All eyes and bets are on the Fox TV reality show American Idol to generate an intense competition for the year, according to John Avello, director of race & sports operations for Wynn Las Vegas and the Stratosphere hotel and casino.

Avello, whose purview normally covers all on-site sports bets and nationwide horse racing for the Stratosphere hotel and casino, has assessed all "Idol" contestants since the start 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, this is how Avello has given open odds to win the 2006 season of "Idol" as follows:

8 Bucky: 35/1

7 Taylor: 25/1

6 Kellie: 15/1

5 Elliott: 12/1

4 Paris: 10/1

3 Katharine: 8/1

2 Ace: 5/1

and the best chance to bet and 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 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.