Entertainment Betting Odds: When Will the Hollywood Strikes End?
Entertainment betting odds can be a great way to gamble during your favorite sport’s offseason. With the NBA and NFL seasons both months away, now is as good a time as any to look into other betting markets.
Thanks to the top entertainment betting sites, you can wager on real-world events, including the ongoing strikes in Hollywood. Two major Hollywood unions – the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Writers Guild of America – are both on strike. The entertainment industry is already feeling the effects of these protests.
Keep reading to see how you can wager on the strikes in Hollywood. I will tell you the latest betting odds and give you my predictions for how these strikes will end.
Why Are Actors and Writers Striking?
As a result of these strikes, the production of many Hollywood projects has come to a screeching halt. Here are the events that led up to these labor disputes.
What Is the SAG Strike?
SAG-AFTRA went on strike on July 14th. The union represents roughly 160,000 actors and other media professionals.
“The eyes of the world and, particularly, the eyes of labor are upon us,” Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, said. Leaders of the Hollywood union representing 160,000 television and movie actors, voted to strike on Thursday, joining screenwriters. https://t.co/601CRHlMCI pic.twitter.com/E0Iq6ELAQ1
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 13, 2023
The union has been in the media several times in recent years for strikes in 2014 and 2018. It also had a very public dispute with former president Donald Trump, a former member.
Currently, SAG-AFTRA is on strike over contract negotiations with major Hollywood studios. Some of the demands of the union that led to the strike include:
- Increased residuals from streaming services
- Prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) generated voices
- Limiting the practice of self-tape auditions
The union threatened to strike if no new deal with the studios was reached. On July 14th, that threat became a reality as SAG-AFTRA officially went on strike.
Many members of the union have come out in support of the strike, even sharing their personal experiences. Advancements in AI have affected job security in many sectors, so it should be no surprise that actors are feeling the pressure, too. Some actors have even shared their compensation for viral streaming shows, which is often pennies despite raking in millions for the studio.
How Did the WGA Strike Start?
The Writers Guild of America has been on strike even longer than SAG. This union of 11,500 screenwriters started to strike on May 2, 2023. The union decided to strike over labor disputes with major studios that make up the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Like the SAG-AFTRA strike, the WGA has legitimate concerns about compensation for streaming products. Both unions are also concerned about AI’s effect on their respective industries.
The WGA has outlined the following demands that the AMPTP must meet for the strike to end:
- Limit the use of AI as part of the writing process
- Larger rooms for writers to work in
- Increased job security and payment for writers
It makes sense for the union to try and stop the role of AI now before it gets out of control. Bigger workspaces, better pay, and more job security are also reasonable requests for workers in any industry.
Who Is the AMPTP?
The SAG-AFTRA and WGA are both labor unions representing artists, so it is unsurprising that they would be united in their fights. They have even more in common this time around because they are both striking against the same identity.
The AMPTP represents the biggest studios in Hollywood. Some of the studios in this group include:
- Paramount Pictures
- Universal Pictures
- Walt Disney Studios
- Netflix
- Amazon
Major television networks, including ABC, NBC, and Fox, are also a part of AMPTP. In total, more than 350 American-based production companies are represented by the alliance. Membership in AMPTP allows studios to bargain collectively with labor unions, including the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
Latest Entertainment Betting Odds For Hollywood Strikes
- SAG strike will end first (-150)
- WGA strike will end first (+150)\
- SAG and SGA strikes end on the same day (+250)
SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have been very supportive of each other, and they are both striking against the AMPTP. But they are technically different unions on separate strikes. BetUS has a prop bet available for which strike will end first.
Despite being on strike for a shorter period of time, the SAG strike (-150) is favored to end first. The WGA strike (+150) has the second-best odds in this wager. You can also bet that these two Hollywood strikes will end on the same day (+250).
SAG Strike Will End First (-150)
SAG-AFTRA has officially been on strike for less than a month. But BetUS and other online sportsbooks have the actors union (-150) favored to end their strike first. There are a few reasons for this, including:
- Strength of the union
- Influence of members
- Funding of actors on strike
The SAG was already one of the strongest unions before it merged with AFTRA in 2012. Now that the two unions have become one, they are stronger than ever.
For all my fellow SAG-AFTRA members on strike who need financial support during this time, please check out this article. #UnionStronghttps://t.co/l0u2OdkahR
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) July 19, 2023
Another reason the SAG-AFTRA strike may end first is that it has more influential members. Major actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Helen Mirren, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The current President of the union is actress and comedian Fran Drescher.
Having more star power behind the union is definitely a major reason to favor SAG-AFTRA in this wager. The union has more members, too, and more funding than WGA. This should, in theory, make it easier to support lower-earning union members throughout the strike and allow it to last longer.
WGA Strike Will End First (+150)
The option with the second-best odds in this futures wager is that the WGA strike will end first (+150). Screenwriters in the WGA have been on strike since May, giving them a two-month head start on negotiations with the AMPTP.
“The plan? Shut down Hollywood with a dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, causing out-of-touch billionaire studio executives to quickly start embarrassing themselves in front of the entire American public as they realize the true value of our labor.” pic.twitter.com/HlT0UZ91Hk
— AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIO) July 19, 2023
But the head start may not be enough to make the WGA strike come to an end first. Simply put, the is less financial backing from members of the WGA. The AMPTP has reportedly taken the approach of trying to “break” the union rather than sit down for negotiations.
Officially, the AMPTP has not supported this approach. The organization has stated that they are open to negotiating with the WGA to find a solution that makes both sides happy.
Support from the members of SAG-AFTRA could help the WGA hold out longer. But the financial strain of being on strike will affect the WGA eventually. In a war of attrition, the average AMPTP studio simply has far more resources than the average WGA member.
SAG and WGA Strikes End on the Same Day (+250)
The third option for this wager is that both strikes will end on the same day (+250). Normally, two strikes ending at the same time would be unlikely. But I think this option actually offers a lot of value for bettors.
Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have been very vocal in their support of one another. Also, they are both striking against the same entity, the AMPTP. Assuming that they can continue to present a united front, the unions will have better odds of having their demands met.
But that could be easier said than done. If the AMPTP’s tactics are successful, the WGA may not be able to hold out long enough to continue to support SAG-AFTRA. Also, SAG’s increased influence could help them reach a deal sooner.
Despite these concerns, this is the option I would go with. As I mentioned above, presenting a united front is both unions’ best bet for having their demands met. It is hard to do that if one of the unions ends their strike first.
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes end on the same day (+250)
Entertainment Betting Tips
Taking advantage of great entertainment betting odds is one way to make money on these unique wagers. Here are three other tips to help you become a more successful entertainment bettor.
Get Information From Reliable Sources
A bettor is only as good as the information they use to place their wagers. So, if you want to be a successful entertainment bettor, then you need to get information from reliable sources. Staying up to date with accurate information about the Hollywood strikes would be vital to making correct wagers on their future.
Manage Your Bankroll
Entertainment betting is fun, but you are still risking money. So, you need to follow the same steps as any other type of wager, which includes managing your bankroll. Otherwise, you will have a hard time winning money from entertainment wagers.
Use Sports Betting Bonuses
Secure betting sites are known for offering great bonuses. Using these bonuses can give you tons of extra funds for making entertainment wagers. Just make sure that you claim casino bonuses that have low rollover requirements.
Which Hollywood Strike Do You Think Will End First?
The latest entertainment betting odds from BetUS have the SAG-AFTRA strike favored to end before the WGA. But I think these Hollywood strikes will come to an end on the same day. Check out the blog above for the latest betting odds on the ongoing Hollywood strikes.