Eurovision Tips: Our 3 best bets for 2021 Europop bonanza’s 1st semi-final tonight

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Ah Eurovision, the marmite of live television. Love it or hate it, after a brief covid-inflicted hiatus, the all singing, all dancing contest is back for 2021. The action kicks off on Tuesday night in Rotterdam and we’ve got some selections that take our fancy for Semi Final 1.

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Israel to qualify

Eden Arlene’s ‘Set Me Free’ may just surprise a few here. An upbeat number with some quite frankly insane vocals (watch out for the falsetto in the final chorus). In my opinion, this is one of the best entries of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and the 22-year-old would be a worthy finalist. The public vote may not be there this year but I think the judges will help in getting Set Me Free into Saturday’s final as Israel qualify.

Croatia Not to Qualify

‘Tick Tock’. Really Croatia, that’s all you could come up with? I know it’s been a tough year for us all but surely you could have come up with something a little more original. The Croatians haven’t qualified for a Eurovision final since 2017 and I predict another failed attempt on Tuesday night. Luka Modric is said to be very underwhelmed by the song and, unlike his footballing compatriots, expect Croatia Not To Qualify here.

Ukraine to win Semi Final 1

If Slavic folk music met 90’s Techno and had a very short-lived but romantically thrilling relationship and subsequently produced a child, you would get Go_A’s ‘SHUM’. I’m not going to lie, the song genuinely scares me but when the beat drops midway through, you can’t help but nod along.

Expect some interesting staging and plenty of fireworks on Tuesday night. It’s doesn’t have the pop-centric innocence of Malta or Cyprus but at the price on offer, it’s worth a look at Ukraine to Win Semi Final 1.

Eurovision semi-final tips

Israel to qualify
Croatia Not To Qualify
Ukraine to Win Semi Final 1

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