Sanremo 2026: who will win? The favorites according to the latest bookmakers' odds

Who will climb to the top of the podium at Sanremo 2026? The official opening of the 76th edition of the Italian Song Festival is set for tonight, Tuesday 24 February, but predictions have already been circulating for weeks, fuelled by the traditional press preview of the songs.

Sanremo Festival: the bookmakers' favourites

On the eve of the first night, betting agencies are updating the odds on the 30 competing artists, called upon to inherit the crown from Olly, winner of last year's edition with "Balorda nostalgia".

Topping the preferences is Serena Brancale, who has climbed the odds in recent days: 3 on Snai, 3.25 on Lottomatica, 3.50 on Sisal. Right behind her is the duo made up of Fedez and Marco Masini, priced between 5 and 7.5 depending on the bookmaker.

Among the names considered most competitive is also Tommaso Paradiso, making his Ariston debut with "I Romantici", uniformly priced at 7.50 by the main operators. Sayf is offered at the same odds, seen as a possible dark horse of this edition.

A second group of contenders sits at longer odds: Ermal Meta (between 16 and 21), Eddie Brock (between 16 and 20), Arisa (16-20), Ditonellapiaga (13-16) and Fulminacci (16-21). Much further back, according to the betting boards, are Samurai Jay and Elettra Lamborghini: odds for both range between 150 and over 300, marking them as unlikely winners at this stage.

Best Lyrics, Ermal Meta in pole position

After the lyrics of the competing songs at the 2026 Sanremo Festival were published, bookmakers also opened odds for the "Sergio Bardotti" Award for Best Lyrics. According to Sisal's assessment, the name in pole position is Ermal Meta, offered at 2.75.

"Stella stellina", co-written with Dardust and Gianni Pollex, is dedicated to a little girl from Gaza: a song that weaves together pain and hope, evoking resistance and a longing for rebirth. Meta, after all, arrives at the Ariston with a solid track record: victory at the Sanremo Festival in 2018 alongside Fabrizio Moro, the Mia Martini Award in 2017 and the Bigazzi Award in 2021 for best musical composition. The Bardotti award would be a further confirmation of his standing as a songwriter.

Behind him, tied at 5.00, are Serena Brancale and Sayf. The former focuses on an introspective lyric dedicated to her late mother; the latter offers a critical take on the present, amid social tensions and everyday contradictions.

Rounding out the picture is Levante, the only competing artist to have written and composed her song entirely on her own. This strengthens her standing as an author, but according to bookmakers it doesn't translate into competitiveness: her chances of winning the award are priced at 50 to 1.

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