Canada Bets Big on 2009 Oscars After Being Snubbed
One Oscar nomination...that's it for Canada this year after past Oscars where the Canadians have been well represented.
The lone nominee, Chris Williams, co-director of the animated feature Bolt, probably won't win either as the film as the longest odds in that category - The payout would be US$3000 for every $100 bet at SBG Global.
So what happened to Canada at this year's Oscars?
Martin Knelman of the Toronto Star looked into it:
"I checked with my friend Roz Wolfe, a senior officer at the consulate who has worked there for 27 years. This is the third time - including 1995 and 2000 - when we barely avoided embarrassment by getting precisely one nomination.
"According to a list of Canadian nominees Wolfe compiled going back to 1990, in typical years Canada had three or four nominations to crow about. In 1991, for instance, there were four Oscar nods, including one for Kate Nelligan in the best supporting actress category for The Prince of Tides and one for a Bryan Adams song in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
"One of the biggest years ever was 1997, when Titanic swept the Oscars, including two for its Canadian director, James Cameron. That year Atom Egoyan also had two nominations, for writing and directing The Sweet Hereafter.
"A string of glory years began in 2002 when there five nominees, including Nia Vardalos for writing My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In 2003, Denys Arcand had two nominations (and a win) for Barbarian Invasions, Howard Shore had two noms for his Lord of the Rings music - the Canadian total was six."
And while Canada might not have much to root for at this year's Oscars ceremony, that won't stop people from betting.
"We're estimating that approximately 10 percent of every 1000 Oscar betting inquiries to the Gambling911.com website are originating from Canada," surmised Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website.
An even larger percentage - around 30 percent - were coming in from Europe and a decent number from Australia, which have a strong representation at this year's Oscars.
The 2009 Academy Awards was expected to be the 3rd most bet on single day event of the year.
Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
