‘Two For the Money’ Irks Legit Handicappers

READ MORE: Gambling, Gambling 911, Movies, Two For the Money

The new gambling movie starring Al Pacino and Matthew McCounaughey Two For The Money has some sportsbook handicappers a little annoyed at the way their industry is being portrayed, according to Gambling911. The movie, which has McConnaughey as a former college athlete-turned super-stud game picker, is apparently a little behind the times in the way it shows its wiseguys. Although many of the sportsbooks in the story have yet to actually see the film, they have their doubts as to its veracity even though it’s, er, a “movie”:

“I will be very surprised if there is not a scene with guns at the end of the film,” [Lawrence]Prezman[President of who2beton] commented. “A car chase and a gun scene smack in the middle of a friggin’ movie about (sports) handicapping would not surprise me in the least.”

What about explosions? No explosions? And boobs? Boobs are cool still, right? Do legit handicappers like boobs?

Al Pacino Movie Two For The Money Has Sports Handicappers Fuming [G911]
Two For the Money [IMDB]

Weekend Box-Office: Riding “The Butterscotch Stallion” for a Happy Ending

READ MORE: Defamer, Event Betting, Movies, Owen Wilson

Owen “The Butterscotch Stallion” Wilson should be carrying a few bettors away on Monday, thanks to Intertop’s hot proposition – how much will “The Wedding Crashers” take in at the domestic and Canadian box-office this weekend? Odds say those predicting 24-40 million bucks (6/5) will get an RSVP from their bookie. Under 24 million nets something old – 3/1 sounds about right for a sex comedy with lukewarm reviews. R-rated movies don’t usually rake in serious cash right away – BO numbers over forty mill would be something new at 4/1. And if Vince Vaughn gets caught holding something blue, we’ll guess it’s a 40-oz bottle of Schlitz Malt Liquor and a fistful of Viagra. At which point, we’ll be excusing ourselves before he gets too frisky.

Box Office odds: “The Wedding Crashers” [Intertops]

Box Office Betting: Dark Water vs. Fantastic Four vs….Crazy Cruise

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

Ever since Jennifer Connelly roller skated around Frank Whaley in the Wal-Mart-styled super store with her giant eyebrows in Career Opportunities we knew she’d be an Oscar winner. Well, not exactly, but we did know she’d be a bright, shining, mountain-chested star of a Japanese horror film rip-off. And this weekend Conelly gets to put her pouty lips and ass-to-ass acting to the test as she tackles the mighty Fantastic Four at the box office. And, of course, both these summer blockbuster wannabes still have to tackle the Dianetically in love lunacy of Cruise Control and War of the Worlds. Can Dark Water really pull the upset? Betting window closes at 3 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. Get on in there.

Box Office Opening Weekend Gross: Fantastic Four

3-day weekend from Friday, July 8th through Sunday, July 10th.
U.S. & Canada box office sales only.
Option Win Odds
USD 36 million to 45 million 2.2
USD 45 million to 60 million 2.2
USD 36 million or less 3.5
USD 60 million or more 5

Box Office Opening Weekend Gross: Dark Water

Option Win Odds
USD 11.5 million to 16.5 million 2.2
USD 9 million to 11.5 million 2.2
USD 9 million or less 3
USD 16.5 million or more 6.5

(All odds pay out x $1 bet)

Box Office: Dark Water [Intertops]
Box Office: Fantastic Four [Intertops]

Who’ll Shoot JR Ewing?

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

BetRoyal has posted odds on who will play back-stabbin’, double-dealin’, hard-livin’ JR Ewing in “Dallas: The Movie”. Brad Pitt has been installed as the favorite at +250 while John Travolta (+500) has that campy wickedness needed to run Southfork Ranch.

Pitt would be slumming but Travolta might be fun – he can do campy wickedness and we’ve already seen him in a cowboy hat. But let’s get real. This is a big screen remake of a TV program – we’re looking for a B-Actor or an ex-A-Actor who ain’t hit the bottom yet. After the jump, Oddjack examines some of the BetRoyal favorites and makes a couple picks of our own.

Alec Baldwin: Actor, thespian, senior Baldwin brother.

Pluses: Big, bad, ridiculous. The only Baldwin brother with a semblance of a career.

Minuses: A Blue Stater personified. Big City Liberal with Big City Liberal Agenda – real Texan would string up a man for ordering a latte. Formerly married to a PETA spokesperson – does he even EAT steak?

Odds: 8/1

Matthew McConaughey – Cool Texan studmuffin.

Pluses: So Texas you could barbeque him and call him tri-tip. So accomplished at playing self-involved we sorta feel sorry for Penelope Cruz.

Minuses: Youth. Blonder than ABBA. Studio should demand a restraining order to keep Matt at least 100 yards away from all bongos and other beatnik accoutrements.

Odds: 40/1

Woody Harrelson – Pothead… err… HEMP advocate. Only living “Cheers” cast member.

Pluses: Dad acted the JR part in real life – he now sits in Texas’ Huntsville Prison for killing a judge.

Minuses: First name: Woodrow – not what you’d call “down-home”. JR was more of a bourbon guy than a spacy hippie hemp-head.

Odds: 25/1

OTHER POTENTIALS:

Vince Vaughn – Every A-Star’s favorite buddy, recently shined in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and “Dodgeball”.

Pluses: The only watchable animal, vegetable or mineral in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and “Dodgeball”. Smug, doughy-faced smart-ass – a natural for JR’s part. Rumored to be a closet Red Stater. Probably looks good in a Stetson.

Minuses: Funniest actor America doesn’t know by name. We wouldn’t be pulled away from necking with Jennifer Aniston long enough to read the script – why should he? Too boyish despite the circles around his eyes – needs another ten miles of bad road on the odometer.

Odds: 50/1

Larry Hagman’s third liver – Liver number one was last seen in a Tijuana gutter. Liver two was chopped up into Chicken McNuggets. Number four sold to shady Columbians for a kilo of pure Cali snow.

Pluses: Number three is the only living Hagman organ with a SAG card. Has been around the block a few times, tougher than leather thanks to Hagman’s drinking binges.

Minuses: Tight schedule – has been seen partying all night with Tara Reid’s leathery skin and Paris Hilton’s deviated septum. And, he is an organ, which puts him at a distinct disadvantage at playing a full-blow human being.

Odds: 10000/1

Who’ll Play JR Ewing in Dallas the Movie? [BetRoyal]

Dallas: The Movie [Movies.com]

Sadly, Leprechaun 5: In The Hood Was Not Nominated

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

The spunky punters at Paddy Power unleash another one of their patented “special” bet as they place odds on the Jameson Best Irish Film of All Time.Not suprisingly, two out of the top three favorites are Jim Sheridan movies. My Left Foot is favored at 2-1, followed by soulful garage band movie, The Commitments, with 5-2 odds and the always cheerful, In The Name of The Father, which has 5-1 odds. And, of course, Bono is listed with odds of 500-1 even though he’s not technically a movie. But he’s Bono. He’s always nominated.

Who Will Win The Jameson Best Irish Film of All Time? [Paddy Power]

Box Office Bets: Will the Scourge of Shitty TV Remakes Continue?

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

The Will Ferrell-Nicole Kidman TV remake version of the popular 60’s television show Bewitched could prove to be a questionable box office betting proposition for movie punters. Whether or not the lovably oafish Ferrell can once again guarantee a box office jackpot or bust is a tough call—even with the not quite lukewarm reviews. Intertops, opens the betting with $16 million to $22 million and $22 to $27 million as the favorite odds with a payout of $2.2 for every $1 bet. The longshot odds are on under $16 million, which will pay $5 on every $1 bet. Once again, the Cruise factor comes into play: Could Kidman’s former marriage to the spritely scientologist have a blowback affect? Or will the fact that most TV remake movies just absolutely suck hogballs keep people away? Under $16 million is a little too much of a risk against Ferrell’s rising star power(even if he is becoming a bit overexposed, right now), but the $18-20 range seems entirely plausible. But proceed with delicate, Elf-like caution on the safe bets.

Entertainment Specials [Intertops]
Bewitched Has Some Magic [CNN]
Ill-Conceived Bewitched Bothers and Bewilders [Boston Globe]

Cinderella Man: On Cruise Control

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

Cinderella Man, starring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, is getting crazy coinange tossed at it on Tradesports, with lots of money-hungry folks seeking an easy pay out on the movie grossing more than $23.5 million this weekend. The current bid price is 68 units with an asking price as high as 88.

Most summer movie stars, it appears, are learning from Tom Cruise’s mistake(s) and keeping their publicity to a minimum right before their film opens. There were rumors, however, that Renee Zellwegger had to be restrained by producer Brian Grazer from going to press junkets dressed in riding pants and a ten-gallon hat as a nod to her new husband, country star Kenny Chesney. Bullet dodged.

Box Office Returns [Tradesports.com]
Cinderella Man Trailer [Apple]

Summer Movie Box Office Odds

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

Easy money or disaster incarnate? Bodog has set its lines for the mindless summer blockbuster that will make the most money its opening weekend. Suprisingly, the Steven Spielberg movie War of the Worlds and its so-in-love-we-may-puke-all-over-the-wall star Tom Cruise is slated at 3/1, with the darker, creepier Christian Bale-helmed Batman Begins given the biggest chance for box office supremacy at 2/1.

If you’re looking for a 30/1 underdog payout then you can toss your beans at SNL’s Rob Schneider and the second installment of his Deuce Bigalow series. Instead of that, why not just take out your wallet, pull out a $100 bill, cover it in dogshit, and flush it down the toilet. That would be much more fun.

After the jump, the full list of odds.

Here’s the full list of movie odds:

Batman Begins— 2/1
War of the Worlds—3/1
The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D—3/1
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Smith—5/1
Cinderella Man—6/1
The Island—8/1
The Dukes of Hazzard—10/1
Fantastic Four—15/1
The Wedding Crashers—20/1
Duece Bigalow: European Gigolo—30/1

Non-sporting event odds [Bodog.com]
Cruise-Holmes affair: True love or publicity stunt [Arizona Republic]
Cruise loses control [Miami Herald]

Star Wars Box Office Secures the Over

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

So, the final tally is in and Star Wars destroyed the over in most of the categories put together by Pinnacle Sports. Will Episode III Break Spider-Man’s three-day opening weekend record of $114.84 million?

No 1/8
Yes 6/1 ($124.7 million)

Will Episode III Break The Matrix Reloaded’s four-day opening weekend record of $134.28 million?

Yes 2/3 ($141 million)
No 7/5

Will Star Wars: Episode III Reach $300 million in domestic sales on or before September 1, 2005?

(Incomplete. Odds say yes)
No 2/3
Yes 7/5

What will the total three-day opening weekend be for Star Wars: Episode III?

Over $96 million 20/21 ($124.7 million)
Under $96 million 20/21

Will a rabid Star Wars fan get laid before the age of 35?
Over 35 4/1
Under 35 345/1

(We kid. We joke. Don’t hit us with your plastic light sabers.)

Star Wars shatters records [AP]
Bettors Like Star Wars Odds [Filmstew.com]

Betting Geeks Queue Up for Star Wars

READ MORE: Event Betting, Movies

Gamblers all across the country have another irrelevant thing to bet on: the opening gross of Star Wars. And where else to get all your Jedi-lovin’ news but OddJack?

With that said, Sportsbook has set the opening weekend over/under at a $85.5 million gross AND the highest grossing individual day for the opening weekend at an over/under of $35.25 million.

Pinnacle Sports, meanwhile, offers wagers on whether or not Star Wars: Episode III will break Spider-Man three-day opening weekend record of $114.84 million. They have odds of 2/5 for “No” and 11/5 for “yes”. The opening odds were 1/8 for “Yes” but 80% of their customers believe Yoda and the rest of the galactic muppets will completely house Tobey Maguire in tights.

Pinnacle Sports Dude Speaks:

Our bettors have proven to be accurate forecasters of current world and entertainment events, including correctly predicting the result of the recent papal conclave and the winners in the major Oscar categories,” said Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com. “Like several industry insiders, we were very skeptical about the chances ‘Revenge of the Sith’ had to surpass ‘Spider- Man’s’ opening weekend record, but if the betting trend continues, our customers believe the force is with the final ‘Star Wars’ to become the most successful film of all time.”

Yep. So, there it is. All you morons sleeping out for the movie can go home now.

Bettors Think Star Wars Will Break Records [Yahoo News]
Bettors Aggressively Going After Idol/Star Wars [PR Newswire]