Best Actor

Again, it’s 12 Years a Slave offering up the shortest odds in this category, with Chitiwel Ejiofor taking pole position. Robert Redford sneaks into the second favorite slot for his turn in All is Lost. And while Matthew McConaughey represents great value at 5/1 for the Dallas Buyers Club, we’re plumping for a Hanks-centric Oscars 2014.

Tom HanksTom Hanks goes through it all in Captain Phillips

For all the reasons we championed Captain Phillips as a Best Picture winner, Hanks is a huge part of that success. Portraying the controversial character of Phillips, who has been criticized by his crewmates, in such a human, relatable way was the key to his success. And to punctuate the ending with a burst of sheer emotion; something he’d been threatening to do for the entirety of his abduction, was both expertly executed by Hanks and impeccably timed by Greengrass.

"It's the work of Tom Hanks that makes this film unforgettable,” says Richard Roeper on his site.

The Academy have their darlings, and Hanks is certainly one of them. We can see a double for the actor who picked up statuettes for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump in the two biggies, earning you a pretty penny along the way.

Next page: it's Best Actress category