
9. Belarus
10. Hungary
11. Denmark
12. Finland
13. FYR Macedonia
14. Serbia
15. Moldova
16. Netherlands

OGAE poll

Estonia didn’t top the poll of OGAE members, but it did top the list of semi-final one competitors. Belgium was the only other song from semi one in the OGAE top 10, and FYR Macedonia got more love from OGAE than in other polls. At the other end, five songs didn’t make much of an impact and scored nil points.

3. Estonia – 274 points
10. Belgium – 77 points
11. Russia – 74 points
12. Albania – 37 points
16. Serbia – 19 points
17. Netherlands – 17 points
19. Romania – 14 points
21. FYR Macedonia – 9 points
22. Greece – 8 points
23. Georgia – 7 points
24. Belarus – 2 points
26. Armenia – 0 points
26. Denmark – 0 points
26. Finland – 0 points
26. Hungary – 0 points
26. Moldova – 0 points

Press centre voting

The assembled media in the Wiener Stadthalle, who have been intensely scrutinising the semi-final rehearsals, have a poll to vote on their favourites. The last time we checked, Estonia was leading the tally, with Russia a close second.

1. Estonia – 422
2. Russia – 416
3. Belgium – 384
4. Greece – 353
5. Georgia – 347
6. Serbia – 337
7. Romania – 323
8. Netherlands – 296
9. Denmark – 286
10. Armenia – 285
11. Albania
12. Moldova
13. Belarus
14. Hungary
15. Finland
16. FYR Macedonia

The favourites

So who are the popular countries? When we look at the top 10 of each list, Belgium, Estonia, Georgia, Romania and Russia feature on all five lists. Albania, Armenia, Greece and the Netherlands are found on four. Serbia is on three, Belarus and FYR Macedonia are on two, while Denmark and Hungary each only appear on one list. Is this an indication of the popularity of these songs and the likelihood they’ll qualify?

What do you think of these picks? Who do you think will qualify from semi-final one? Share your lists below!