Chinese Author Can Xue Leads Betting Odds for 2026 Nobel Literature Prize
Ta'Xbiex, Malta – October 06, 2026 -- The Swedish Academy will announce the winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, October 8, and betting company Betsson currently lists Chinese experimental writer Can Xue as the frontrunner at odds of 5.00.
Canadian poet Anne Carson follows at 7.00, with Australian novelist Gerald Murnane third at 8.00. Betsson's list covers roughly 40 authors worldwide, with Asian writers featuring prominently alongside Can Xue, including Amitav Ghosh at 9.00.
Can Xue has topped Betsson's odds before, in 2023
The author, widely considered China's leading experimental writer, has repeatedly figured among Nobel contenders over the past decade. Betsson has run odds on the Literature Prize for more than ten years.