The Masked Dancer Betting

What is The Masked Dancer?

Reality TV shows in the UK are getting more popular by the day, drawing millions of enthusiastic viewers per airing. The best part is it's not just the common folk enjoying the drama and elimination; betting sites are joining the action too. Many people don't know this, but it's possible to bet on your favourite reality show, such as Love Island or The Masked Singer. The latter is the original show from which The Masked Dancer is a spinoff. 

The Masked Dancer features 12 celebrity contestants whose identities are concealed behind full-body costumes. The contestants dance and offer hints as to who they might be while the judges try to determine each contestant's true identity. This format makes it one of the best TV shows to wager on since, along with the judges, viewers can also try to identify which celebrities are hiding behind the masks.

The History of The Masked Dancer 

The first season of The Masked Dancer premiered in May 2021, becoming one of the most-viewed reality TV shows in the UK. The show's origin is in Korea, and it's basically a spinoff of The Masked Singer, which features celebrities singing instead of dancing. Comedian Joel Dommett hosts the UK show. 

The winner of the first series of The Masked Dancer was Louis Smith, who was masked as 'The Carwash.' In 2nd place was Bonnie Langford, masked as Squirrel, and the 2nd runners-up award was scooped by Howard Donald, masked as Zip.

The Panellists for The Masked Dancer UK

The Masked Dancer is hosted by Joel Dommett, a comedian of great repute and an incredible sense of humour. Joel has also had roles in famous TV shows like Live in Chelsea, Impractical Jokers UK, and I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out Here!

The panellists include;

1. Jonathan Ross – The English broadcaster has his own comedy chat show known as The Jonathan Ross Show on ITV. 
2. Davina McCall – The television presenter became a household name in the UK when she was a presenter of the reality show Big Brother. She has previously hosted other game shows and talent shows.
3. Oti Mabuse – She is currently the Latin dance champion, and the South African is a well-known talent show judge. She was a winner of the dancing television series Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 and 2020. She is also a judge on the show Dancing in Ice.
4. Peter Crouch – The former professional footballer and now a football pundit is a famous name in the UK thanks to his trademark robot celebration. The towering figure came in as a replacement for comedian Mo Gilligan who could not return for the 2nd season of The Masked Dancer due to his touring commitments.

Other celebrities who have previously made an appearance on The Masked Dancer UK as guest panellists include;

1. David Williams 
2. John Bishop 
3. Holly Willoughby

The Format and Structure of The Masked Dancer 

If you have previously watched The Masked Singer, you will definitely understand the format of its sister show, The Masked Dancer. Instead of the celebrity contestants hitting us with musical notes, the dance moves count on this show. 

The Contestants

A total of 12 celebrity contestants, fully dressed from head to toe in colourful costumes and masks, will perform unique dances, and it will be up to the panellists and viewers to guess their identities. The contestants will also drop clues on their identities while performing their dancing routines. 

The Face-off

The contestants will face off directly, and the winner between the two goes to the next round while the loser is at risk of elimination. Only a single contestant is unmasked every week, which gives viewers a chance to know whether their guesses of who is behind the mask were correct. 

This format is repeated until there are two finalists.

The Judges

Celebrity guests form the panel and give their verdicts on the contestants' performances. The panellists on this year's The Masked Dancer show include Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Obi Matuse, and Peter Crouch. He replaced Mo Gilligan, a panellist on the show's first series. 

The show will have seven episodes aired weekly on ITV at 6.30 pm and on the ITV hub.

Betting Markets for The Masked Dancer

There are several betting options for The Masked Dancer. We have expounded on some popular markets below;

To Win 

This is a simple bet where you place a wager on who you think will win The Masked Dancer. Since there is no way for viewers to know which contestant is behind a particular costume, the bet is placed for a specific character. The list of options for this market is by their outfit, and it's perhaps the most apparent betting market for The Masked Dancer. 

In the first series of The Masked Dancer, the winner turned out to be the former Olympic gymnast Louis Smith who was masked as The Carwash.

Who is Behind the Mask 

One of the main objectives of The Masked Dancer is for viewers and panellists to guess who is behind a particular costume. The celebrity contestants will drop clues about their identities while performing their dance acts. So one of the ways to cash in on this market is to pay close attention to their hints and take a guess. 

This is also made easier by the bookies offering odds on several celebrities that may be behind the masks, and the onus is on you to choose one and place your bet.

Next to be Eliminated 

Suppose you think a particular contestant on The Masked Dancer is weak, then you can place a bet on them to be eliminated in the next round. This is an engaging bet, especially if you've been following the show from the beginning.

Gender of the Winning Dancer 

This is also a straightforward market, although it's not as popular as the markets we've discussed above. Just place a bet on what gender you think will emerge as the winner.

Who will be the Finalists?

In this market, viewers have to guess who among the contestants will make it to the finals. It’s a safe bet because it’s not limited to one contestant — several of them have to make it to the final. If you’re a regular follower of the show, this is a lucrative market to set your sights on. 

Different Tips and Strategies for Betting on The Masked Dancer

The number one rule for betting is that winning is not guaranteed. This is true for betting on reality TV shows like The Masked Dancer because the favourites do not always win, and there is always a lowly-rated character that goes the distance. So with these two factors in mind, here are a few betting strategies you can use to your advantage. 

Find the Best Odds

Choosing the bookmaker with great odds for the market you want to place your bet on is essential. Luckily for you, all the betting websites we have listed in this review offer some of the best odds you can find for The Masked Dancer. Better odds mean more profits, so finding the best odds for any particular market is crucial. 

Using Bet Offers 

If you're betting on The Masked Dancer for the first time, then using bet offers is a fantastic way to get you started. Just join your website of choice and take advantage of their betting sign-up offers, which may even include a free bet. In fact, all the UK betting sites listed in this detailed review have freebies for new users, although some are limited to sports betting.

A betting site like Paddy Power has free bet offers for existing customers, provided they meet a few conditions. 

Follow the Show 

Watching the show gives you a better perspective on which markets to bet on. The eye test is an excellent way to judge a character. You’ll also be up to date with the judges' opinions and the general public's on all the contestants.