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With less than a week to go before the Eurovision Song Contest kicks off (round one goes down Tuesday, May 12), Germany has received big news – huge news, albeit in a small, wasp-waisted package: Sex bomb/burlesque artiste Dita von Teese will likely be appearing along with Alex Christensen in his performance of “Miss Kiss Kiss Bang” in Moscow.

This year, Ireland’s entry is a number cleverly entitled “Et Cetera” and is performed by Sinead Mulvey and Black Daisy. Equal parts 80s girl band and 90s riot grrrrrrrrrrrrl sensibilities, “Et Cetera” is one of the few straight-up rock ‘n’ roll songs in this year’s competition; it’s also infectious on a level of Norway’s “Fairy Tale” and Turkey’s “Büm Tek Tek.”

Yesterday, Live Bets Direct had a look at some of the bookmakers’ favorites to take 2009’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest; today, a consideration of contenders slightly further down the table at those entries thought to be viable Top 10 finishers.

As for the outcome, bookmakers have this one all but wrapped up already. Alexander Rybak of Norway will soon be joining the illustrious ranks of Celine Dion, Lulu and ABBA as winning performer…

In response, Paddy Power naturally launched a new prop bet for the shows, and the new specialty prop offers punters the opportunity to lay money on “How many O2 concerts will Michael Jackson cancel?”