The Shortlist (3) Portugal

Who are the big favorites for Kiev? In the next couple of weeks we will highlight some interesting participants, based on the odds they have been given by the bookmakers. This week we are providing a shortlist of countries that lead the board in the first semi final. Today’s report is about Portugal.

Salvador Sobral

Salvador Sobral is a singer who puts across a unique musical sensibility on stage through his expressive way of performing. He studied Psychology but his overwhelming passion for music took over. Now he seems to be one of the great promises in the Portuguese and Spanish music scene.

After his victory in Portugal, his gestures during his performance were the talk of the town. Rumour had it, he was coping with heart failure and needed surgery. But, thankfully, that was just a hoax due to a hernia surgery he had undergone before the first semi final of Festival da Cancao.

”Amar Pelos Dois”

Salvador will represent Portugal in Kiev with the song ‘Amar Pelos Dois’. It means ‘For The Both Of Us’ and is written by his sister Luisa. She is among the most important songwriters and singers of the new generation of Portuguese musicians. Therefore, the Portuguese broadcaster selected her to take part in the renewed format of Festival da Cancao.

This year, the composers were chosen first and given a carte blanche. They got to pick the artist for their song, but for Luisa, it was an easy choice.

Explaining the odds

It has been a while since Portugal played any part at the bookmakers’ office, but the nation is currently a qualifyier according to the odds on Betfair. Also in the winners section of the Grand Final, Portugal is listed in the top section, but not as the clear favourite of course.

Still, being in fifth place with odds of 18-to-1, you could compare Portugal with Latvia’s ‘Heartbeat’ of 2016, when it comes to its odds before the contest. If you bet 1€ on Salvador Sobral to win in Kiev, you get 18 times the return if Portugal should book a surprise victory. Portugal is listed as one of the outsiders in this year’s competition, which is a unique thing in recent years. Or perhaps, in the entire history of the contest, since Portugal never placed higher in the final results then a 6th place in 1996.