Latest news with #Eurovison
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Which bookies are offering Free Bets ahead of the Eurovison Song Contest 2025?
The 26 acts take to the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest and plenty of bookies are getting in on the action too. Here's a selection of free bets offers ahead of the competition The Eurovision Song Contest is undeniably one of the most anticipated spectacles each year in the music scene. As 26 countries gear up for the 69th edition in Switzerland, many are wondering about the possibility of placing bets on this vibrant singing competition. Sweden stands as a strong contender this year, with pop group KAJ aiming to clinch another win for the nation, potentially marking their second victory in just three years. Their success would echo the achievements of iconic acts like ABBA and Loreen. Representing the United Kingdom at St Jakobshalle in Basel is Remember Monday, performing their intriguing entry "What the Hell Just Happened?" With such a captivating title, it's sure to stir up plenty of excitement among fans. Eurovision never fails to deliver its share of drama and thrills throughout the night. For those interested in adding an extra layer of excitement to the evening, betting on Eurovision is indeed possible. Bookmakers offer various odds and options for punters eager to stake their predictions on who will take home the coveted trophy. As we eagerly await the start of this year's contest, which will be broadcast live on BBC One from 8pm BST, there's no denying that Eurovision promises an unforgettable night filled with music, surprises, and perhaps a few unexpected twists. Here are a selected number of free bets offers: New Customer Eurovison Free Bet Offers Sky Bet - Place Any Bet on Eurovision Here is your guide on how to make the most out of this offer with Sky Bet: Click this link which will take you to the Sky Bet sign up page. Register your account and place a minimum deposit of £5 Sign up via the '£40 in free bets when you place any bet' promotion and place a minimum of 5p on your first bet on a single or each way bet on any Sky Bet market at odds of 1/1 or greater Free bets will be credited within 72 hours of qualified bet being settled Enjoy four £10 free bet tokens with Sky Bet - will expire after 30 days if left unused NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. FIRST SINGLE & E/W BET ONLY. ODDS OF 1/1 OR GREATER. 4 X £10 BET TOKENS. FREE BET STAKES NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BETS ARE NON WITHDRAWABLE. FREE BETS EXPIRE AFTER 30 DAYS. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&CS APPLY. 18+. Paddy Power - Bet £5 on Eurovision Get £30 free bets Here is how you can claim £30 in free bets ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest: Step 1: Use the links on this page to sign up for your new Paddy Power account to activate your offer. Step 2: During registration, enter the personal details requested such as your name, address, email, phone number and more. Step 3: In the promo code box, enter YSKARZ to redeem the bonus. Step 4: Deposit a minimum of £5 into your Paddy Power wallet using bank cards only - remember other methods including Apple Pay, Skrill, Paysafe, PayPal, and Neteller won't qualify. Step 5: Once confirmed, you can look through the different markets and place a first bet of £5 or more at odds of evens - 1/1 (2.0) or higher. New Customer offer YSKARZ. Place a min £5 bet on the sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and get £20 in free bets. Free bet rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Debit Cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this offer. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly Paddy's Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. T&Cs apply. Betfred - Bet £10 on the Eurovision Song Contest and Here is how you can claim this Betfred offer: Click this link which will take you to the Betfred sign up page. Here you will claim your bet £10, get £50 bonus Complete your Betfred registration using code BETFRED50 and prepare to make your first deposit Make your first deposit of £10 or more Bet £10 on football this weekend (Min odds. EVS or bigger) Get £50 in free bets even if your first bet goes on to lose New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Coral - Bet £5 on the Eurovision Song Contest and Here is our step-by-step guide to claim £20 in free bets with Coral: Click this link which will take you to the Coral sign-up page Register your account and deposit minimum £5 into your account with 7 days of registration Place a £5 bet at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater on any day one race at Cheltenham Festival including the Champion Hurdle Enjoy £20 in free bets when the qualifying bet settles 18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Betfair - Bet £10 on the Eurovision Song Contest and get £50 in free bets Click this link which will take you to the Betfair sign up page. Register your account and use promo code ZSKAOG Place a minimum deposit of £10 using a Debit card or Apple Pay Place a qualifying bet of £10 at odds of at least 1/1 (2.00) on the Betfair Sportsbook Receive £50 Sportsbook free bet builders, accumulators or multiples will be awarded after the qualifying bet has been settled Place a min £10 bet on Sportsbook on odds of min EVS (2.0), get £50 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or multiples to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via cards or Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. William Hill - Bet £10 on the Eurovision Song Contest and Get £60 in bonuses Here is how you can get involved in this William Hill offer during Eurovision: Click this link which will take you to the William Hill sign-up page Choose the Sports Welcome Offer Register your account and deposit minimum £10 into your account with 7 days of registration Place a £10 bet at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on any FA Cup Final market Enjoy £60 in free bets 18+. Play Safe. New players using T60 code. Online only. Get £60 bonus split as follows: (i) Deposit £10. Get a £20 Vegas Bonus on selected games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); '(ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, get 4x£10 sports free bets (valid 7 days, excl. virtual sports). Payment & country restrictions & full T&Cs apply. LiveScore Bet - Bet £10 on the Eurovision Song Contest and Get £30 free bets Here is how you can join LiveScore Bet and enjoy £30 in free bets ahead of Eurovision: Click this link which will take you to the LiveScore Bet sign-up page Register your account and deposit minimum £10 into your account within 14 days of registration Place a £10 bet at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater than on selected sportsbook markets Accept the free bets via a pop-up notification within seven days of qualifying Enjoy £30 in free bets when the qualifying bet settles *New members only. Any new account registration or bets settled on 5 April 2025 are not eligible for this Welcome Offer. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. 18+ More Free Bets offers Be sure to look at the Mirror Betting Hub's Free Bets page where you have all the latest free bets offers from the biggest online bookmakers and more. More than 30 bookies have new customer offers which will be catered for every sporting event whether that is horse racing, football, darts, tennis and more. Gamble responsibly Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too. We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit
Irish Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Netflix streaming Eurovision film fans 'could watch over and over'
The Eurovision Song Contest's Grand Final is all set to be a showstopper, with 26 acts duking it out for the top spot, and die-hard fans are gearing up for the thrilling night ahead. This month, 37 countries have been flaunting their finest talents, and everything comes to a head tonight (17th May) at 8pm, broadcasting live on BBC One and iPlayer. But before viewers settle in for the evening's festivities, they've declared 'the only correct way' to gear up for the event. Eager fans have taken to X, previously known as Twitter, one fan enthusiastically wrote: "Starting #Eurovison weekend the ONLY correct way - watching Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga." The acclaimed 2020 flick, The Story of Fire Saga, is a musical rom-com featuring Hollywood A-listers Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. Loosely inspired by the iconic competition, the movie tells the tale of life-long pals Lars Erickssong (Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (McAdams), who together form the music group 'Fire Saga,' reports the Express. Despite typically entertaining their small Icelandic town's locals, the pair aspire to reign supreme at Eurovision. When an unfortunate twist of fate eliminates Iceland's other contenders, Fire Saga find themselves unexpectedly chosen to carry their nation's hopes. Seen as the dark horses of the competition, the duo is challenged to showcase their worth and make their homeland proud. For anyone looking to get into the Eurovision spirit before tonight's grand finale, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is available for streaming on Netflix now. The musical hit the ground running upon its release, swiftly bagging a Best Original Song nomination at the 93rd Academy Awards. The track 'Husavik' has been a streaming sensation, amassing over 62 million plays on Spotify and another 22 million views for its official music video on YouTube. Audiences have been singing the comedy's praises since it first hit screens. One Rotten Tomatoes user raved: "This movie is hilarious and well-acted, with a spot-on soundtrack. I could watch it over and over and still find it just as funny. The music is fantastic, and the scenery is stunning." Another enthusiast shared their adoration online, writing: "As a movie buff of many years, I write this with great thought but it is one of my favourite movies of all time. A sweet story, amazing music true to the real life Eurovision style and great acting and cameo appearances. In short a real joy to watch, kick back popcorn ready and leave feeling great!" On social media, the film was hailed by a cinephile as "one of the best movies of the last several years," who added: "What a feel good film. I've watched it a few times now, and it just keeps getting better. We need this movie. Bring on a sequel." Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is streaming now on Netflix.
Local France
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Local France
5 things to know about Louane, Maman and France's 2025 Eurovision hopes
Singer Louane - who has had a career in both acting and music since winning the French version of The Voice in 2013 - gave the first public performance of the song on Saturday night at the Stade de France, at half-time in the France v Scotland rugby match. Here's five things to know about the song, and France's contest hopes this year; She doesn't suffer from vertigo Louane (born Anne Edwige Maria Peichert) gave a spectacular performance at the Stade de France, singing on a platform suspended 14 metres above the pitch. She was accompanied by violinists and a full military band, and her vocals soared over the 80,000 capacity stadium. As a reality TV veteran, Louane should have no issues with singing live at the contest in Basel, Switzerland, in May. However France's Eurovision delegation has said that the staging in Switzerland will be "very different" - Eurovison rules allow a maximum of six people on stage per country, so she will have to dispense with the marching band, for a start. Advertisement It's a ballad Eurovision is known for its wacky entries which have over the years included singing grannies, a singing gorilla (or a man in a gorilla costume at least) a man in a giant hamster wheel, a piano on fire and much, and many more. By these standards, Louane is quite tame; she's singing a ballad called Maman and it's about her mother - who she lost when she was young - and her young daughter. The chorus goes; Maman, maman, maman J'ai trouvé l'amour Indélébile Tu sais, le vrai « toujours » Même quand le temps file Quand il me tient la main J'ai plus peur de rien Et ça m'fait comme avant Quand toi, tu m'tenais la main That translates as; Mama, mama, mama I've found love Indelible You know, the real 'forever' Even when time flies When he holds my hand I'm afraid of nothing It feels like it used to When you held my hand It's beautiful, classic and very French sounding. It may, however, struggle to stand out among some of the more flashy entries. It's in French To the surprise of precisely no-one, France's entry is sung entirely in French (although having said that, France did send a Breton language entry in 2022). What is more of a surprise, is that it's just one of five songs in French - Francophone Luxembourg and partially-Francophone Switzerland have sent French-language entries. Even more surprisingly, perhaps, the Netherlands and Israel have both sent songs that are partially in French - in the case of the Netherlands, singer Claude Kiambe is Dutch-Congolese, spending the first part of his childhood in the French-speaking Democratic Republic of Congo. Advertisement His song - C'est la Vie - is a mix of French and English, characteristic of his work. There's even a couple of lines of French in Australia's anglophone entry Milkshake Man. In fact, this year is a strikingly non-anglophone contest. Originally countries were required to send songs sung in one of the official languages of their country - and in those days France did quite well, winning the contest several times. However since 1999 artists have been allowed to sing in any language they choose and English has become a lot more prevalent. It's become accepted wisdom that non-English songs never win, although in fact in recent years Italy and Ukraine have both won with non-English language songs. This year almost half of the entries are in languages other than English. It will be in the final France is guaranteed a place in the final of the contest on May 17th - the country is one of the 'big five' that provide most of the funding for Eurovison and therefore get an automatic place in the final. The others are the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. The host country - this year Switzerland - also goes straight through to the final. We can also count on hearing some French spoken during the contest, because French is one of the two official languages of Eurovison (the other being English) which means that presenters are obliged to speak some French, such as announcing the dreaded "nul points" for the worst entries (something that the UK specialises in). It might win Although France hasn't won Eurovision since 1977 it has been getting some better results in recent years - it was fourth last year and reached the second place spot in 2021. The bookies currently have Louane in third place, behind perpetual contest powerhouses Sweden and Austria. The country that wins gets to host the following year, so we could see Louane return to the Stade de France if everything goes her way.
New European
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New European
Caught in a Eurovision controversy
Eurovison's slogan is United By Music. Given that an estimated 163 million people watched the 2024 broadcast, it seems fair enough. This year's contest, in Basel in mid-May, will mark 70 years since the European Broadcasting Union set up the committee that devised the song contest, intending it to promote cultural understanding and peaceful cooperation in a continent still recovering from the destruction and animosities of WWII. Yet among the harmony, there can be discord. Just ask Chris Harms. Harms, singer with Hamburg goth/metal rockers Lord of the Lost, knows what it is like to be caught up in a Eurovision controversy. While overtly political songs or nationalistic statements have been banned from the start, rows have still managed to erupt over Israel (which joined the EBU in 1973), over the Balkan conflict, over a border dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan and more recently over Ukraine and Russia. The Lost of Germany reacts during the voting following performances of the final of the Eurovision Song contest 2023. Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images Harms's band, who will tour the UK later in the year, were the German entry in 2023. That was the year Liverpool played host on behalf of Ukraine, who had won the previous year but were unable to stage it at home in the wake of the invasion, for which Russia was banned. Even for a seasoned musician who says he had 'played 1,000 shows before that already, been on tours in more than 40 countries' the experience was a blur. 'I still feel like I haven't really processed all of it,' he tells me, 'because it was one of the most intense times in our career.' Harms, who recently released a surprisingly different solo album, 1980, talks about the numbers – hundreds of interviews over two weeks on Merseyside, 55 seconds for the changeover between acts, 100 people rushing on and off stage at a time and 20 cameras recording it all. But what he can't avoid is what happened to Lord of the Lost and their song, Blood & Glitter. It all started, he says, with the Grand Final Flag Parade, first introduced in 2013, in which the competitors walk out on stage one after the other, holding their national colours. At the 2023 contest, waving flags was never likely to be a completely neutral gesture, and the fervently anti-nationalist Lord of the Lost's solution was not to carry one at all. Harms says, 'We said in many interviews over the years, 'you will never see us going somewhere waving our national flag'. We thought that running around with this sheet would just look stupid. I totally despise nationalism in general. Germany Entry Lord of the Lost performs on stage during The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Grand Final. Photo:'I myself am very happy that I was born here, I feel very privileged, but I cannot be proud at being German. There are so many people waving the flag for the wrong reasons. The people you usually see on the street waving the flag are the people you don't wanna see wave any flag. 'Then for the [official Eurovision] TikTok reel where everybody was waving their flag, we said, 'We can wave the St Pauli flag from our football team, because it's the skull and bones, it looks beautiful, we can wave the white flag for peace, you know, or a pride flag'. They said 'Yeah, we have a pride flag', so we did that.'' Lord of the Lost had enjoyed a good fortnight in Liverpool – visiting a local school to play music with pupils and answer questions, and doing an acoustic show at the Cavern Club – but this was the start of a bad night. When the final votes were counted, Sweden's Loreen was top with 583 points. Germany were some way behind, with 18. They finished rock bottom, even beaten by the UK. What was to follow was even worse. While the band were accustomed to playing 50,000-seat stadiums supporting Iron Maiden, exposure to a live television audience of 167 million was in another category completely, gaining them a significant number of new fans worldwide, yet simultaneously exposing them to a whole new level of scrutiny and abuse, including death threats. 'After Eurovision,' says Chris, 'the amount of hate comments from German right wing people about the flag and stuff, it was so intense, we had to block them all, and I needed to clear my mind about that. It took me a while to understand that when someone writes something about you in a hate comment, it doesn't say anything about you but it says everything about these people.' Once the fury had died down, Lord of the Lost decided that there had been so many good things about their Eurovision week that they decided to travel to 2024 host city Malmö and perform a show of their own the night before the Grand Final. Echoing the belief of the competition's founders that music can be a unifying force, Chris states that the band would happily do it all over again. 'If you just go there because of the contest and you lose the sense of musicality and the art and the togetherness, it doesn't mean a thing,' he says. 'We would still enjoy it even if we'd go last again.' Chris Harms' solo album, 1980, is out now, and Lord of the Lost will tour the UK in October and November
