Betsson Group: Odds Favourites for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

TA'XBIEX, Malta, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, 8 October, the Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced by the Swedish Academy. At Swedish-founded global betting company Betsson, which has offered odds on the prize for more than a decade, Chinese author Can Xue is currently the favourite, followed by Anne Carson and Gerald Murnane.

This year's list features around 40 authors from across the globe, many of whom have appeared regularly in Nobel discussions over the years. Notably, Asian literature is particularly well represented, with writers such as Can Xue and Amitav Ghosh among the strongest contenders.

Can Xue, widely regarded as China's leading experimental writer, has long been mentioned as a potential Nobel laureate and was the odds favourite in 2023. The author is currently priced at 5.00, followed by Canadian poet Anne Carson at 7.00 and Australian novelist Gerald Murnane at 8.00.

"A recurring pattern is that authors who attract strong support from both literary experts and bettors often remain leading contenders year after year. Can Xue, Anne Carson and Gerald Murnane all fit that pattern. More commercially prominent literary stars, by contrast, can generate significant buzz and climb into the top five, only to fall back in the rankings the following year," said Robin Olenius, Head of PR at Betsson.

In recent years, Nobel winners have often been found among Betsson's leading candidates. Last year's winner, László Krasznahorkai, had the second-lowest odds before the announcement. Jon Fosse was also ranked second among the favourites before receiving the prize, while Annie Ernaux was the third favourite in the year she won. Louise Glück was likewise among the leading contenders before winning in 2020.

"As Betsson has become increasingly international, we are seeing betting activity and literary interest from a broader range of markets around the world compared with earlier years," said Robin Olenius, Head of PR at Betsson.

However, the Nobel Prize also has a history of producing surprises. Bob Dylan and Han Kang were not among the top favourites, while perhaps the biggest surprise in recent years was Abdulrazak Gurnah, who was not even included in the betting market.

Betsson: Odds Nobel prize in literature 2026

https://www.betsson.com/en/sportsbook/specials/specials/nobel-prizes?tab=outrights 

Can Xue                           5

Anne Carson                    7

Gerald Murnane               8

Amitav Ghosh                  9

César Aira                        9

Cristina Rivera Garza     11

Thomas Pynchon           13

Jamaica Kincaid             13

Alexis Wright                  13

Michel Houellebecq       15

Mircea Cartarescu         15

Haruki Murakami            19

Salman Rushdie             19

Enrique Vila-Matas         19

Pierre Michon                 21

Carl Frode Tiller             21

Raul Zurita                     21

Colm Toibin                    21

Benjamin Labatut          21

Margaret Atwood           27

Juan Gabriel Vasquez   27

Gabriela Wiener            27

Mariana Enriquez          27

Ko Un                            29

Karl Ove Knausgard     29

Ersi Sotiropoulos          29

Joyce Carol Oates       32

Helle Helle                   32

Peter Nadas                 32

Milton Hatoum             32

Samanta Schweblin     32

Homero Aridjis             32

Lyudmila Ulitskaya      36

Yoko Tawada               36

Elena Poniatowska      36

Isabel Allende              36

Stephen King               50

Paul Simon                  50

For more information, please contact: 

Robin Olenius, Head of PR, Betsson Group

email: [email protected] 

About Betsson Group

Originally founded in 1963, Betsson Group is a global leader in the entertainment industry, offering multiple services to consumers, including gaming, betting and infotainment. With proprietary technology across its diverse product offering, Betsson serves customers with a B2C offering and other gaming operators as a B2B supplier. The company's vision is to provide the best customer experience in the industry. Sustainability is an integrated part of Betsson's strategy, as taking responsibility for customers, employees and communities is a prerequisite for running a sustainably successful business. 

Betsson Group employs around 3,000 people in Europe, South America, Asia and North America. The parent company, Betsson AB, is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Read more on: www.betssongroup.com and www.betssonab.com 

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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