Betting houses say the duo's song "Liekinheitin" has the best chance of winning this year.Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen celebrate their qualification at Eurovision's first semi-final on Tuesday night. Image: Hannibal Hanschke / EPAYle News13.5. 11:45Finland's Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen qualified at Eurovision's first semi-final on Tuesday night, which means they made it to the final.The violinist-vocalist duo performed their entry "Liekinheitin" ("Flamethrower") against 14 other acts, with 10 of them headed to the final on Saturday.In a new development, Eurovision's semi-finals are now determined by a mix of a jury vote and a public vote, with each having a 50-percent weighting.The audience at Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle rewarded Lampenius and Parkkonen's performance with loud cheers.Lampenius received special permission to play her violin at the contest, while the rules generally forbid actual playing of instruments, and only allow vocalists to play their parts.According to international bookmakers, "Liekinheitin" has the best chance of winning Eurovision this year. However, the competition's second semi-final has yet to be held.The running order of acts on Saturday night will be announced on Friday.Israel controversyThere was a major security effort at the venue on Tuesday, with police officers and guards seen securing the stage area.The participation of Israel at Eurovision has caused widespread controversy since the country's war in Gaza began in 2023.When Israel's act Noam Bettan took the stage at Tuesday's semi-final, there were loud boos heard from the audience, with some shouting "free Palestine" and "stop the genocide".Israel's participation at ESC even prompted five countries to boycott the contest, including Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia.Yle will broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on TV1 and on Yle Areena. The second semi-final will be held on Thursday 14 May. The final will be held on Saturday 16 May.