Would you play a pair of Oscar Queens?

If you are one of those online poker players who will go all-in with a pair of Queens then I have good news for you – betting all your money on Dame Helen Mirren to walk away with the gold Oscar is a safe bet.

The 79th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on February 25, 2007. This 'night of the stars' is not only an exciting time for movie fans, the paparazzi and red carpet enthusiasts, but also for online casino gamblers.

Immediately after the 2007 Academy Awards nominations were announced William Hill, one of the largest bookmakers in the UK, made Helen Mirren a 1/12 favourite to win the Best Actress award. This is the shortest odds they have ever offered at this early stage of the pre-Oscar build up.

With a Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award already in her pocket for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the movie, The Queen, the odds do seem to be in her favour. This is not the first time that this British actress has played her Queen Card. She was first nominated for an Oscar as Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George and she also won an Emmy for her role as the Virgin Queen in the TV drama Elizabeth I.

Many online poker players will tell you that Lady Luck could favour anyone especially with the stiff competition in the Best Actress category from other British actresses like Dame Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and ol' time American contender, Meryl Streep. With so much Brit talent involved, Hills expects a record turnover in the betting market.

While online casino bookmakers don’t have much to loose with their winning strategy of betting on entertainment events, time will only tell if Dame Helen Mirren’s golden pair of Queens will hold or fold.