Chris Daughtry Still Tipped To Win American Idol

If punters have anything to say about it, the next American Idol will look better in a bikini than the current front-runner. Gamblers are putting their money on the beautiful Katharine McPhee to win no matter how much support leader Chris Daughtry gets from the voting public and even difficult-to-please judge Simon Cowell.

"We took a lot of razzing last week when word got out that our players were putting their money on the most attractive contestants in the Amazing Race, despite the horrible odds," said Tim Williams of Players Only. "With American Idol, I'd have to say they seem to be listening more to their heads than their hormones."

As contestants are eliminated each week, odds are adjusted. While Daughtry went from 5-2 to 2-1 afterhis performance last week, McPhee closed the gap, improving her odds from 4-1 to 7-2. Daughtry is taking 17.8% of wagers and McPhee has 16.1%.

Initial favorite Ace Young still has 11 percent of wagers, but his odds (5-1 last week) have plummeted to 9-1. As one of the show's early frontrunners, being one of the bottom three vote-getters last week came as a surprise to both the judges and the studio audience.

"I don't get it. I don't get it, not at all." vented judge Paula Abdul "I think America has to remember you have to vote for every single person you like, whether they are no. 1 or they are no. 12."

While the largest contestant in the group, Mandisa, is holding her own at odds of 8-1, punters aren't showing much interest. Only 3.2% of bettors are backing the talented but overweight contestant. No surprise there.

In a telephone interview on Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio show last week, Judge Simon Cowell predicted the final three in this season's finals will be Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks and Kellie Pickler.