If odds are provided, gamblers will bet; and that is exactly what online super-sportsbook BetUS.com has done by posting prop-odds on the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The contest, to be held in Washington D.C., begins with the preliminaries Wednesday May 27 and concludes with the semi-finals and finals on Thursday May 28. The semi-final's will be televised by ESPN while ABC will pick up coverage of the finals.
The odds are up thanks to BetUS.com and there is no shortage of wagering opportunities beginning with taking a chance on the winners gender. Will the winner be a male or female. The Odds favor a male at -130 moneyline format odds to a female at -110.
Sidharth Chand a young man (13) from Bloomfield, Mich., returns to the competition in 2009 after finishing second in 2008. He is expected to be challenged by 12 year old young lady Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kan., whom has finished in the top-10 three times.
Will the winning word be a long one? Oddsmakers think that's a probability and chalked the odds at -130 the winning word runs OVER 9 1/2 letters. The UNDER price is -110. Odds also favor the kid who gets that final word will not be wearing glasses at – NO -160 to YES +120.
Will a kid get so nervous he (or she) faints? Oddsmakers find fainting unlikely at -500 odds but yes backers would have a nice payday if it happened at +300. If no kid faints from nerves will one of them puke? Again, oddsmakers don't think so and back it up with -700 odds. If a kid does hurl during competition it will pay well at +400 odds.
