Sportsbook.com has set the early odds on Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France at 5-6, cementing the six-time winner once again as the heavy favorite. They also place his odds at losing the Tour de France at 10-11, which seems remarkably high given Armstrong’s history of success in the race. However, taking into consideration his age, his health, and having his one good nut constantly getting pounded by a horned-up Sheryl Crow may make this Lance’s year to lose. Tour De France Odds [Sportsbook.com; lines not yet open] Sportsbook.com releases Armstrong Odds on Yellow Jersey [Yahoo News]

According to a story on gambling newsite Covers, the Phoenix Suns giving 2 1/2 points to San Antonio for Wednesday night’s NBA Playoff matchup is a direct result of heavy bookmaking action. Phoenix had opened with 3 points–as high as 4 on some books–and their regular season record, momentum, and utter lack of defense have moved the line to a less-enticing 2 1/2. Now, some bookies are looking to cash-in on an enormous payout by urging simple-minded folks like us to bet heavily on San Antonio. Does this mean the clamps are down? Are we getting teed up by the Vitos and Eddie the Sharks of the world and being duped by what appears to be an obvious easy mark? Let’s take one more huff of the paint thinner and think this over… Yeah, even with the room spinning, it still feels like San Antonio.

Oddjack continues to handicap this year’s Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee participants, set to do battle June 1-June 2nd in Washington, D.C. Aravind Arun, Speller No. 219 Sponsor: Caribbean Preparatory School, San Juan, Puerto Rico Age: 12, seventh grade School: Colegio Nuestra Se�ora del Carmen, Hatillo, Puerto Rico Bio:Aravind has received the "Meritorious Student Award" in three of his school years. He plays piano, both as an accompanist and as a soloist, and he plays flute in his school�s band. He has twice been chosen his Boy Scout troop�s "Scout of the Year." Aravind will attend the National Scout Jamboree in July 2005. Oddjack Intangibles: Aravind’s appearance may be a bit misleading, but don’t ever underestimate the type of blue-chip speller they breed at Colegio Nuestra Senora de Carmen,

Bodog has posted its odds on the newest, cruelest reality show, Hell’s Kitchen, featuring notoriously snatchy Brit chef Gordon Ramsay eviscerating hapless wannabe restauranteurs for a wild-eyed Fox audience. Picture The Apprentice, combined with Survivor, combined with the Iron Chef, combined with BBC comedy The Young Ones. Bodog listed current executive chef and tattooed badass, Michael, as the heavy favorite at 2-1. At 11-1, we have Dewberry, an overweight pastry chef, whose parents should be commended for having the foresight to so aptly name a child.

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Death of a Dream [Tradesports via Llama Butchers]

· Poker News elevates former Mr. Kotter star Gabe Kaplan to “legend” status, while it did absolutely nothing with the rest of the Sweathogs. Somewhere, the actor who played Arnold Horshack is crying. [Poker News]
· Wicked Chops Poker interviews Aces & Kings authors Michael Kaplan and Brad Reagan about the fact that they’ve written the […]

So, did anybody suspect we’d be here? There wasn’t one crazy bettor out there that thought Phoenix was capable of pushing the series past game 4. And the Spurs had confidence. Enough confidence that some of the veteran players made backup San Antonio point guard Beno Udrih dress like a broom. But is it enough to worry about losing money on the Spurs Wednesday night? Will there be an amazing comeback? Is Tim Duncan a little thrown off by the surging Suns? Will Manu Ginobili begin showering more than once a week? Highly unlikely. Manu and his giant salami stink won’t have to worry about these Suns anymore after tonight.

No wonder our grandmother has been scratching at imaginary bugs on her arms for the past two days. According to Ed Looney [sic], slot machines are the most addictive form of gambling. It’s tough to think of penny slots as something "highly addictive," considering we take most of our pennies and throw them at bike messengers from the top of our roof, but Looney says otherwise:

The addictive part of gambling revolves around "the anticipation of the outcome of the bet," Looney said. A bettor might have to wait as long as 20 minutes between races at Penn National Race Course. "With slots, they’re doing it in 8 seconds, 12 seconds," Looney said.

Daniel Negreanu: Hater of veal, lover of Christ, poker god, and, now profiled in the NYTimes Magazine. Yep, Pat Jordan, ubiquitous “sports” writer for Magazine gives the Paris Hilton of Texas Hold ‘Em his own meaty little section about all things Negreanu–his mother’s annoying habit of brown-bagging his meals, his arcing celebrity, and his […]

You know those compulsions that you can’t control no matter how much you realize it’s the wrong thing to do? Like picking scabs, itching poison ivy, or sniffing magic markers. Or, if you’re like 40-year-old Bryan Wayne Lietz, scratching off 1,400 insta-lottery tickets from your gas station employer without paying for them. Then, in a […]