Olivia Dean has been installed as the new favourite to win the Mercury Prize for Best Album 2026, with William Hill now pricing the London-based singer at 6/1.
Dean’s album ‘The Art Of Loving’ has leapfrogged Florence + the Machine and RAYE in the betting, with the pair now trailing at 13/2. Nia Archives and Suede, who were 5/1 joint-favourites when the market first opened, have since drifted out to 15/2, sitting behind Dave (13/2), Kojey Radical (7/1) and Dove Ellis (7/1).
The shift comes with over ten weeks still to go before a winner is announced, and William Hill says the market remains tight at the top despite Dean’s new position. Full outright odds for the prize are as follows:
| Artist | Odds |
|---|---|
| Olivia Dean | 6/1 |
| RAYE | 13/2 |
| Florence + The Machine | 13/2 |
| Dave | 13/2 |
| Kojey Radical | 7/1 |
| Dove Ellis | 7/1 |
| Nia Archives | 15/2 |
| Suede | 15/2 |
| Bar (all others) | 10/1 |
William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “Olivia Dean’s album ‘The Art Of Loving’ is littered with chart-toppers so it is no surprise that she’s now leading the way in our Best Album betting at 6/1. While the outright market for this year’s Mercury Prize is tight at the top, ‘The Art Of Loving’ has resonated in a way that’s pushed her ahead of heavyweights like Florence + the Machine and RAYE, which says a lot about the impact she’s had.”
“It’s a wide-open field further down the market too, with Nia Archives (15/2) and Suede (15/2) drifting since the market opened, so we’re not ruling out any artist’s chances of scooping the Prize with over ten weeks to go before a winner is announced,” Phelps added.
The full outright market for the Mercury Prize is available via William Hill.
Dean’s rise in the Mercury Prize market follows a run of form that has already seen bookmakers back her heavily elsewhere this year. She was previously installed as joint-favourite to sing the next James Bond theme alongside RAYE, with William Hill citing her BRIT Awards haul as a driving factor behind that market too.
Nia Archives, meanwhile, continues to build momentum outside the betting markets, having recently been confirmed for a return to All Points East as part of the support line-up for Jorja Smith and Tems at Victoria Park this August.
Add as a preferred source