Lady Gaga, Eminem Are Sure VMA Bets, Oddsmaker Says

Justin Bieber, Muse are also favorites according to sportsbook manager Richard Gardner.By James Montgomery





Lady Gaga

Photo: Derek Storm/ Splash News




The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are this Sunday, which means that there's still plenty of time to place your bets on the night's big Moonman winners. Not that we're actually encouraging gambling, but everyone likes to believe they can see into the future. Since we're not exactly clairvoyant, we went to one of the best oddsmakers in the business, Richard Gardner, sportsbook manager for Bodog.com.
If you're looking for some last-minute wagering advice, read on ... and good news for all you Gaga and Eminem fans out there: Gardner thinks it's going to be a very good night for both of them. Here are his picks, along with Bodog.com's odds for each of the show's big awards.

Best Female Video
Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance": 2/5
Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, "California Gurls": 7/2
Taylor Swift, 'Fifteen' : 7/1
Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga, "Video Phone": 8/1
Ke$ha, "Tik Tok": 11/1
Bodog's Take: "Although Best Female Video will probably go to Ms. Gaga at 2/5, Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg's "California Gurls" Candy Land trip is a strong contender at 7/2. Meanwhile, we don't think Taylor Swift will win for "Fifteen" with 7/1 odds, but if she does, Kanye will have to scramble to put a speech together."
Best Male Video
Eminem, "Not Afraid": 11/10
B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams, "Airplanes": 2/1
Jason Derülo, "In My Head": 4/1
Usher featuring Will.I.Am, "OMG": 11/2
Drake, "Find Your Love": 10/1
Bodog's Take: "Without a Gaga to contend with, the odds are more interesting for Best Male Video. Eminem's comeback is officially a success and thus, we're pitting the master of the internal rhyme as the favorite to win. We've given B.o.B and Hayley Williams the 2/1 second favorite, and although we are fans of Jason Derülo's song 'In My Head,' we don't necessarily like its chances to win at 4/1."
Best Rock Video
Muse, "Uprising": 7/5
Florence and the Machine, "Dog Days Are Over": 2/1
30 Seconds to Mars, "Kings and Queens": 4/1
Paramore, "Ignorance": 11/2
MGMT, "Flash Delirium": 6/1
Bodog's Take: "Muse is the favorite here at 7/5 for the sheer potency of the song 'Uprising,' while MGMT pulls up the rear at a respectable 6/1 with 'Flash Delirium.' This is a very close category with no heavy favorite and no real long shot. So far we've had a number of bettors taking a shot on 'Kings and Queens' at 4/1."
Best Hip-Hop Video
Eminem, "Not Afraid": 5/4
B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams, "Airplanes": 3/2
Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem, "Forever": 3/1
Kid Cudi featuring MGMT and Ratatat, "Pursuit of Happiness": 8/1
Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz, "On to the Next One": 12/1
Bodog's Take: "Eminem is a favorite here at 5/4 because everyone likes a comeback. He's lost the weight, he's looking sharp, and he's working the introspective vibe that seems to be his best source of inspiration. Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz' 'On to the Next One' definitely gets points for originality, and while Jay-Z has no shortage of fans, we think the black-and-white video is a little too avant-garde to take the win."
Best Pop Video
Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance": 1/2
Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, "California Gurls": 3/1
Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga, "Video Phone": 13/2
Ke$ha, "Tik Tok": 7/1
B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars, "Nothing on You": 12/1
Bodog's Take: " 'Bad Romance' is an obvious favorite here at 1/2, based on nothing more than the Gaga factor. Katy Perry with Snoop Dogg is second favorite here at 3/1 with 'California Gurls,' while B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars is the long shot at 12/1 for 'Nothing on You.' "
Best New Artist
Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris, "Baby": 4/5
Ke$ha, "Tik Tok": 2/1
Jason Derülo, "In My Head": 7/2
Nicki Minaj featuring Sean Garrett, "Massive Attack": 12/1
Broken Bells, "The Ghost Inside": 14/1
Bodog's Take: "We can't imagine a world where Justin Bieber doesn't win for Best New Artist, which is why he's a huge favorite at 4/5. The legions of fans out there with Bieber fever will make the difference and likely secure Bieber more hardware for his already buckling shelf. On the other side of the odds spectrum, Broken Bells' 'Ghost Inside' is thought-provoking and engaging, but the buzz just isn't there to make this one a contender. For those who disagree, the money is there to be made, as they pay out extremely well at 12/1."
Video of the Year
Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance": 1/1
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