How the public is betting Best Director at the 2022 Oscars

There are pretty clear favorites in a lot of Academy Award categories this year. But no one seems like more of a lock than Jane Campion to win Best Director at The Oscars this Sunday.

Campion directed “The Power of the Dog,” a drama that explores themes about masculinity, gender norms, family and alcoholism set against the 1920s West. She is currently listed at -3500 to win Best Director, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”) are tied with the second-best odds at +1400.

Campion was previously nominated in this category for 1993’s “The Piano.” However, the 1994 Oscar went to Spielberg for “Schindler’s List.” If Campion does win this Sunday, she will become just the third woman awarded with a Best Director Oscar, joining Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker,” 2010) and Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland,” 2021). “The Power of the Dog” has 12 nominations, the most for any film this year.

Here’s a look at how the public is betting Best Director at the 2022 Academy Awards as of March 25th. All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog): -3500; 25.51% of the handle; 22.63% of the bets
Steven Spielberg (West Side Story): +1400; 28.17% of the handle; 29.75% of the bets
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast): +1400; 21.67% of the handle; 18.83% of the bets
Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza): +2000; 15.24% of the handle; 13.61% of the bets
Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car): +3000; 5.74% of the handle; 7.91% of the bets