Your one-stop shop for novelty betting

Paddy Power now has a novelty bet available entitled “The Greatest Irish Sportsperson Ever” which asks punters to pick he/she who will top TV station RTÉ One’s popular-opinion poll on the subject. But come on, is this one even close…?

The only thing better than checking out dozens of skimpily-clad world-class beauties? Betting on ‘em! Coming this weekend: Miss Universe 2009! Herein, Live Bets Direct’s take and recommendations.

Carrie Prejean has been stripped of her Miss California title; couldn’t have happened to a nicer person, eh? Cleverly enough, BetUS bookmakers was able to capitalize on the next obvious question about The Dethroned One – i.e. What’s next? – with a slew of “Celebrity Props: Carrie Prejean” bets for your gambling perusal.

Think this is just blowing smoke? Perhaps, but the truth is the odds are shortening rapidly on the ‘Dog, having fallen from 4/1 to its present 9/4 in just two weeks. While now, the smartest money is probably best put on “The Dark Knight,” “Slumdog Millionaire” at 9/4 odds may be worth your consideration.

Congratulations, Alexander Rybak and Norway for taking the 2009 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest convincingly in completing the “Fairy Tale.” Kudos also go out to the surprising Yohanna of Iceland, who, we learn upon release of the full Eurovision results, not only placed second overall but also took the first semifinal over powerhouse Hadise of Turkey.

So here’s the Os Man’s strategy on this one (or, to put it another way, give me another chance please): $10 on each of the aforementioned picks – Norway (8/33), Greece (11/6), Turkey (10/3), Azerbaijan (10/3), UK (4/1), and Malta (40/3) ensures a win if Greece or Norway finishes in the top three along with one of the other four. If $35 goes down on Greece and $10 on the others, you’re guaranteed a profit if Greece comes in; another other winner on your trifecta ticket is gravy.

In Bet365’s intriguing “To win match” Eurovision proposition bets, Denmark (at 8/11) is a slight favorite over Lithuania (1/1). With second-round favorites Greece and Norway plus Hungary all deploying studboys – not to mention better songs – Lithuania’s Sasha Son is working from a disadvantage already. Combine this with Sasha’s placement directly after the Greek titan Sakis Rouvas, and things don’t look great for the Lithuania bid against Finland’s contender for the finals.

Ready for part two of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, the fantastic competition wonderfully described by one anonymous news scribe “the annual extravaganza of music and camp”? Right, then, LiveBetsDirect.com presents another round of its fearless predictions!

Finally, there is the mystery of prop betting on the Bosnia and Herzegovina entry, “Bistra Voda” by Regina. Two months ago, most bookmakers were offering odds of 25/1 on Regina taking Eurovision 2009 outright. Now Bosnia and Herzegovina’s chances’re down to 8/1 at Intertops – and most others offer comparable numbers – putting the entry at third to take the whole enchilada and the favorite to best the field tonight.

This is the week, music fans, proposition-bet fans, and especially music prop-bet fans! The 2009 Eurovision Song Contest goes down this week in Moscow, with semifinal contestants competing on Tuesday and Thursday to determine the final 25 for Saturday’s sing-off.