Reuters reports that Kelly may have the voice, but Justin's funky hair, confident air and legion of teenage girl fans give him a slight edge to win a recording contract when the Fox television network crowns its first "American Idol" on Wednesday, a Las Vegas oddsmaker said. The hunky Justin Guarini is the 5-to-6 favorite to win the first edition of Fox's summer hit "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar," said John Avello, director of race and sports operations at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kelly Clarkson, known more for her soulful voice than on-stage moves, is an even-odds bet, putting the pair in a virtual dead heat to win a contest that has captivated TV watchers during the normally slow summer months.
Avello said that Justin was the No. 2 favorite at 5 to 2 odds when the field of contestants was whittled to 10 from an original 10,000 who tried out for the show. Kelly was No. 3 at 4 to 1. "Justin just had this girl thing going," Avello told Reuters in a telephone interview. "He had the look, he had the hair, the smile. The girls were screaming every time he got up. He had that star thing about him that girls really like," he said.
Avello's No. 1 pick to win the competition at 2 to 1 was Tamyra Gray, whose elimination two weeks ago from the final field of four contestants left many viewers scratching their heads..