Introduction
As the Nobel Prize in Literature’s 2025 recipient is set to be announced, bookmakers and writers are already speculating on who might receive this prestigious award. Among the top contenders are Haruki Murakami, Mircea Cărtărescu, Can Xue, Anne Carson, Gerald Murnane, and Cristina Rivera Garza.
Bookmakers’ Favorites
According to the British portal Olbg, Haruki Murakami and Mircea Cărtărescu share the top position with odds of 6.00, followed by Canadian poet Anne Carson and Chinese writer Can Xue with odds of 7.00 and 8.00, respectively. Australian author Gerald Murnane, known for his experimental style, follows with odds of 10.00.
Betsson, a bookmaker present in Colombia, presents a slightly different picture. Murnane leads with odds of 6.00, followed by Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai at 7.00, and Mexican writer Cristina Rivera Garza enters the race with odds of 10.00, establishing herself as a prominent Latin American voice.
Both Thomas Pynchon and Cărtărescu have odds of 12.00 in BetUS, a US-based bookmaker, with Can Xue coming in second at 330 and Murakami third.
International Bookmakers’ Insights
Oddspedia, another major international bookmaking reference, includes Indian writer Amitav Ghosh among its top picks with odds of 7.00. Alongside him are Krasznahorkai, Can Xue, and Murakami, all sharing the same odds. Following them are Murakami and Murnane with odds of 9.00 and 11.00, respectively.
These odds indicate that this year’s Nobel Prize literature bets highlight an interest in authors who push the boundaries of fiction and essay, as well as diversity.
Writers’ Favorites
Under this context, writers worldwide are starting to voice their opinions on who might win. Cărtărescu is seen as a strong contender, but Murakami, Rivera Garza, and César Aira are also mentioned prominently.
“Cărtărescu’s symbolic approach reimagines Western history, reinventing a world from Bucharest as if it were the center and threshold of new dimensions of the planet,” said Rubén Silva, author of “La Cárcel del Basilisco.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the main contenders for the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature? The leading candidates include Haruki Murakami, Mircea Cărtărescu, Can Xue, Anne Carson, Gerald Murnane, and Cristina Rivera Garza.
- What are the odds according to different bookmakers? Odds vary between bookmakers, with Murakami and Cărtărescu sharing the top position at 6.00 with Olbg and Betsson, while Betsson places Murnane first at 6.00, followed by Krasznahorkai and Rivera Garza. BetUS has Can Xue leading at 330, with Murakami and Krasznahorkai following. Oddspedia lists Amitav Ghosh, Krasznahorkai, Can Xue, and Murakami as top picks with odds of 7.00.
- What makes these authors stand out? These writers are recognized for their innovative approaches to fiction and essay, as well as their contributions to literary diversity.
