This year saw a record breaking number of people wager on the results of the 2009 Academy Awards, with many getting good returns on their money after the film “Slumdog Millionaire” walked away with no less than eight Oscars.

The Academy Awards event is the third busiest day of the year for betting sites (after the US Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby) and this year’s turnout at popular sites did not disappoint.

“There is an incredible demand for Oscar betting and it appears greater than in previous years despite the economic downturn,” commented one industry analyst.  It is believed that millions of dollars were spent by players betting on the Academy Awards, both in the United States and around the rest of the world, where interest peaked especially in areas such as the United Kingdom and Australia.