Rehearsals can always throw up surprises, and today, it was France that sent ripples through the bookmakers’ confidence ratings as the automatic finalists took to the stage in Vienna.

Some very positive feedback after Lisa Angell’s first rehearsal has propelled the singer from odds obscurity to a much healthier outsider, with odds as short as 33-1 with one bookmaker.

France’s successful relaunch seems to have come at the expense of the UK, which has slipped to as long as 100-1 in the winners’ tables.

Quiet burners and persistent gainers

Israel, which enjoyed an early rise up the list some weeks ago before sinking again, is back on the up. Nadav is something of a quiet burner since rehearsals started in Vienna, picking up lots of compliments from fans and journalists alike, and very slowly gaining back the odds ground he lost. At some bookies, Nadav with fetch just 33-1 for a win, after spending some time on 100-1 or more.

In other betting news, Latvia and Cyprus hold on to the gains they have made since the second semifinalists rehearsed for the first time. Estonia just manages to hold off Russia from taking back the fourth favourite place, whilst the big three of Sweden, Italy and Australia continue to hold off any serious competition in the money stakes.

The first big test, of course, is the first semifinal. Expect the odds to do some serious switcheroo after ten of those songs pass their trial by televisual fire on Tuesday.