HOW TO WIN AN OSCAR POOL

If your office has a pool to see who can predict the most Academy Award winners this year or you’re going to an Oscar party on Sunday where a similar activity is planned, here is how to better your chances of being the big winner this year according to Wired Magazine.

Halve the odds – Of the 10 nominees for Best Picture, eliminate the five (or more) not also up for Best Director. The same movie has won both awards in 25 of the past 30 years.

Follow the pros – For the more obscure awards like Best Animated Short, defer to industry insider site like variety.com, which tend to be savvy about low-profile categories.

Spot the upset – The Supporting Actor and Actress categories are the place for upsets. Put your money on a promising long shot in these two categories.