The Nobel Prizes are often viewed as the most prestigious awards bestowed upon people whose life work benefits mankind. Past winners include many notable physicists, chemists, writers, and even former presidents. Who is going to join the elite list in 2023?
I explore the betting odds of the bookmakers and share my Nobel Prizes 2023 predictions. I only cover the Peace and Literature categories because I only found lines for them.
The winners will be announced in early October, so you have months to determine your betting picks.
Nobel Peace Prize 2023 Odds and Prediction
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy; +250
- Alexei Navalny; +500
- Ilham Tohti; +700
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya; +700
- Greta Thunberg; +1200
- Simon Kofe; +1400
The Nobel Prizes 2023 betting odds favor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to receive the award. He’s one of the main political figures in the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine. Russia initiated an invasion in 2021, and Zelenskyy is currently defending his country.
If you followed the Nobel Prize last year, you would’ve thought that Zelenskyy was also going to be the winner. However, he lost to Ales Bialiatski, a Belarusian human rights activist. Bialiatski has been involved in pro-democracy initiatives since the 1980s.
Was it surprising that Zelenskyy didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022? Not really, and that’s because he’s actively waging war with equal vigor against Russia, even if many believe his cause is just. The award typically goes to world leaders who try to facilitate peaceful outcomes.
Another name that intrigues me here is Alexei Navalny, an opposition leader in Russia. He’s currently in jail, and many consider him a political prisoner in his own country. Nalvany is a high-profile advocate against corruption in the Russian government.
The Kremlin should free Alexei Navalny https://t.co/qFKC5RHKri
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 30, 2023
It’s unlikely that Navalny will win the Nobel Prize because of the potential consequences. The fear is that Vladimir Putin will retaliate against his opponent if he’s the recipient of the award. The Nobel Committee will likely refrain from provoking the Kremlin.
You should also consider targeting Ilham Tohti with your Nobel Prizes 2023 best bets. He’s a former professor at Minzu University who advocated for regional autonomy laws in China. His life’s mission was to facilitate peaceful relationships between Uyghurs and China’s Han majority.
Although many people believe that Zelenskyy deserves the award, I don’t think he’ll win. A name that stands out to me is Greta Thunberg because she’s the face of environmental activism.
She represents a generation of young people actively engaged with climate change. The odds for Thunberg are excellent, considering the lack of a clear favorite.
If you think this would be a controversial choice, remember there’s been controversy over recipients in the past. For example, Barack Obama won the prize just nine months into his presidency in 2009, which many thought was premature.
- My Betting Pick: Greta Thunberg to win; +1200
Nobel Prize for Literature 2023 Odds and Prediction
- Haruki Murakami; +300
- Can Xue; +400
- Gerald Murnane; +1200
- Jon Fosse; +1200
- Pierre Michon; +1200
- Thomas Pynchon; +1200
- Mircea Cartarescu; +1400
When betting on Nobel Prizes in 2023, you should also consider the Literature award. It varies significantly from the other Nobel Prizes in terms of how the winners are chosen. Scholars, academics, and representatives of literary organizations typically nominate authors.
The main favorite to capture the Nobel Prize in literature is Haruki Murakami. He’s a prolific author beloved by the people of his native Japan but also by other regions. Over the past several years, Murakami has been among the group of hopefuls to capture the award.
The main issue surrounding Murakami is that he should’ve won the Nobel Prize already. Many people think he’s not politically active enough for the Swedish Academy, which is responsible for selecting the recipient. The award often goes to someone who champions social justice.
The other main contender here is Can Xue. She’s a Chinese fiction writer who was a common laborer for many years before she began her writing career. Xue, whose real name is Deng Xiaohua, is known for her unconventional approach when crafting a narrative.
A long shot that stands out to me the most is Cormac McCarthy. He’s one of the most prolific writers alive who specializes in the Western and post-apocalyptic genres. Many consider him to be the most deserving recipient on the planet.
Cormac McCarthy is one of the all-time great American writers.
These are his 8 best pieces of advice to create writing that stands out: pic.twitter.com/2B48f0QuW0
— Will Myles (@ItsWillMyles) May 8, 2023
Could McCarthy finally nab the Nobel Prize in 2023? That’s difficult to say, especially since the Swedish Academy has awarded a few unexpected recipients in recent years. For example, Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in 2016, even though he’s not even a writer!
I think Xue is the better choice over Murakami to win the award. There’s no guarantee that she’ll win the Nobel Prize, but she fits the criteria, and the odds are great.
I’m picking Xue to win with one of my Nobel Prizes 2023 betting picks. She’s an obscure author with world-class writing abilities. Xue ultimately fits the mold of a Nobel recipient, and I think she’ll enter the winner’s circle this year.
- My Betting Pick: Can Xue to win; +400
Where to Bet on the Nobel Prizes in 2023?
Finding a sportsbook that allows you to wager on your Nobel Prizes predictions in 2023 is hard early in the year. However, a reputable gambling site that you can use is Bovada. They cover the Nobel Prize winners every year and offer excellent prices.
I’ve used their odds in this article, but I’ve only focused on the most likely winners. The bookmaker offers prices on many other people and organizations, so feel free to visit Bovada for more options.