Tony Awards odds are heating up ahead of the 2026 ceremony, and this year’s board has several close races worth watching. The 79th Annual Tony Awards will take place Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Music Hall, with P!NK hosting Broadway’s biggest night.
This is not a standard sports betting market, and that matters. Tony Awards betting is often driven by prediction markets, awards models, critic momentum, precursor wins, industry buzz, and late voter sentiment rather than a deep sportsbook board. That makes price shopping and timing even more important.
The top races are Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical, and Best Revival of a Play. Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys are battling for Best Musical, Liberation looks strong for Best Play, Ragtime is the favorite in musical revival, and Death of a Salesman is the clear play revival frontrunner.
Below, we break down the latest Tony Awards odds picture, the biggest category favorites, best betting value, top longshots, major acting races, and our final 2026 Tony Awards predictions.
When Are the 2026 Tony Awards?
The 2026 Tony Awards are scheduled for Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The main broadcast will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
The ceremony will honor Broadway productions from the 2025-26 season, with nominations spread across 26 competitive categories. This year’s field is especially strong in musical categories, with The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! leading the overall nomination count.
P!NK hosting adds another layer of mainstream attention to the ceremony. That does not directly change the betting board, but it should bring more casual interest into the major categories, especially Best Musical and the top acting awards.
How to Watch the 2026 Tony Awards
The 2026 Tony Awards will air live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and stream on Paramount+. A pre-show, The Tony Awards: Act One, will air before the main ceremony with additional live coverage and early awards content.
The ceremony is also expected to feature performances from all four Best Musical nominees: The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titaníque, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). The Best Revival of a Musical nominees are also scheduled to perform, including Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show.
Tony Awards Odds
The Tony Awards odds board is not as widely posted as major sports markets, so bettors should be careful with exact pricing. Some markets are available through prediction-style platforms, but many sportsbooks either limit entertainment awards betting or do not post full category boards.
For bettors comparing entertainment markets across different sportsbook reviews, the key is to separate “most likely winner” from “best value.” A heavy favorite can be the right prediction but still be a bad bet if the price has already moved too far.
| Category | Favorite | Best Bet |
|---|---|---|
| Best Musical | Schmigadoon! | Schmigadoon! |
| Best Play | Liberation | Liberation |
| Best Revival of a Musical | Ragtime | Ragtime |
| Best Revival of a Play | Death of a Salesman | Death of a Salesman |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Joshua Henry | Joshua Henry |
| Best Actress in a Musical | Caissie Levy | Caissie Levy |
The strongest favorites are in the revival and acting categories. Ragtime, Death of a Salesman, Joshua Henry, and Caissie Levy all have clear paths. Best Musical is the messier race because Schmigadoon! has model support, while The Lost Boys has a strong nomination profile and a louder commercial-style narrative.
Best Play is also important because Liberation looks like the cleanest prediction-market favorite, but Giant has enough star power and industry support to make that category worth watching closely.
Best Musical Odds
Best Musical is the headline race of the night, and it is not as simple as just picking the show with the most nominations. The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! both earned major attention, while Two Strangers and Titaníque have enough support to keep the race from feeling completely closed.
| Nominee | Market Read | Betting Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Schmigadoon! | Model favorite | Best bet |
| The Lost Boys | Main challenger | Strong contender |
| Two Strangers | Value threat | Live upset |
| Titaníque | Outside chance | Longshot only |
Schmigadoon! is the pick because it has the strongest overall awards-model profile and enough broad appeal to win over voters. It also benefits from being a musical-theater-friendly property that feels built for Tony voters rather than just casual name recognition.
The Lost Boys is dangerous because it has spectacle, technical ambition, and plenty of nomination strength. If voters want to reward the biggest production of the season, The Lost Boys can win. That makes it the main challenger and a possible value play if the price is better than Schmigadoon!.
Two Strangers is the category’s sneaky value option. It may not have the biggest production profile, but charm can matter in this race. If Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys split voters looking for scale and buzz, Two Strangers has a path.
Bet: Schmigadoon! to win Best Musical
Best Play Odds
Best Play looks cleaner than Best Musical. Liberation has the strongest overall profile, but Giant is the type of play that can make voters think twice because of its star power and subject matter.
| Nominee | Market Read | Betting Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Liberation | Clear favorite | Best bet |
| The Balusters | Main challenger | Value contender |
| Giant | Star-driven threat | Upset chance |
| Little Bear Ridge Road | Outside shot | Longshot only |
Liberation is the pick because it has the strongest awards profile and the kind of ensemble-driven, serious-play credibility that often connects with Tony voters. It feels like the most complete Best Play candidate.
The Balusters is the main value alternative. It has enough precursor support to stay interesting, and if voters spread support across the field, it could become the play that surprises people on Tony night.
Giant is the dangerous spoiler. A star-centered play can always outperform a model if voters connect emotionally with the performance and production. Still, Liberation has the cleaner path and deserves favorite treatment.
Bet: Liberation to win Best Play
Best Revival of a Musical Odds
Best Revival of a Musical is one of the best races of the night because Ragtime and Cats: The Jellicle Ball both have legitimate arguments. Ragtime has the cleaner Tony profile, while Cats has the more disruptive, conversation-driving case.
| Nominee | Market Read | Betting Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Ragtime | Favorite | Best bet |
| Cats: The Jellicle Ball | Main challenger | Live upset |
| The Rocky Horror Show | Outside chance | Longshot only |
Ragtime is the pick because it has the classic revival profile voters usually reward: emotional scale, strong performances, big musical moments, and a production that feels important rather than just fun.
Cats: The Jellicle Ball is the threat because it has freshness and energy. If voters decide they want to reward reinvention over traditional prestige, Cats can absolutely make this race uncomfortable for Ragtime backers.
The Rocky Horror Show feels more like the outsider. It has audience love and recognizable material, but this race appears to be centered around Ragtime vs. Cats.
Bet: Ragtime to win Best Revival of a Musical
Best Revival of a Play Odds
Best Revival of a Play is the strongest favorite race among the major production categories. Death of a Salesman has the nomination strength, acting momentum, and revival prestige to make it the clear pick.
| Nominee | Market Read | Betting Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Death of a Salesman | Clear favorite | Best bet |
| Every Brilliant Thing | Upset candidate | Value only |
| Becky Shaw | Critic-friendly challenger | Longshot |
| Oedipus | Prestige threat | Longshot |
| Fallen Angels | Outside shot | Longshot only |
Death of a Salesman is the obvious prediction. It has the kind of serious revival weight that usually plays well with voters, and the acting nominations around it only strengthen the full-production case.
Every Brilliant Thing and Becky Shaw are the more interesting alternatives if the price is huge, but both need voters to move away from the most traditional Tony-friendly option on the board.
This is not the category to overthink. If Death of a Salesman is available at a reasonable number, it is the cleanest major-category bet of the night.
Bet: Death of a Salesman to win Best Revival of a Play
Tony Awards Acting Odds
The acting races have several heavy favorites, especially on the musical side. Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy both look strong for Ragtime, while John Lithgow, Lesley Manville, Laurie Metcalf, André De Shields, and Shoshana Bean are among the biggest names to watch in the major acting markets.
| Category | Favorite | Best Bet |
|---|---|---|
| Actor in a Musical | Joshua Henry | Joshua Henry |
| Actress in a Musical | Caissie Levy | Caissie Levy |
| Actor in a Play | John Lithgow | John Lithgow |
| Actress in a Play | Lesley Manville | Lesley Manville |
| Featured Actor in a Musical | André De Shields | André De Shields |
| Featured Actress in a Musical | Shoshana Bean | Shoshana Bean |
Joshua Henry is one of the safest acting picks of the night. His Ragtime performance has the right mix of emotional force, vocal power, and revival momentum. If Ragtime has a strong night, Henry should be one of the major reasons why.
Caissie Levy is also in great position. Best Actress in a Musical looks built for a Ragtime win if voters decide to reward the production across multiple performance categories.
John Lithgow is the play-acting pick, but Nathan Lane is close enough to make that race interesting. Lithgow has the Giant case, while Lane has the Death of a Salesman wave. If Salesman sweeps harder than expected, Lane could be the better value.
Lesley Manville looks like the cleanest Actress in a Play pick. Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara may split some Fallen Angels support, which gives Manville a stronger path in a crowded category.
Best Tony Awards Betting Value
The best Tony Awards betting value is The Lost Boys in Best Musical if the price is meaningfully better than Schmigadoon!.
Schmigadoon! is the best prediction, but Best Musical is close enough that the value may sit with The Lost Boys. It has nomination strength, big production appeal, and the kind of spectacle that can make voters feel like they are rewarding the season’s largest Broadway event.
This is the key difference between prediction and betting. If Schmigadoon! is short and The Lost Boys is still available at a much better number, The Lost Boys becomes the better value even if Schmigadoon! remains the official pick.
For awards bettors, the Expert Betting Guide is useful here because this market is less about picking every winner and more about knowing when the price no longer matches the real probability.
Best Value Bet: The Lost Boys for Best Musical, if the number is generous
Top Tony Awards Longshot
The top Tony Awards longshot is Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) for Best Musical.
This is not the most likely winner, but it is the kind of show that can surprise if voters connect with charm, originality, and emotional warmth more than scale. In a tight Best Musical race, a smaller show with real affection can become dangerous.
The problem is that Two Strangers needs both Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys to lose some support. That is a difficult path, but not impossible if the Best Musical vote becomes split between different types of shows.
Top Longshot Bet: Two Strangers for Best Musical
Tony Awards Predictions
The final Tony Awards predictions start with Schmigadoon! for Best Musical. It has the best overall market-model profile, even though The Lost Boys may be the better value if the price is longer.
Liberation is the Best Play prediction because it has the strongest overall awards case. Ragtime is the pick for Best Revival of a Musical, and Death of a Salesman is the pick for Best Revival of a Play.
The acting card leans heavily toward Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, John Lithgow, Lesley Manville, André De Shields, Shoshana Bean, Christopher Abbott, and Laurie Metcalf. Those are not all guaranteed, but they give the card the cleanest mix of favorite strength and category logic.
The best betting approach is selective. Do not force every category. Focus on the strongest production races, then look for value where the market may be overconfident or too slow to adjust.
| Category | Prediction | Betting Read |
|---|---|---|
| Best Musical | Schmigadoon! | Pick |
| Best Play | Liberation | Best bet |
| Best Revival Musical | Ragtime | Strong favorite |
| Best Revival Play | Death of a Salesman | Strong favorite |
| Actor in a Musical | Joshua Henry | Strong favorite |
| Actress in a Musical | Caissie Levy | Strong favorite |
| Actor in a Play | John Lithgow | Pick |
| Actress in a Play | Lesley Manville | Pick |
Best Bet: Liberation for Best Play
Best Value: The Lost Boys for Best Musical, if the price is longer than Schmigadoon!
Top Longshot: Two Strangers for Best Musical
Recent Tony Awards Best Musical Winners
Here are the most recent Tony Award winners for Best Musical.
| Year | Best Musical Winner | Notable Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Maybe Happy Ending | Original musical broke through |
| 2024 | The Outsiders | Strong late momentum mattered |
| 2023 | Kimberly Akimbo | Smaller emotional show won |
| 2022 | A Strange Loop | Critical strength carried the night |
| 2021 | Moulin Rouge! The Musical | Big production value won |
| 2020 | No award | Ceremony affected by shutdown |
| 2019 | Hadestown | Artistic ambition won |
| 2018 | The Band’s Visit | Critical dominance mattered |
| 2017 | Dear Evan Hansen | Contemporary emotional hit |
| 2016 | Hamilton | Historic frontrunner |
The recent winners list is useful because Best Musical does not always go to the biggest show. Sometimes voters reward scale, but they also reward emotional connection, originality, critical strength, and the production that feels like the best full representation of the Broadway season.
That is why this year’s Best Musical race is so interesting. Schmigadoon! has the model edge, The Lost Boys has the spectacle, and Two Strangers has the charm to make the category feel less settled than a simple favorite list might suggest.
Final Tony Awards Betting Thoughts
The 2026 Tony Awards odds market is strongest when bettors stay disciplined. The best categories to attack are the ones where the winner profile is clear and the price is still playable.
Liberation, Ragtime, Death of a Salesman, Joshua Henry, and Caissie Levy all look like strong picks. Best Musical is the trickier race because Schmigadoon! may win, but The Lost Boys could be the better betting value depending on the number.
The final card is Schmigadoon! for Best Musical, Liberation for Best Play, Ragtime for Best Revival of a Musical, Death of a Salesman for Best Revival of a Play, and The Lost Boys as the best value play if the market offers a better price.
Do not chase every category. Awards betting works best when you identify the cleanest voting narratives, compare prices, and avoid forcing action where the board is too thin or too unpredictable.








