The Eurovision Song Contest has long been a massive part of European culture, especially in mainland Europe.
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This annual music competition, known for its vibrant performances and diverse entries, continues to be a celebration of talent and cultural expression. With millions tuning in to witness the spectacle, the anticipation surrounding the contest remains as high as ever. Eurovision winners will often go on to have a solid career thereafter, so it’s really important to make an impression with the viewing audience and judges.
With that in mind, I’ll be looking at some of the unexpected winners and the sorest of losers in the history of the annual spectacle.
Biggest Eurovision landslide victories
Some Eurovision Song Contest wins have been completely dominant on the night of the final, with winners pulling ahead by massive margins to take home the coveted win. These decisive victories stand out in the event’s long history of tight competition and performance, with some victories being so decisive that it almost isn’t fair!
Norway – Alexander Rybak – “Fairytale” – 2009
Alexander Rybak’s upbeat and violin-driven “Fairytale” remains the most dominant win in Eurovision history. He won with a total of 387 points, finishing 169 points ahead of the second-place entry from Iceland. His performance became a Eurovision classic and set a record that has yet to be broken over 15 years later.
Portugal – Salvador Sobral – “Amar pelos dois” – 2017
Salvador Sobral captured hearts across Europe with his simple yet emotional ballad “Amar pelos dois”. Earning 758 points overall, he finished 143 points ahead of the runner-up, which was Bulgaria’s “Beautiful Mess” by Kristian Kostov. It was Portugal’s first Eurovision win, and one that broke several records, including the highest score ever under the new voting system.
Sweden – Loreen – “Euphoria” – 2012
Loreen’s delivered a powerhouse performance on “Euphoria” that earned both critical and popular acclaim. She scored 372 points, outpacing the second-place entry, Buranovskiye Babushki of Russia, by 113 points. The win marked a modern high point for Sweden and helped cement Loreen’s place as a Eurovision legend.
Sweden – Måns Zelmerlöw – “Heroes” – 2015
Another big win for Sweden came with Måns Zelmerlöw’s visually striking performance of “Heroes.” He collected 365 points, securing a 62-point lead over the runner-up (which was again Russia). The song’s mix of digital effects and live performance helped it stand out in a crowded field that year.
Ukraine – Ruslana – “Wild Dances” – 2004
Ruslana’s energetic and inspired “Wild Dances” brought Ukraine its first Eurovision trophy. She won with 280 points, finishing 17 points ahead of Serbia and Montenegro. While the margin wasn’t as massive as others on this list, in the pre-televote era? It was considered a significant gap.
Closest Eurovision Song Contest wins
While some victories are in the Eurovision song contest are achieved with commanding leads, others come down to the wire. These are the contests where every point mattered, and the difference between glory and second place was razor-thin.
Ukraine – Jamala – “1944” – 2016
Jamala’s powerful and politically charged song “1944” won Ukraine the trophy with a total of 534 points. She beat Australia’s Dami Im by just 23 points, with the final outcome hinging on the newly introduced combined jury and televote system.
Denmark – Emmelie de Forest – “Only Teardrops” – 2013
Emmelie de Forest’s folky and emotional “Only Teardrops” clinched victory for Denmark with 281 points, only 47 ahead of Azerbaijan. The win was tight throughout the voting, keeping fans across Europe on edge until the final reveal.
Sweden – Loreen – “Tattoo” – 2023
Loreen made history in 2023 by becoming only the second artist to win Eurovision twice. Her song “Tattoo” edged out Finland’s Käärijä by just 57 points, despite the latter winning the public televote. The narrow margin sparked intense debate among fans at the time about the jury’s influence in the competition and whether it was too great overall.
Austria – Udo Jürgens – “Merci, Chérie” – 1966
Austria’s first Eurovision win came with Udo Jürgens’ touching ballad “Merci, Chérie.” He won with 31 points, narrowly beating Sweden’s entry from Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson by only 15 points in a much smaller voting pool than today’s system.
Jury favourites and televote losers
The split voting system introduced in recent years has created some of the most controversial and dramatic moments in Eurovision history. Sometimes, the public’s favourite didn’t take home the trophy due to low jury scores…and sometimes jury favourites flopped with viewers at home.
They were robbed!
Italy – Il Volo – “Grande Amore”
In 2015, Il Volo dominated the televote with their operatic pop anthem “Grande Amore.” However, the juries ranked them much lower at 6th, pushing them to an overall third place despite leading in public support.
Finland – Käärijä – “Cha Cha Cha”
Käärijä’s wild and unforgettable 2023 performance captured the audience’s imagination, easily topping the televote. But when combined with the jury vote, he lost out to Sweden’s Loreen by 57 points, prompting strong fan reactions online. The jury only gave Käärijä 150 points compared to 376 from the public vote, just to highlight the differential here!
Croatia – Baby Lasagna – “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”
Croatia’s 2024 entry led the televote, showcasing broad audience appeal with its energetic and quirky presentation. Despite this, Switzerland took the win thanks to a dominant jury score, leaving many fans feeling that Croatia had been shortchanged. The public vote got them 337 and the jury vote got them 210, almost a flip-flop from Switzerland’s 226 from the public and 365 from the jury.
Nul points from the televote
Austria – Cesár Sampson – “Nobody But You”
Cesár Sampson won the jury vote in 2018 with his smooth vocals and polished staging. However, the public response was more muted, gaining only 71. He ranked only 3rd overall after finishing outside the top three in the televote.
Australia – Dami Im – “Sound of Silence”
In 2016, Dami Im’s powerhouse vocals earned her first place with the jury, getting 320 points. Despite a stunning performance, she placed second overall after losing out in the public vote to Ukraine’s Jamala, whose emotional song struck a stronger chord with viewers. Dami Im managed to get 191 points from the public vote compared to 323 for Jamala, so it was a big difference that got Ukraine the win.
Sweden – John Lundvik – “Too Late for Love”
John Lundvik topped the jury vote in 2019, with his soulful and uplifting track getting him 241 points. But a surprising drop in televote support, placing sixth as he only managed 93 points, meant he ultimately finished fifth in the overall ranking, illustrating the gap between ‘expert’ and popular opinion.
Top 3 Eurovision upsets
Eurovision has always been unpredictable, and history shows that pre-final odds don’t always tell the full story. These three shock victories came despite low bookmaker expectations, proving that anything can happen once the performers hit the stage.
Azerbaijan – Ell & Nikki – “Running Scared” – 2011
Azerbaijan’s 2011 win was unexpected, with Ell & Nikki not considered strong contenders before the final. “Running Scared” received modest attention in the lead-up, and UK bookmakers had them ranked outside the top five. However, their clean duet and visually appealing staging resonated widely on the night, earning them 221 points and delivering Azerbaijan its first Eurovision trophy, a result few saw coming.
Portugal – Salvador Sobral – “Amar pelos dois” – 2017
Few predicted Portugal would make a serious impact in 2017, but Salvador Sobral’s minimalist ballad stunned audiences and juries alike. With odds placing him outside the top 10 before the semi-finals, his emotional and intimate performance delivered Portugal its first-ever Eurovision victory, by a record-breaking margin.
Austria – Conchita Wurst – “Rise Like a Phoenix” – 2014
Conchita Wurst was seen as a long shot going into the 2014 final, with media focus on her image more than her song. But when she delivered a powerful, Bond-esque vocal performance, she captured the hearts of both juries and viewers, which saw her climbing the leaderboard and claiming victory for Austria.
Top 10 Eurovision winner stats
The Eurovision Song Contest has seen record-breaking performances and dramatic scoring moments. Below is a breakdown of the top 10 highest-scoring winners since the introduction of the split jury-televote system in 2016, showing how each entry earned their place in Eurovision history.
| Year | Country | Televote points | Jury points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Portugal | 376 | 382 |
| 2023 | Sweden | 243 | 340 |
| 2016 | Ukraine | 323 | 211 |
| 2015 | Sweden | 279 | 353 |
| 2018 | Israel | 317 | 212 |
| 2019 | Netherlands | 261 | 237 |
| 2021 | Italy | 318 | 206 |
| 2022 | Ukraine | 439 | 192 |
| 2024 | Switzerland | 226 | 365 |
| 2020 | Cancelled | N/A | N/A |
About the author
Jake Skudder
Jake Skudder is a British journalist and digital content strategist with over a decade of experience covering sports, gaming, and entertainment. His work spans areas such as mixed martial arts, professional wrestling, football, and gaming. Additionally, he has been involved in public relations and media coordination within the UK’s independent wrestling scene.
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