LAS VEGAS, March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Never mind March Madness. Forget about the mid-term elections. All eyes -- and bets -- are on the Fox reality show "American Idol" to generate the most intense competition of the year, according to John Avello, director of race & sports operations for Wynn Las Vegas .
Avello, whose purview normally covers all on-site sports bets and nationwide horse racing for the Las Vegas Strip venue, has assessed all "Idol" contestants since the launch of the show. He has a near perfect record, pegging advance #1 rankings to winners Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood weeks before their crowning.
As of today, Avello has given open odds to win the 2006 season of "Idol" as follows:
#11 Kevin: 100/1
#10 Bucky: 35/1
#9 Taylor: 25/1
#8 Kellie: 15/1
#7 Elliott: 12/1
#6 Paris: 10/1
#5 Katharine: 8/1
#4 Lisa: 6/1
#3 Ace: 5/1
#2 Mandisa: 9/2
and the best bet to win the fifth season of "American Idol":
#1 Chris: 4/1
"This competition is all about the voters at home, but they're not necessarily voting based on talent," says Avello, who has also supplemented his sports focus with other entertainment odds-making including the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys. Avello will update his "American Idol" odds each week until the series finale on May 24.
Odds to win attached are for wagering entertainment purposes only.
About Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Resorts is traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol WYNN and, since December 2004, it has been part of the NASDAQ-100 Index. Wynn Las Vegas, a $2.7 billion luxury hotel and destination casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip, opened to the public on April 28, 2005. Wynn Las Vegas features 2,716 luxurious guest rooms and suites; an 111,000 square foot casino; 22 food and beverage outlets; an on-site 18-hole golf course; approximately 223,000 square feet of meeting space; an on-site Ferrari and Maserati dealership; and approximately 76,000 square feet of retail space. For more information, visit http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/.
