One of the most popular shows to ever hit the small screen will return for its eighth and final season when Game of Thrones returns in April 2019. Game of Thrones has been the highest rated show that HBO has ever produced, and the showrunners have taken their time to make sure everything is just right for the finale.
The series has seen some wild twists and turns over the previous seven seasons as George R.R. Martin’s acclaimed novels have shown that no character is un-killable, and that has led to rampant speculation over who will die and who will sit on the Iron Throne when its all said and done. As with anything else, there are now Iron Throne betting odds where people can wager on who will rule Westeros when the show comes to a halt.
Game of Thrones – Who Will Rule Westeros at the end of Season Eight? (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Bran Stark +100
Any Child of Jon Snow +250
Jon Snow +300
Daenerys Targaryen +350
The Night King +800
Cersei Lannister +900
Sansa Stark +1200
Gendry +1200
Samwell Tarly +1200
Arya Stark +1400
Euron Greyjoy +2000
Jaime Lannister +2500
Lord Varys +5000
Jaqen H’ghar +9900
Beric Dondarrion +10000
Brienne of Tarth +10000
Tyrion Lannister +1000
Bronn +10000
Lyanna Mormont +10000
Theon Greyjoy +12500
Gilly +49900
Bran Stark has emerged as the leading contender to be on the Iron Throne at the end of the series per the Game of Thrones odds. This speculation has largely emerged from a Reddit thread about the similarities between Bran’s battle with The Night King and R’hllor’s battle with the Great Other. The fan theory is pretty compelling, and it seems that Martin has hinted that this may be how it all ends. Earlier on in the series, the famous R+L=J theory was proven to be true, so there is some credence here.
I don’t think the next three choices are going to end up panning out, although they are logical. In a traditional television series, it would make sense for Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, or a possible child of theirs to rule Westeros when it’s all said and done, but this is Game of Thrones. Since 2011 the show has taught us to expect the unexpected, and there isn’t much reason to believe that one of these outcomes will happen and the value isn’t there either.
Further down the list, there are better choices per the Game of Thrones betting odds. One of my favorite picks is Sansa Stark at +1200. Sansa has been through more than any other character through the show’s first seven seasons, and I believe the writers may want to reward the character for her perseverance through it all. She has a claim to the Iron Throne as the oldest surviving child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, and she was betrothed to Joffrey Lannister before marrying Tyrion Lannister. I have a feeling that the showrunners put her character through hell for a number of years with the intention of giving us a big payoff, and this would be the biggest one.
Arya Stark is another character to keep an eye on. The plucky younger sister of Sansa is a fan favorite, and she might ascend to the Iron Throne through some chicanery. Arya learned how to conceal her identity and appear as virtually anybody else through her time with the Faceless Men, and she could conceivably rule Westeros as someone else. There are a number of characters she could pretend to be in order to achieve this, and the scenario makes sense on its surface.
Finally, there is Bronn at 100-1 odds. I’ll admit, Bronn is my favorite character so that may influence me toward this option. However, there is some logic behind it too. Although Bronn was originally a commoner, he now is a lord with various titles, and we have a precedent for a nobleman seizing the Iron Throne by force. Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne by killing Rhaegar Targaryen at the Battle of the Trident, and Bronn has bested countless foes in combat
