The History

• The European Broadcasting Union had the idea of a song contest broadcast throughout Europe and held the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 in Lugano Switzerland.

• There has been a broadcast every year since 1956 making the show one of the longest running television programmes in the world. Switzerland were the inaugural winners.

• There is now a Junior Eurovision which started in 2003.

• Viewers voted for Waterloo by Abba as the top Eurovision song of all time.

• Celine Dion now a global superstar represented Switzerland and won the contest in 1988.

• Riverdance the Irish dance phenomenon was first performed during the interval of the 1994 Eurovision.   

• Eurovision is often broadcast outside Europe. The United States and Canada are amongst a diverse range of countries whose citizens have watched the show.

• Eurovision 2010 will be available on the internet and this years contest is expected to get a record online audience.

• The Eurovison odds are also expected to be popular as bookmakers are likely to take millions in bets.

• Make Eurovision more exciting by placing some bets on who you think will win. Click on the links on the right of this page to make your bet at the best eurovision odds available.