Sports betting has become much more than guessing what the final score will be, what team will walk away as the winner or who will be crowned champion. The change has correlated with the development of each sport. Take basketball for example, where the draft has become an industry in and of itself, with multi-million gambling by the teams in scouting, drafting and signing high school graduates or mere 19 year old freshmen out of college to huge contracts, rebuilding the teams around them and building expectations as high as the Greg Oden is tall.

If the teams are gambling on all aspects of the sports, then what about us, gamblers of the world? The amazingly deep class of the NBA 2007 Draft has awoken many sports betting fans. Everybody knew Oden and Kevin Durant will go 1-2, but was it to be 2-1? Many around the world were willing to put their good money down guessing how the pick order will eventually turn out to be.

Then there were the remaining lottery picks, with Al Horford expected to go 4-7, ending up with the number 3 pick by the Atlanta Hawks. Who was to be picked at number 5 by the Boston Celtics was practically impossible to forecast, as it depended on a trade that was as sure to happen as it was unknown with whom. The Celtics ended up picking Jeff green and trading him to the Seattle Supersonics, a team that was scarcely mentioned in pre-draft trade rumors involving the Celtics.

You win some you lose some, the saying goes. With the above examples we can clearly say that some have lost (on the Horford bet) and some have won (Who are you? He who saw Ray Allen come to Boston stand up and show yourself!).

But it is now time to move on. Not for the teams and the fresh class of rookies, of course. They are expected a tough season ahead of them and plenty of media inspection. They get paid for that. Us gamblers, on the other hand, make our side cash from betting on sports. So what’s ahead for us?

NFL betting is what. Betting lines for the 2007 NFL season have already opened. At this point in time, bets focus on who the Super Bowl XLII will be. The game, to be played only in the coming winter (early February 2008, in Arizona), is clearly a while away. But pre-season and off-season deals and training camps fuel the betting industry like nothing else.

So who are the champs to be (on paper only)? Unsurprisingly, the 21st century dynasty the New England Patriots are front runners. Close behind them are the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers, second and third respectively.

Betting will be more evolved as the season nears. Big games, players’ statistics and even big plays will all be open for bets at your online casino. Do you homework and out your money where your heart is – and let the best team win.