The Game Awards 2025 Betting Preview: Favorites, Predictions, & Best Bets

Game of the Year Odds and Prediction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (-2000)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strong favorite to win the 2025 Game of the Year award. At -2000 odds, the Sandfall Interactive Unreal Engine 5 role-playing game has a 95.2% implied probability of taking home the top prize at The Game Awards.

Last year, Astro Bot was a successful underdog pick at +200, but I don’t see a plus-odds game winning this year. Hollow Knight Silksong is the next most likely contender at +750, though that price feels too short.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Donkey Kong Bananza are not good value bets at their current odds. They face tough competition from a game that stands out above the rest this year. In a different year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might have had a serious challenger, but that’s not the case in 2025.

The impressive RPG, released in April 2025, has received rave reviews for its unique combat system that blends traditional turn-based mechanics with Sekiro-inspired parrying.

Major review sites have been overwhelmingly positive: IGN rated it 9/10, Metacritic gave it 92%, and GameSpot awarded another 9/10. Additionally, 97% of Google users liked the game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is poised to sweep multiple categories, not just Game of the Year.

With virtually no competition, expect the public to support Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 heavily. However, given its -2000 odds, there’s little betting value. While it’s the clear choice for The Game Awards betting picks, backing it at such a steep price isn’t advisable.

Best Mobile Game Odds and Prediction: Umamusume: Pretty Derby (+1000)

Persona 5: The Phantom X is currently the leading betting favorite to win Best Mobile Game. However, I don’t see value in betting on it at -200 odds. There’s a legitimate chance another title could win this category.

Sonic Rumble is an interesting option at +400, but having been released in early November, it has some issues and would be relying heavily on brand recognition. Few players have had the opportunity to try it, and early impressions are lukewarm.

Therefore, my top picks for The Game Awards 2025 in the Best Mobile Game category are between Destiny: Rising and Umamusume: Pretty Derby. The latter, developed by Cygames, presents strong value at +1000 odds. With a cult following in Japan since 2021 and an English global release in June 2025, it now boasts a large, international player base.

This racing and training gacha game offers generous rewards and is beginner-friendly. Players train and race their horse girls, which are based on real-life racehorses, to victory. Reviews for Umamusume: Pretty Derby are positive, scoring 9/10 on Steam and 84% on Metacritic.

At +1000 odds, Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a fantastic value pick to win Best Mobile Game, making it well worth backing in this category.

Best Sports/Racing Game Odds and Prediction: EA Sports FC 26 (-175)

The team at EA Sports FC is aiming for consecutive wins in the Best Sports/Racing Game category. EA Sports FC 25 outperformed strong competition like F1 24. According to the latest betting odds for The Game Awards, they’re in the running again this year.

F1 25 brought some updates over F1 24, but nothing groundbreaking; many gamers still prefer the 2024 version. Reports suggest EA Sports may skip F1 26 entirely to focus on a new release for 2027, as there’s little to say about the last edition. Similarly, FC 26 is essentially a re-release of FC 25, with minimal changes.

Neither title seems deserving of the win, and even loyal fans might reconsider their votes this year. Notably, FC 26 received a mediocre 6/10 on Steam, and only 49% of Google users liked it. Though favored to win at -175, its value is debatable.

On the popularity front, Mario Kart World is sure to draw a lot of votes from Nintendo fans. Though not a masterpiece, it earned solid ratings: 8/10 from IGN and 86% on Metacritic, supported by a large, enthusiastic fan base.

With +750 odds, Nintendo’s Mario Kart World looks like a smart bet to win Best Sports/Racing Game at The Game Awards!