After weeks and weeks of rumors and speculation from fans and critics alike, the results are in and the judges for the 2011 season of American Idol have been announced. The men and women competing for the latest American Idol title will have to impress Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson if they wish to be chosen as the 2011 American Idol.
The early days of American Idol saw the same judges season after season, and Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul became the comfortable staples that viewers associated with the show. Over the past few seasons, however, American Idol fans have seen a number of changes at the judges’ table, with appearances by Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi, and now Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.
But will this affect the online gambling odds for American Idol? While the appearances by these various judges may be notable, to many viewers the more notable fact will be Cowell’s absence, and this is exactly the factor that should be considered when wondering whether American Idol gambling will be affected.
For past American Idol seasons, online sports books have provided odds on the season’s winner. Although odds makers determined the odds, Cowell had a huge impact on those odds that were reported to American Idol gamblers.
Cowell was a very outspoken judge for the duration of his time on American Idol, and many viewers believed that he largely carried the show. As a result of Cowell’s outspokenness and popularity, a large number of voters would support whichever contestants received high marks from him. Because of this, it was relatively easy for the odds markers to determine which candidates were more or less likely to win each season.
However, with Cowell off of the show this season, it will be more difficult to predict which contestants have a greater chance at winning without being able to weigh Cowell’s influence. Additionally, with this season featuring not one but two new judges, it will be difficult to figure out exactly what type of Idol they are looking to find. Tyler, the lead singer of the band Aerosmith, has indicated he hopes to find a rocker to win this season’s competition, while Lopez is most well known for her pop-style songs and lyrics and may be looking for a contestant with a similar background and style to her own.
The 2011 season of American Idol begins January 10, 2011.
