Opening 2020 ACM Awards Odds – Carrie Underwood Favored to Win Entertainer of the Year

• After being postponed this past April, the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) are back on
• The 55th Annual ACM Awards will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on September 16 and hosted by Keith Urban
• Will one of the most nominated like Blake Shelton or Dan + Shay acts sweep the big categories?

Yee-haw! After the pandemic forced the Academy of Country Music Awards to postpone this past April, turns out the big country stars will still get their chance to shine.

The 55th Annual ACM Awards are back on with a fall event date, scheduled to excite those of you with a penchant for oversized hats.

With big acts including Thomas Rhett and Dan + Shay up for some of the night’s biggest honors, it’ll be interesting to see which of Nashville’s finest walks out as most decorated.

Let’s pull up our boots and take a closer look at the heavy-hitting categories and figure out who is going to be the rootin’ tootin’ winner. (I’m sorry, I promise I’ll try to stop with the cowboy vernacular in due time.)

2020 ACM Award for Album of the Year Odds

All odds taken on July 8

First up is the Album of the Year category. Last year, Kacey Musgraves’ beloved “Golden Hour” took home the award, and for good reason. “Golden Hour” was more than a country album. The crossover hit even went on to win Album of the Year at last year’s Grammys.

Closest in quality to Musgraves’ gem this year is Maren Morris’ Girl. Having had a crossover hit herself in the form of EDM bop “The Middle” with Zedd, Morris has become somewhat of a household name. But is it enough to take home a country music album award?

The thing about Girl being the favorite in Album of the Year is that it’s deserved.

Girl peaked at number one on Billboard‘s country charts and even hit number four on the all-genre inclusive Top 200. More importantly, Girl was released to critical fanfare and went on to become a signifier of the next wave of country-tinged feminism.

The thing about Girl being the favorite in Album of the Year is that it’s deserved. No other album in this category is as special. Morris’ biggest competition includes frequent ACM Award-winner Miranda Lambert and boy next door Thomas Rhett. But neither of these acts had an album that hit the way Morris’ did.

Pick: Girl (Maren Morris) +200

2020 ACM Award for Entertainer of the Year Odds

Hmm, I’m not really sure why there’s only one female nominated for Entertainer of the Year, but let’s move on shall we.

Two-time winner Carrie Underwood hasn’t seen a win in this category for over a decade, so she’s long overdue. Luke Bryan also has two wins while the rest of the nominees would be first-time winners.

Last year’s winner, Keith Urban, is noticeably absent as a nominee this year. But, given that he’s hosting, perhaps he’ll be the one handing Carrie her trophy.

Pick: Carrie Underwood (+225)

2020 ACM Award for Female Artist of the Year Odds

This category seems a bit of a no brainer. Considering Carrie Underwood is the only nominee for Female Artist also nominated for Entertainer of the Year, it only makes sense for her to win it. Maybe that’s why her odds are the best, y’all?

Morris makes another appearance in this category. But ask anyone who’s anyone– Maren Morris isn’t exactly a household name. Carrie Underwood’s a bona fide country star through and through– big hair and all.

Considering Carrie Underwood is the only nominee for Female Artist also nominated for Entertainer of the Year, it only makes sense for her to win it.

Kacey Musgraves won last year, breaking Miranda Lambert’s impressive nine-year streak. Pre-Lambert, Underwood won the three prior years. That long-standing history makes this year’s competition all the more exciting to watch.

https://twitter.com/BillBored5/status/1278105522638434304

A neck-in-neck race featuring a trio of prior multi-year winners is a hell of a race to watch. But looking at the overall category pool, it just makes sense for Underwood to sneak a win. Even if it is narrow, it still counts.

Pick: Carrie Underwood (+225)

2020 ACM Award for Male Artist of the Year Odds

And then there are the dudes. Seemingly, Male Artist is apparently a battle between Thomas Rhett and Luke Combs. But that’s just looking at the odds. The two young stars have been ones to watch in country for the better of the last half-decade.

But don’t count out Chris Stapleton. His odds may be longer, but the last four years in this category have seen Stapleton and Rhett ping-ponging in wins. With Rhett winning last year, this may again be Stapleton’s year.

Urban may just be nominated here as a sign of respect given that he’s hosting. And poor Dierks Bentley, he’s never going to win.

Pick: Chris Stapleton (+330)

2020 ACM Award for Song of the Year Odds

Can Dan + Shay win for a second year in a row? They snuck a win last year for “Tequila” and may be able to recreate that magic. After all, this year they have the magic of Justin Bieber involved.

A lot of these songs seem like random filler picks. But thanks to Bieber’s involvement, “10,000 Hours” went on to the general charts, peaking at number four on the Hot 100 (in addition, naturally, to topping the country charts).

I’d be willing to put my Stetson on the line that Dan + Shay and Biebs are going to walk away with this one. Darn tootin’.

Pick: “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber (+225)