SNL 50th Anniversary Odds: Who Will Host the Event?

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: June 2024
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The SNL 50th anniversary is rapidly approaching. One of the biggest questions remaining about the comedy show’s golden anniversary is who will serve as the host. There are many stars who could fill the role of host, but only one can be chosen for the 50th-anniversary show.

Continue reading to see the current betting odds for being the host of SNL’s 50th anniversary show. I will break down the current odds at top entertainment sportsbooks and give my predictions. 

SNL 50th Anniversary Odds

SNL’s 50th anniversary will be must-see television as many of our favorite cast members could return to celebrate. Check out the table below for the latest odds on who will host Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary show. The following odds are courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook.

Potential HostSNL 50th Anniversary OddsPrevious Times Hosting
Steve Martin+50016
Bill Murray+5005
Tina Fey+6006
John Mulaney+7005
Will Ferrell+7005
Kristen Wiig+7005
Lorne Michaels+8000
Tom Hanks+80010
Andy Samberg+8001
Jerry Seinfeld+8002
Amy Poehler+10002
Bill Hader+10002
Alec Baldwin+100017
Chris Rock+10003

Steve Martin (+500)

Two comedy greats are tied for the best odds at +500 to be selected as the host of the 50th-anniversary show. The first is Steve Martin, who never officially worked as a cast member. However, Martin has appeared on 27 episodes of the show, including 16 appearances as the host.

Martin was a comedic powerhouse in the latter half of the 20th century. He has always been popular with viewers, which is a major reason why he was such a frequent host in the 1970s and 1980s. Martin still has the comedic chops to hold his own with the modern cast as well.

Since the turn of the century, though, Martin has hosted the show just three times. His most recent appearance was as a co-host along with Martin Short in December 2022. Martin also hosted the SNL 40th anniversary special in 2015.

Hosting the 50th anniversary of SNL would tie Martin with Alec Baldwin for the most host appearances of all time at 17. However, the fact that Martin never was an official cast member could prevent him from hosting the anniversary show.

Bill Murray (+500)

The other comedy legend listed at 5-1 odds to host SNL’s 50th-anniversary show is Bill Murray. Unlike Martin, Murray is a former SNL cast member. He worked on the show from 1977 to 1980 and has returned to host the program five times since.

Murray has not hosted SNL since 1999. However, he has had three guest appearances since the turn of the century. Naming Murray as the host would be a great way for Lorne Michaels and Co. to honor the early days of the legendary show.

He is still highly recognizable, but Murray’s popularity has certainly waned in the decades since he last hosted. Murray will be 74 years old when the anniversary show rolls around, and the showrunners could opt for a younger host that is easy for modern audiences to connect with.

Tina Fey (+600)

A more recent SNL alum who has favorable odds of hosting SNL’s 50th anniversary is Tina Fey. She started as a writer for the show in 1997 and became a cast member in 2000. Since leaving the show in 2006, Fey has returned six times to host.

Fey has also made several guest appearances over the years, with nearly two dozen cameos to her name. She was also the first woman to join the prestigious Five-Timers Club.

There is no denying that Fey is one of the most successful women to serve as an SNL cast member. She used her popularity on the show to launch her acting career and has won many awards for her work. Returning to the show for its 50th anniversary would be a great way for Fey to acknowledge her roots.

It would also be Fey’s first time hosting in nearly seven years. Hosting the 50th-anniversary special would be Fey’s first time as host since season 43.

John Mulaney (+700)

Another former writer in the Five-Timers Club is comedian John Mulaney. He is listed at +700 odds in this market, tied with two other alums in Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig. Despite never being an official cast member, Mulaney has shown his acting chops in his many appearances on the show as a host and a guest.

Mulaney worked as a writer from 2008 to 2013 and returned to host the show for the first time in 2018. He has hosted five times and made five guest appearances on the show. Mulaney has also been impersonated on the show multiple times.

A major feather in Mulaney’s cap is that he played a major role in creating one of the most popular characters in the modern era, Stefon. However, he recently struggled with a flair-up of his drug addiction and is not as active touring as he was a few years ago.

Mulaney’s public image has also suffered in recent years, but he would still make a great host for the 50th anniversary. If he does come back to host, I would assume that cast members such as Bill Hader, who portrayed Stefon, would also be involved in the episode.

Will Ferrell (+700)

Will Ferrell is also listed at 7-1 odds to host the 50th-anniversary show and, like Mulaney, has hosted five times previously. Ferrell has also made a number of guest appearances over the years but has not been on the show since 2015.

As with many of the other top options with this bet, Ferrell’s career took off after his time as an SNL cast member. He worked on the show from 1995 to 2002, portraying dozens of popular original characters. Ferrell also had several popular impressions, including George W. Bush and Alex Trebek.

Picking Ferrell could be the perfect compromise between a recognizable host and someone the audience is not tired of seeing. However, most of his work these days is behind the camera, not in front of it. Ferrell has produced several popular TV shows, such as Succession and Drunk History.

Lorne Michaels (+800)

The only betting option in this market to never previously host the show is Lorne Michaels. Michaels is one of the original creators of the show and has worked as the show’s executive producer for nearly its entire 49-season run. He briefly left the show in 1980 but returned in 1985 and has been there ever since.

Simply put, there would be no SNL without Michaels. However, the man behind the show has never stepped in front of the camera to host the sketch comedy show.

Turning the table on Micahels and having him host would be a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show he created. Sports betting sites have Michael listed at +800 odds to host the show, tying him with Tom Hanks, Andy Samberg, and Jerry Seinfeld

Tom Hanks (+800)

Tom Hanks has appeared as the host of SNL 10 times, with his first hosting gig coming in 1985. Hanks is also to thank for the invention of the Five-Timers Club. The actor brought attention to it during his fifth time hosting the show in 1990, and the club now has over two dozen members.

Hanks’ last appearance on the show was as a host in 2020. He has appeared in many successful sketches over the years, creating hits with impressions and original characters.

There is no denying that Hanks has the experience to host the SNL 50th anniversary show. He also has several projects in the works, and hosting SNL again could help promote his upcoming movies.

SNL 50th Anniversary How Prediction

The creators of SNL will likely pull out all of the stops for the 50th-anniversary special. With that in mind, I think there is only one person to host the historic event: Lorne Michaels (+800).

As I mentioned above, Michaels has never hosted the show in the more than 40 years he has worked on it. He is one of the few original staff members still on the show.

I am sure there will be plenty of returning stars and other guest appearances. The more guests cameos, the better. However, I think Michaels will be the one to actually host the show as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. 

What Are Your SNL 50th Anniversary Predictions?

The upcoming 50th season of SNL will be a milestone that few television programs reach. You can bet on the historic show with the above SNL 50th anniversary odds.

Check out the table above for the latest odds on who will host the 50th-anniversary show. I think Lorne Michaels (+800) will finally host the show that he played such a large role in creating. After reading my predictions, head over to secure entertainment betting sites like BetOnline to wager on this unique betting market.

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About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.