British bookmaker William Hill is offering punters odds of 8/1 on Chiara winning Tuesday's semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, predicting she will comfortably make it to the final.
However, when it comes to Saturday's final, Chiara drops on the bookmaker's list to 10th place, along with six other countries, with odds of 33/1 to win.
Five other bookmakers - Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Tote Sport and Stan James - place Malta's entry, What If We, in ninth place overall. The bookmakers have made Norway favourite, followed by Greece and Bosnia Herzegovina.
Though encouraged by the enthusiasm for the first round, Chiara refused to be swayed by the predictions after her experience in 1998, when bookmakers were wide of the mark placing her last.
That year she placed third with The One That I Love.
While bookmakers' odds can give a good indication, there were instances where the predictions were off beam. However, they hit the nail on the head with Lynn Chircop in 2003 or Fabrizio Faniello in 2006.
These results strengthen Chiara's opinion: "In 2005 (when she placed second with Angel), the odds were not much better. At the end of the day it's the people who are voting from their home and they don't give too much importance to polls."
This year the public will choose their favourites from the two semi-finals through televoting.
However, for the first time since 1997, a jury is being reintroduced for the final where viewers and professional juries from the 42 competing countries each have a 50-per-cent stake in the outcome.
According to the contest's executive supervisor, Svante Stockselius, nothing is more democratic than the public vote.
"But a jury takes the opportunity to listen to the songs several times, before they make up their minds. In Belgrade, last year, we saw a difference in the judgment of the public and the back-up juries, and we believe a combination will make the show more interesting," he said.
Chiara has always gone down well with the public, so she is focusing on making it to the final. Her experience and confidence, on and off stage, are standing her in good stead.
"In 1998 I was just starting off and I used to feel small on stage, but now I feel the stage is all mine and it's too small. I've matured tremendously and take things in my stride, even people's snide remarks," she said.
Chiara was referring to the unpleasant comments that one of the singers representing The Netherlands made publicly in her regard.
"He was all out to ridicule me by mocking my figure - we're snubbing them now," she said, adding that nothing was going to dent her spirit and she was calm and prepared.
Chiara is attracting quite a bit of media attention and she was prominently featured on Moscow's popular breakfast show on Channel One, while yesterday evening she was interviewed by Ukraine's crew.
Last night she hit the Euroclub in Moscow's Red Square where she sang during Ukraine's party, and the joint get-together of Greece and Cyprus.
This morning she will be going on a tour of Moscow and generally relaxing before tomorrow's two dress rehearsals.