Odds of Seeing A Plane Crash On Live Television

READ MORE: Event Betting, Nike Jet, Plane Crashes

So, we’re watching this Nike Corporate Jet saga on CNN right now and doing our own handicapping, it looks like it’s a longshot for thing crashing into the runway. According to the jovial nature of the CNN broadcaster, it appears the odds of a “safe” emergency landing are a strong 2/1 at this point. So, no worries. Make your prop bets wisely.
Nike Jet Set For Emergency Landing [Yahoo]

Person of the Year: Mother Nature is Time’s USC

READ MORE: Christopher Reeve, Event Betting, Hurricanes, Time Person of the Year

The heavy favorite for winning this year’s heralded Time Magazine Person of the Year award is God’s personal allergy “Mother Nature/Natural Disasters.” According to Sportsbook.com, the massive death and destruction caused by the hurricanes in 2005, plus the hurricanes in Kashimir have given Mother Nature poll position at 2/1. Other favorites include Mahmoud Abbas / Ariel Sharon 6/1, Condoleezza Rice at 10/1, The Iraqi People at 10/1, and Pope John Paul II at 10/1. Longshot odds go to Christopher Reeve at 150/1, which we assume is because he died. If “Superman” got up and started walking around last year like he was supposed to, dude would’ve won this in a, um, landslide.

Nature Favored To Be Time Magazine’s Person of the Year [PR Newswire]
Time Person Of The Year Odds [Sportsbook]

Betting on the Hot Italian Racehorses, Er, Women

READ MORE: Event Betting, Miss Italia, Pageant Betting

More beauty pageant betting, courtesy of Jaunted.com. This time, the Italians have the gambling bug and they’re placing their ample-chassied women up for the books. This year the Italian government is rescinding it’s no gambling policy on the event and letting residents bet on the Miss Italy pageant held in Rome on Sept. 19th. And how do the contestants feel about this? Fiery, of course:

“We’re people, not objects or, worse, animals,” complained Anna Prete, the “Miss Calabria” from the southern region of the same name and one of the many finalists unhappy with the government-sponsored scheme.

“Betting on Miss Italy is really bad,” she told Rome daily Il Messaggero ahead of Thursday’s final of the beauty pageant

Now, did the government not think these women would feel disrespected about this sort of thing? Italian women feel disrespected if you dip your finger in the sauce before it’s done, so this is not that much of a surprise.

Miss Italy Pageant Based Soley on Bets, Bruce Willis [Jaunted]
Miss Italy Contestants Say Betting a Non-Starter [Yahoo]

Intraders Banking on Ophelia Being Nothing But a Stiff Breeze

READ MORE: Betting", Event Betting, Futures Market, Hurricane, Hurricane Katrina, Intrade, Tropical Storm Ophelia

One would think that in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that many weather-obsessed gamblers would be all over Tropical Storm Ophelia at this point to at least do some sort of damage. But with all of the meteorologists seemingly rising up against us, the reports suggest that Ophelia may just be your average tropical storm—and the Intrader betting community has responded. Most of the traders are buying up shares of Ophelia Having NO IMPACT, while many are selling-off their shares of Category One or higher hitting North Carolina. Which kind of stinks because we really enjoyed the Shelter From the Storm Concerts over the weekend. That Rob Thomas is quite an entertainer.

Hurricane Betting [Intrade]
Ophelia Downgraded to Tropical Storm Again [Yahoo Weather]

Books Right About Katrina; Watch Out for California Quake

READ MORE: California Earthquake, Event Betting, Hurricane Katrina, Odds

Of course it’s probably a little insensitive to start a whole natural disaster futures market at this point, but it almost seems like that columnist Jan Larson sees it as a good plan. She mentions that a major Category 4 hurricane was predicted to strike New Orleans coast region once every 200-300 years and it did. She lambastes a few government agencies in the process , but is also resigning to the fact that maybe advertising imminent death and destruction isn’t the best way to live life. However:

Seismologists have predicted that some day, sooner or later, a massive earthquake (the “big one”) will strike California. Again, when that day will come is anyone’s guess. Unlike hurricanes along the coast or volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, a California earthquake would likely not come with a warning and the loss of life could number in the hundreds of thousands but the odds-makers say that it won’t happen anytime soon, so millions of people are willing to take that chance.

Who are these “oddsmakers”? We’re pretty sure it’s Paddy Power. They’re always into crap like this. And from the way things are going, a futures pick on a California earthquake seems like a major payout in the next few years.

Katrina and Playing the Odds [Chron Watch]
California Earthquake Could be the Next Katrina [ChicagoTribune]

Event Betting: MOBO Awards 2005

READ MORE: Event Betting, MOBO Awards, Paddy Power

Hey, what ever happened to Soul Train? Is that show still on? We’d like to know if R. Kelly finally got out of that damn closet. If it is, it’d probably be best to catch up on what’s going on in the R & B community these days if you’re going to bet on the 2005 Music of Black Origin Awards at Paddy Power. This year’s UK nominees include teenage whitey Joss Stone at 5/4, sasparilla smooth crooner Lemar at 6/5, and UK rappers Roll Deep at 14/1. Go throw some money on the awards then go find a nice youg lady with pumps-in-the-bump to knock da’ boots with.

MOBO 2005 [Paddy Power]

Event Betting: FHM’s Highstreet Honey

READ MORE: Event Betting, FHM High Street Honeys

London: Great hash, liberal liquor laws, and an envious gambling culture that, in these dog days of August, certainly is a helluva lot more interesting than any of the cultural oddshitster we can can pull out of our collective ass. Case in point: The FHM Highstreet Honeys competition has finally arrived for its fourth glorious year, in which a slew of snaggle-toothed lads vote for their favorite lass to win L10,000 and the cover slot on the lad mag you buy when Maxim isn’t around. Think of it as the Sun’s Page Three girls, but a little more loose and willing to take it to the glossy next level.

Or, you know, you can pussy out on the gamble and just wait for the issue to hit the stands, at which point you’ll lock yourself in the bathroom for 3 days. But whatever: We’re not judging.

FHM Highstreet Honeys [Paddy Power]

Event Betting: Put Your Best Butt Forward

READ MORE: Event Betting, Rear of the Year

Tired of your event betting revolving around beauty pageants and the potential for an interest rate hike? Us too. That’s why we love us a good old-fashioned hot hiney competition to keep things interesting. The nominees for the 2005 Rear of the Year are in and there are gluteous odds galore over at Paddy Power. Leading the pack is UK pop star Cheryl Tweedy at 4/1, followed by Orla McCallister and Jennifer Ellison at 8/1. Longshot odds fall down to Sharon Osbourne at 80/1, Simon Cowell at 80/1, and nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow at 150/1. Remember this is a British competition so they’re not into the whole apple bottom thing like we are. They like their asses on the bonier side.

Rear of the Year 2005 [Paddy Power]

Event Betting: We Have a Winner

READ MORE: Event Betting, Gas Prices

Oil Prices Soar Above $67 Per Barrell [AP]

Previously: Gas Prices Again [Oddjack]
Media Loves Gas Price Betting Phenomenon [Oddjack]
Thank God We Take a Rickshaw to Work [Oddjack]

Event Betting: Miss England 2005

READ MORE: Event Betting, Miss England 2005, Paddy Power, Pageants

Lo and behold there’s more pageants to bet on. Who do you think put these odds out? If you said Paddy Power, well, you’re correct. Pat yourself on the back. Twirl yourself around. And then go make sure your testicles are still attached. The sassy Miss York leads all comers at 7/1, followed by Miss Maya and Miss Brighton each posting 8/1 odds. The longshot lass in this year’s event is homely looking Miss Newquay Lifeboats at 125/1, who appears to be getting these longshot odds only because she has a lazy eye. Shame.

Miss England 2005 [Paddy Power]

Event Betting: 2008 Beijing Roid Props

READ MORE: Beijing 2008, Event Betting, Steroids

With all of the controversy surrounding which major league baseball player will be the next to get pinched for steroid use, we’ve forgotten about some of the most abusive athletes to pump their meaty thighs with horse juice— Olympic athletes. And in anticipation of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Intertops betting is offering a prop bet on the number of athletes that will have their medals stripped from them for doping violations. The over/under is at 6 1/2 for number of athletes with both sides offering -138. The under looks good to us, considering that, well, we’d hope athletes will have learned their lessons by that time or at least have developed a better cleansing system to not get caught. Does Golden Seal work any more?

Beijing 2008: Doping Proposition [Intertops]

Event Betting: Slane 2006

READ MORE: Eminem, Event Betting, Slane

When Eminem canceled his recent European tour dates due to “exhaustion”(read: Vicodin), many concert promoters were screwed and now have to scramble to try to make up some of Em’s projected revenue elsewhere. Especially in Slane, one of Ireland’s biggest venues, which sold 80,000 tickets to Irish fans anticipating Em’s white boy thuggy, misogynistic rhymes. The promoter for the Slane festival has stated that Em will NEVER play their again. You can’t piss on the Irish, obviously. In response to Em’s cancelation, the Paddy Power lads already have a line on who will headline next year’s early fall festival. The favorite is Coldplay 8/16, followed by Aussie metal stalwarts AC/DC (fire!) at 6/1, and Robbie Williams at 10/1.

Who Will Headline Slane 2006? [Paddy Power]