A few days back I received an email from the folks at Bodog Sports Betting with some updated odds on Super Bowl chances and other random wagers. The 49ers Super Bowl odds haven't changed as they remain at 80/1. Get in while the gettin's good. The 49ers also sit at 6/1 to win the NFC West. The Cardinals are 11/10, the Seahawks are 7/4, and the Rams are 9/2.
The wager that was actually intriguing was the one asking "Will Alex Smith start every game for San Francisco this year (barring injury)?"
Bodog set the Yes at +150 and the No at -200. That basically means Bodog thinks it's fairly likely that Alex Smith will lose his job in the very near future due to benching (as opposed to injury). For a random comparison, in the National League Championship Series starting tonight, the Phillies are a -260 favorite to win the series, while the Giants are a +200 underdog. So Alex Smith starting every game isn't quite as long a shot as the Giants beating the Phillies, but it's up there.
I mention all this because I would think the +150 bet might be worth grabbing. I'd imagine this upcoming game with the Raiders will either significantly raise or lower the odds Smith finishes out the year as the starter. And if the odds do get worse that he'll finish as starter, it's likely going to be based on a performance that results in him being benched against the Panthers. So now would certainly be the time to get on that.
I've attached a poll for this to see what folks would wager on. Remember, this isn't about passion, but rather about what is available after Smith on the bench and what kind of behavior we could predict from Mike Singletary. I would bet he will start the rest of the way in part because Singletary has more or less latched on to him as his pony in this race, and in part because there just isn't much else left. Then again, I also didn't think this team would start 2010 0-5, so what do I know?