Boat Race 2023 Odds: Betting for the famous Oxford vs Cambridge men's and women's races

The latest renewal of one of sport's most iconic rivalries takes place this Sunday.

No, we're not talking about Real Madrid vs Barcelona, England vs Australia, or New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox, but the gruelling, energy-sapping, heart-pounding drama of the famous Oxford vs Oxford annual University Boat Race, which takes place on the River Thames' Championship Course and will be screened live on BBC One from 3.30pm.

It will be painful. So very painful. But prizes, pride, and plaudits await the winners.

Online betting sites have now released the odds for both the men’s and women’s races, which we have explored in more detail below.

Women's Boat Race, 4pm

Cambridge Women hog top spot in the overall leaderboard with an oar-some 45 victories to Oxford’s 30. 

Apologies, that is the first and most definitely the last of boat puns in this article.

Five of those wins have come in the last five editions of the race, setting a blistering new record time of 18 minutes 23 seconds last year.

Therefore it probably won’t come as too much of a shock to discover that the Light Blues have been favoured by bookmakers at 4/7 (William Hill / BoyleSports) as they bid to make it six successes on the spin.

Oxford Women can be backed at 13/10 to turn the tables and experience their long-awaited first taste of victory since 2016.

Alternatively, a Dead Heat is out at a three-figured price of 100/1.

Oxford Women’s Team

• Bow: Laurel Kaye (Worcester)
• Claire Aitken (Oriel)
• Sara Helin (St. Peter’s)
• Ella Stadler (Exeter)
• Alison Carrington (Hertford)
• Freya Willis (Magdalen)
• Sarah Marshall (Jesus)
• Stroke: Esther Austin (St Anne’s)
• Cox: Tara Slade (St Peter’s)

Cambridge Women’s Team

• Bow: Carina Graf (Emmanuel)
• Rosa  Millard (Trinity Hall)
• Alex Riddell-Webster (Murray Edwards)
• Jenna Armstrong (Jesus)
• Freya Keto (St Edmund’s)
• Isabelle Bastian (Jesus)
• Claire Brillon (Fitzwilliam)
• Stroke: Caoimhe Dempsey (Newnham)
• Cox: James Trotman (Sidney Sussex) 

Men's Boat Race, 5pm

First held all the way back in 1829, Cambridge Men lead the way with 85 victories to Oxford’s 81.

Cambridge have won three of the last four duels, however, it’s Oxford who head into the 168th edition of the men’s race as the defending champions following their 2 1⁄4 lengths victory last year - timed at 16 minutes and 47 seconds - as they claimed their first win since 2017.

Bookmakers BoyleSports and William Hill both fancy the holders to retain their crown in 2023, pricing Oxford up at 4/7.

Cambridge are a best-priced 13/10 (William Hill) to burst the Oxford bubble in 2023.

You can even bet on a Dead Heat at 100/1, although this outcome has only ever occurred once back in 1877.

Oxford Men’s Team

• Bow: James Forward (Pembroke)
• Alex Bebb (St. Peter’s)
• Freddy Orpin (St. Catherine’s)
• Tom Sharrock (Magdalen)
• James Doran (Oriel)
• Jean-Philippe Dufour (Lincoln)
• Tassilo von Mueller (Hertford)
• Stroke: Felix Drinkall (Wolfson)
• Cox: Anna O’Hanlon (Somerville) 

Cambridge Men’s Team

• Bow: Matt Edge (St Catharine’s)
• Brett Taylor (Queens’)
• Noam Moulle (Hughes Hall)
• Seb Benzecry (Jesus)
• Thomas Lynch (Hughes Hall)
• Nick Mayhew (Peterhouse)
• Ollie Parish (Peterhouse)
• Stroke: Luca Ferraro (King’s)
• Cox: Jasper Parish (Clare)