by Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- With the Primetime Emmys, America's top television industry awards, rapidly approaching, speculation in Hollywood is running high as to the potential winners, with "Game of Thrones" leading the pack for their final season.

Since winning an Emmy boosts the winners' career opportunities and maximizes viewership and revenues, the race is fierce and the stakes high.

The Creative Arts Awards, the technical and supporting section of the Emmys held the weekend before the televised Primetime Emmys on Sept. 22, gave out awards Saturday and Sunday for technical categories such as VFX, make up, casting, sound, editing, musical composition, and many others.

Star presenters, including Jon Favreau, Jeff Goldblum, Roy Choi, Wanda Sykes, Will Arnett, Terry Crews, Neil Patrick Harris, Olivia Munn, Jane Seymour, handed out wins that gave a strong indication of how the wind was blowing for the main event.

HBO's "Game of Thrones," which had netted 32 nominations -- another record high -- took home 10 technical and craft awards, setting expectations high for a sweep on Sunday at the 2019 Primetime Emmys.

HBO garnered a record-breaking 137 Emmy nominations in total this year, while Netflix was second with 117 total nominations and Amazon, a distant third with 47.

HBO leapt into the lead at the technical/craft Emmys with 25 wins versus Netflix's 23, while Amazon and National Geographic TV tied for third with eight awards each.

The chilling "Chernobyl" was radiant with seven technical wins, including outstanding music composition for a limited series/TV movie music composition for the disturbing soundtrack of Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir, who dedicated her trophy to the brave people of Chernobyl.

"To everyone who suffered at all from Chernobyl, thank you for allowing us to tell this story," she said.

Amazon Prime's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" laughed all the way home with six statuettes.

Bradley Whitford became the first actor in history to win Emmys in both comedy and drama guest star categories. Cherry Jones won for drama actress, for her guest role in the "The Handmaid's Tale," while Jane Lynch and Luke Kirby took home comedy statuettes for their roles in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Beyonce's "Homecoming" documentary got four nominations for technical Emmys but failed to net any wins this past weekend, which prompted an outcry from her ardent fans.

These technical wins set up expectations of who will walk away with the top awards on Sunday.

Since "Game of Thrones" and "Veep" both ended their series runs this year, many Emmy voters see this as their last chance to acknowledge these ground-breaking shows as they exit.

So, no one wants to bet against "Game of Thrones" to take the crown on Sunday for Outstanding Drama Series, reigning over other nominees, "Better Call Saul," "Bodyguard," "Killing Eve," "Ozark," "Pose," "Succession" and "This Is Us."

"Fleabag" and "Russian Doll" have been getting a lot of kudos, but industry insiders still predict "Veep" will take the statuette for Outstanding Comedy Series again, beating out "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" which won last year when "Veep" was out of contention.

Though "Chernobyl" is a fan favorite for Limited Series, smart money is on Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us." The latter is about the five wrongfully-accused young black men jailed in the infamous New York City Central Park jogger case, which has been a media darling.

Some newcomers, like Amazon Prime's "Fleabag," PopTV's "Schitt's Creek," Netflix's "Russian Doll," and "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj," FX's LGBTQ "Pose," and HBO's "Succession" have come on strong this season and may collect some shiny hardware of their own.

Hollywood oddsmakers are all betting on Sandra Oh to finally take home the statuette for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for her stunning work in "Killing Eve," which will, historically, mark the first time an Asian actress has won the top award for a drama series.

Sandra Oh had been expected to win it last year and even Claire Foy, who won for her magnificent performance in "The Crown," demurred in her acceptance speech, "This wasn't supposed to happen! Sandra Oh, I just love ya."

It's anybody's race for Outstanding Lead Actor, with Kit Harington ("Game of Thrones"), Jason Bateman ("Ozark"), Sterling K. Brown ("This is Us"), Billy Porter ("Pose"), Milo Ventimiglia ("This is Us"), and Bob Odenkirk ("Better Call Saul") all in hot contention, though Odenkirk may have the edge this year.

For Outstanding Lead Comedy Actor and Actress, odds are on Bill Hader for "Barry" and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her swansong in "Veep," which would make her the first person in Hollywood history to nab nine individual Emmys.

"Deadwood" and "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" have been running neck and neck for Outstanding TV Movie, though the scales are tipping slightly toward "Deadwood," due to its star-studded cast of Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker and John Hawkes and the sad fact that "Deadwood" creator, David Milch, is battling Alzheimer's.