2025 International Booker Prize Betting Odds: Small Boat Favourite After Shortlist Revealed

The International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist is out, and Small Boat leads the betting at 2/1. See the latest odds, expert insights, and where the value may lie in this year’s race.
2025 International Booker Prize Betting Odds: Small Boat Favourite After Shortlist Revealed
Jake Ashton
Jake Ashton Senior News Editor

Jake is a Football and Entertainment betting expert, with a Man City season ticket and a deep knowledge of reality TV betting angles

  • Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix is the 2/1 favourite to win the 2025 International Booker Prize
  • Under the Eye of the Big Bird and Perfection follow closely at 4/1
  • Shortlist announced with six translated titles from around the world

The shortlist for the 2025 International Booker Prize has officially landed and the betting markets are now reacting to what promises to be one of the most competitive fields in years.

Leading the way is Small Boat by French author Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson, which has been installed as the 2/1 favourite to take the prestigious prize.

Closely behind are Hiromi Kawakami’s surreal Japanese novel Under the Eye of the Big Bird and Vincenzo Latronico’s Italian title Perfection, both priced at 4/1, indicating strong competition for literary honours.

The books shortlisted for the International Booker Prize are:

  • On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J. Haveland  
  • Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson 
  • Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda  
  • Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes   
  • Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi  
  • A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson

2025 International Booker Prize Winner Odds

This year’s shortlist showcases a bold mix of genres, geographies, and translation styles, reflecting the prize’s global scope. 

From Denmark to Japan, France to India, the six selected titles tackle love, memory, identity, and language in daring, often experimental ways.

International Booker Prize 2025 Winner
OddsProbability
Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix
2/133.3%
Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami
4/120.0%
Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
4/120.0%
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq
5/116.7%
A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre
6/114.3%
On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle
7/112.5%
What the expert says...
The International Booker Prize tends to reward novels that not only innovate linguistically but also strike emotional and political chords. Small Boat ticks those boxes, but Heart Lamp and Perfection could surprise punters who look beyond literary headlines.

Jake Ashton - Current Affairs Expert - OLBG.com

Where to Bet on Awards Markets

Literary betting remains a niche but exciting space for punters seeking alternatives to sport and politics. 

Visit the top betting sites for a full list of bookmakers offering entertainment markets, and check out the latest free bets to get started.

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