Voting at Eurovision is the heartbeat of the contest. Whether you are watching from a participating country or tuning in from the other side of the world, Eurovision 2026 in Vienna gives you the chance to have your say. This complete guide covers every voting method available, the changes the EBU has announced for 2026, and how the voting system interacts with the betting markets.
The Eurovision 2026 Voting System Explained
Eurovision uses a combined voting system that splits the final result into two equal halves. The total score for each country is made up of 50% jury votes and 50% televote (public vote). This system was reintroduced to balance the artistic judgment of professional music industry juries with the raw popularity reflected in the public vote.
Each participating country awards two sets of points. The jury in each country awards 12 points to their favourite, then 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 to their second through tenth favourites. The televote from each country awards an identical set of points based on the public vote. This means the maximum points a single country can award to another is 24 (12 from the jury plus 12 from the televote).
The critical rule that every viewer should know is that you cannot vote for your own country. If you are watching from Sweden, you cannot vote for the Swedish entry. This rule applies to both the televote and the jury. It is designed to prevent countries from simply voting themselves into first place and instead encourages genuine appreciation of other entries.
EBU Voting Changes for 2026: Juries Return to Semi-Finals
The European Broadcasting Union has announced a significant change for Eurovision 2026. Juries will return to the semi-finals after being removed from the semi-final voting process in recent years. This means that qualification from the semi-finals will once again be determined by a combination of jury and public votes rather than the public vote alone.
This is a major change with direct implications for the betting markets. When semi-finals were decided by televote only, countries with large diaspora communities and strong televoting blocs had a clear advantage. With juries back in the semi-finals, more polished and technically accomplished entries may find it easier to qualify, while entries relying purely on televoting enthusiasm could face a tougher path.
For bettors using Betfred, this change means that semi-final qualification bets need to be reassessed. Countries like Moldova and Romania, which historically benefit from strong televoting, may find qualification slightly more difficult. Meanwhile, countries that send jury-friendly entries like Australia and Belgium could see their semi-final odds improve.
How to Vote by SMS or Phone (Participating Countries)
If you are watching Eurovision 2026 from a participating country, the most straightforward way to vote is by SMS or phone call. Here is how it works:
Step 1: Watch the show live on your national broadcaster. Each entry is assigned a number from 01 to 25 (or 26) which is displayed on screen during and after each performance.
Step 2: Wait for the voting window to open. Voting opens immediately after the last song has been performed and the hosts announce that lines are open. You cannot vote before this point, and any votes sent before the window opens will not count.
Step 3: Send an SMS with the number of your favourite entry to the number shown on screen by your national broadcaster. Alternatively, you can call the phone number displayed for your chosen entry. Each country has its own voting numbers and the cost per vote varies by country and broadcaster.
Step 4: You can vote up to 20 times in total. This means you can give all 20 votes to one country, spread them across multiple countries, or any combination you choose. The 20-vote limit is per method (20 SMS votes and 20 phone votes, so technically 40 total in some countries).
The voting window typically lasts around 15 minutes during the semi-finals and up to 30 minutes during the Grand Final. Once the window closes, no further votes are accepted.
Rest of World Online Voting: How Non-European Fans Can Vote
One of the most exciting developments in Eurovision voting in recent years has been the introduction of Rest of World online voting. This system allows fans from non-participating countries to vote via an official online platform, giving the global Eurovision fanbase a direct say in the results.
Rest of World voting works through the official Eurovision website or app. Fans from outside participating countries can register, purchase a voting package, and cast their votes online during the show. The votes from the Rest of World pool are aggregated and counted as an additional voting entity alongside the participating countries.
This means that if you are watching from the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, or any other non-participating nation, you can still influence the outcome. The Rest of World vote is treated as its own "country" for scoring purposes, awarding 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 points based on the aggregate vote from all Rest of World participants.
The cost of Rest of World voting varies but is typically a small fee per vote or a package deal. The EBU has positioned this as both a way to include the global fanbase and to generate additional revenue for the contest. For bettors, the Rest of World vote adds an extra layer of unpredictability. Songs with global appeal beyond Europe, such as entries that go viral on TikTok or YouTube, can receive a meaningful boost from this voting pool.
Understanding the Points System
The Eurovision points system is elegant in its simplicity but powerful in its impact. Each country awards points as follows:
- 12 points - Douze points, the iconic top score, to their favourite entry
- 10 points - To their second favourite
- 8 points - Third favourite
- 7 points - Fourth favourite
- 6 points - Fifth favourite
- 5 points - Sixth favourite
- 4 points - Seventh favourite
- 3 points - Eighth favourite
- 2 points - Ninth favourite
- 1 point - Tenth favourite
Countries finishing outside the top 10 in any individual country's vote receive zero points from that country. This means that broadly liked songs that consistently finish in the top 10 across many countries can accumulate a huge total even without receiving many 12-point scores. Conversely, a polarising entry might receive several 12s from certain countries but zero from most others.
For betting purposes at Betfred, this is crucial to understand. A song does not need to be everyone's favourite to win. It needs to be in most countries' top 10. This is why entries with broad, mainstream appeal tend to outperform niche entries in the final standings, even if the niche entry generates more passionate individual support.
How Voting Patterns Affect Betting
Eurovision voting patterns are among the most studied phenomena in entertainment betting. Several well-documented patterns consistently affect the results and, by extension, the betting markets:
Geographic bloc voting remains a significant factor. Scandinavian countries tend to vote for each other. The former Yugoslav states share votes. Greece and Cyprus almost always exchange 12 points. The Baltic states support each other. These patterns are so consistent that bookmakers at Betfred factor them into their odds models.
Diaspora voting is another major influence. Countries with large diaspora communities across Europe benefit enormously from the televote. Turkey, when they participated, consistently received votes from the large Turkish diaspora in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Romania and Moldova benefit from similar patterns.
The jury-televote split can create dramatic moments. When the jury favourite and the televote favourite are different songs, the final result can come down to which entry has the more balanced support. The 2023 contest saw Finland's Kaarija win the televote by a landslide but lose to Sweden's Loreen who had overwhelming jury support. Bettors who identified this split early could have found value in the outright market.
The reveal order during the Grand Final also matters psychologically. Jury votes are revealed country by country in a dramatic sequence, while the televote is aggregated and revealed in one go at the end. This creates enormous tension and can cause real-time shifts in live betting markets at Betfred.
Tips for Bettors: Using Voting Data to Your Advantage
If you are betting on Eurovision 2026 at Betfred, here are practical tips for using the voting system to inform your bets:
First, study the semi-final results carefully. The breakdown of jury versus televote in the semi-finals is published after the contest and reveals which songs have broad support versus televote-only or jury-only appeal. Songs with strong support from both tend to perform best in the Grand Final.
Second, watch for the Rest of World vote trending. Social media buzz from non-European fans can give you an early indication of which songs will benefit from the Rest of World pool.
Third, remember that with juries returning to the semi-finals in 2026, the qualification landscape has changed. Factor this into your semi-final qualifier bets.
Fourth, consider the impact of the voting window timing. Casual viewers who only tune in for the second half of the show may vote for later-performing entries, reinforcing the running order advantage discussed in our separate running order analysis.
Finally, do not underestimate the power of a great live performance. Eurovision is decided on the night. A song that is a studio favourite can underwhelm live, and a dark horse can electrify the arena. The voters respond to what they see and hear in the moment, and the betting odds at Betfred should be your starting point, not your only input.
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