Wait, we can bet on reality TV? Yes! Thanks to some creative and forward-looking sportsbooks, you can now bet on your favorite reality television shows without ever leaving your house. If you’re someone who consistently predicts the winners and the outcomes of these shows, then online reality TV betting is made for you.
We’re going to address three major topics today to get you started. We’ll talk about where to bet on reality TV online for real money, what shows you can bet on, and tips for crushing the sportsbooks! To start, check out our best reality tv betting sites listed below:
Reality television is a category of TV programs that pit contestants against each other in some form of competition. The majority of these shows feature unknown participants, but you do get some reality TV shows that feature celebrities.
Reality TV shows fall into three categories—scripted, partially scripted, and unscripted. For the most part, shows fall into the two latter categories, but you will find some shows that are nearly completely scripted shows.
Generally, reality television competitions span multiple weeks or months. Rarely will you see a show that starts and ends the same night. With many shows, the contestants compete weekly and look to advance to the next week and the next round.
Are reality TV shows live or pre-recorded? Great question! It depends. Some shows are entirely pre-recorded in entirety before the first episode even airs. Some shows are pre-recorded in real-time, a few days or hours before the next episode. Then, you do have some of these shows that start with pre-recording and later move into 100% live shows.
Here’s the best news. All of these versions have real money reality TV betting available! You may see differences in when and how you can bet based on the type of show, but you can still get your gamble on.
How Can I Bet On Reality TV?
One of the coolest factors with reality TV betting is how creative your options can be. With sports, you’re limited to who wins and how individual people perform. But when you start looking at the unique rule sets of reality television—it gets wild.
To start, you have your “normal” bets you can make. These are wagers on who is going to win the show, which contestants will advance to the next round, and what kind of scores different entrants may get.
Beyond that, though, you start to get into some unique proposition-type bets specifically built for each show. For example, you may be able to bet on which contestant on Big Brother wins the immunity challenge. Or you might be able to bet on what type of act wins AGT or BGT. Heck, you might even see reality TV betting odds on whether or not a judge for a particular show says a particular word during a broadcast!
The sky is really the limit when it comes to what reality TV odds you’ll see. The more creative the sportsbook, the more exciting your experience!
Best Reality TV Shows to Bet On
Sportsbooks seem to follow a rule that we’re big fans of—if the people want to bet on it, let’s give the people what they want. When it comes to reality television betting, we commend the top reality TV sportsbooks for taking this and running with it. Here’s a quick look at some of the more popular broadcasts you’ll find action on.
American Idol
This classic singing competition has birthed the careers of many icons like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, and Jordin Sparks. Oh, and don’t forget Justin Guarini, who may not have crushed the mainstream, but he has certainly gotten paid as “Lil’ Sweet” in the Dr. Pepper commercials.
The show takes people from everyday America and gives them the opportunity to show off their vocal chops in front of several famous judges. Bettors will see reality TV betting odds on show winners, round winners, and a whole lot more.
Commonly referred to as AGT, America’s Got Talent is your high school talent show on steroids. In the show, all types of acts compete to see who is going to earn a spot as an act on the Las Vegas Strip. Some of the most famous acts to come off the show are Terry Fator, Shin Lim, Mat Franco, and the Jabbawockeez.
Whoever said betting on love wasn’t a thing clearly hasn’t seen The Bachelor. This show has one lucky man who vies for the attention of several different women through twists and turns with emotional eliminations. At the end of the show, the winning girl and the bachelor have the option to get married. When it comes to betting on the reality show, you have a lot of options. You can bet on the overall winner, the weekly eliminations, and several prop bets like whether or not they decide to get engaged on the final episode.
The guys don’t get to have all the fun! The Bachelorette is the sister show to The Bachelor and works identically but in reverse. One woman who works through a handful of men to try and find someone to potentially marry. The real money reality TV betting options are the same on this show as they are on The Bachelor.
There’s certainly nothing wacky and weird about a reality TV show built around spying on a group of people living together in a house they can’t leave. One of the most successful TV shows ever, Big Brother does, well, just that. What’s unique when it comes to online reality TV betting is that the design of the show gives a lot of opportunities for unique prop bets and wagers to take place.
BGT is the sister show to America’s Got Talent. The show follows a similar ruleset and has also produced some pretty incredible acts across the pond. We’re talking about the likes of Susan Boyle, Paul Potts, Collabro, and Diversity. When it comes to reality TV betting on the show, expect to have a lot of options to pick winners and the types of acts that will advance.
One of the more popular reality TV shows that showcases celebrities is Dancing With the Stars. In this show, celebrities receive professional dance training in traditional ballroom styles. The contestants then compete for America’s votes to try and avoid elimination and make it to the next round.
You may not have heard of this competition if you live in the US, but Eurovision is one of the largest international singing competitions in the world. Invited countries hold independent competitions to find their best and brightest singers and performers. The winners are sent to an international competition to crown the champ.
What’s unique about the competition is that sometimes the entrants are up and coming acts and sometimes they are major names. Some of those big names that have graced the state include Celine Dion, ABBA, and Julio Iglesias. Bettors should have the opportunity to wager on country-specific competitions and the final event.
Talk about a fun reality TV betting opportunity! In this show, celebrities come out dressed in crazy costumes and sing before an audience and a panel of judges. Each week, the celebrity with the lowest number of votes has to take their costume off and reveal who they are. The show is a spin-off of a wildly successful show from Asia. The show is currently in its fourth season and shows signs that it’s going to be around in the US for a long time.
On season 8,372 now (the actual number is in the 40s), Survivor is one of the longest-running reality TV shows on the planet. The show pits several contestants against each other to survive and thrive on a deserted island. Within the show, there are plenty of side competitions and events that can be bet on. But the big wagers available include who is going to be eliminated each week and who is going to be the last survivor. Most real money reality TV betting sites offer Survivor bets.
The Voice is a unique spin on your classic reality singing competition. In this show, the judges hear auditions from singers while turned around so they can’t see the performer. This prevents the judges from selecting someone based on their looks but is 100% about the vocals. Once the singers get past the auditions, it moves into a traditional vote-and-eliminate format that offers opportunities for weekly wagering.
Available in both a US and British version, The X Factor is a talent competition that looks for acts that have “the X factor.” The show follows a traditional audition format before judges and moves into an elimination-style vote format. Once the show reaches this second stage, there are reality TV betting opportunities for gamblers to get in on the action.
You might be shocked at the number of people that think you can’t gain an edge when betting on reality TV shows. Even if the show is scripted, there are tips and tricks to gain an edge on the rest of the betting public. Much like with sports, if you study the players and can make accurate predictions, you can make money when you bet on reality TV shows.
Remember Why Reality TV Exists
It’s critical that you remember why reality TV exists, especially when you’re dealing with partially or fully scripted shows. The show is not built for betting, it’s built for entertaining. This means that the chances there are twists, turns, and rule changes are high. When you take part in reality TV show betting, make sure to plan for these contingencies. This is especially true when past seasons or past shows by the same producers have produced twists.
Understand the Rule Sets
You wouldn’t bet on a sport you don’t fully understand (hopefully). The same logic applies to learning how to bet on reality TV online. Take the time to learn all of the rules.
How is scoring compiled?
Who votes on the winners?
What makes someone a winner?
Are there ways to get back on the show?
Do any rules give a contestant an advantage?
Even though these shows are designed for entertainment, they generally have well-laid-out rule sets for legal reasons.
Be Prepared for Twists
Twists can be frustrating when your pick is winning, but they can feel like a gift from the heavens when your pick is struggling. The takeaway? Be prepared for twists. A good reality TV betting strategy is to study the past seasons of the show and other shows produced by the same team and network. If there are twists, determine how they might be implemented into this show and season. It could produce some really good value spots on underdog contestants.
Look for Clues in the News and Social Media
Generally, these reality television shows do a good job of locking down the leaking of information with NDAs and contractual agreements, but not always. Sometimes, people familiar with the show may release comments, tweets, posts, or stories that give away information (intentionally or unintentionally). Keep an eye out for these things.
What to Do When It’s Scripted
The biggest pushback you get from people who think there’s no way to get an edge when reality TV betting online is with partially or fully scripted shows. Here’s the thing. You absolutely can get an edge as long as you focus on the right things—or maybe we should say, the “write things.”
You see, when you’re looking at a scripted show, you should shift your focus to the writers.
What are their tendencies?
What sort of twists have they included in past shows? How much do they favor underdogs? People can try as hard as possible to be random, but it’s a tall task that most people fail at. And this is true for professional writers. If you can wrap your head around the tendencies of the writers, you can get an edge.
Understand Reality TV Betting Odds
When you’re betting on anything (sports or entertainment), it’s never just about picking winners. You have to understand how the odds work and what you’ll get paid for a correct pick. There are times when a bet on the contestant you expect to win isn’t a good idea because you don’t stand to make enough money to cover the risk of them losing.
On that same token, there are times you might be wise to bet on a contestant that isn’t your first pick to win because you’d get paid so much money if it happens. You don’t need to become a professional sports bettor, but you do need to understand the basics.
Watch the Show
This might not sound like a groundbreaking tip for betting real money on reality TV shows, but it’s important. Watch the show. Watch every episode. Watch the specials. Many of these shows tease details or drop clues that can help you make smarter picks. If there was one critical tip we would give for how to bet on reality TV, it would be to stay up on the content.
Reality TV Show Betting FAQ
Are Reality TV Shows Scripted?
Sometimes, even the best reality TV shows are partially or fully scripted. As long as the information on the winners is still kept secret from the public, though, you’ll still be able to bet on the show. However, you do want to know when contests are scripted or not because it could affect the predictions you make. With unscripted shows, your bets are on which contestants are the best. With scripted show, you’re looking for the trends and tendencies of the writers.
Can I Bet on Reality TV Online for Real Money?
Yes, you can bet on reality TV online! While not all shows offer betting, many of the most famous options do. We highly recommend checking out some of the betting options listed in this guide to find where to bet on reality TV shows.
What Are the Best Sites for Online Reality TV Betting?
When it comes to betting on reality TV shows, you have a lot of options to choose from. The list of top sites changes regularly, especially as some major players continue to add reality TV show betting to their lineups. At the top of this guide, you’ll find the most up-to-date list of the best place for reality TV betting online.
How Much Do Reality TV Stars Make?
The amount of money that reality TV stars make varies heavily. If they’re a famous celebrity, they could be getting paid a lot of money for an appearance. If they’re a first-time contestant who isn’t independently famous, chances are, they’re not getting a lot of money. However, if they’re a popular contestant called back for a second season or an all-star’s roundup, they’re probably getting paid much more than they did in the first season.
Can I Bet on Reality TV Shows That Have Started?
For the most part, you’ll need to get all of your bets on reality TV in before the show begins. While filming may have already happened, bets generally close several hours before the show airs. Do keep in mind what time zone you are in, as well. For example, if the show airs at 8 PM on the west coast, it may actually air three hours earlier on the east coast, which means you could get locked out if you don’t have your bets in early enough. Check reality TV betting sites frequently for when odds are released.
Other Entertainment Betting Options
Believe it or not, reality television betting isn’t the only form of entertainment wagering out there! Thanks to the avid gamblers of the world, if it’s something that’s unknown, you can bet on it. Whether it’s award shows, politics, eating contests, or even spelling bees, there’s action out there waiting for you!
If you’re as big of fans of reality TV as we are, the chances are high this guide got you amped up! And if you’re an expert at predicting the winners and the results of these shows, you can turn that knowledge into real money. It’s fun when your favorite stars and contestants are winners, but it’s even more fun when you get to win as well!
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Reality TV shows fall into three categories—scripted, partially scripted, and unscripted. For the most part, shows fall into the two latter categories, but you will find some shows that are nearly completely scripted shows.
