Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics will be looking to pick up a win against Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic on Thursday. Here’s your Daily Sports and Betting Roundup.

Oscar Nominations 2009

Most sportsbooks should have betting odds in the Academy Award winners now that the nominations are out. Taraji P. Henson, Viola Davis, Michael Shannon, Marisa Tomei, Melissa Leo and the Benjamin Button Movie headline early favorites. We will have the Oscar Awards Vegas odds once they come out.

In political betting odds news, Condoleezza Rice has signed with the William Morris Agency as a client.

The Gridiron Spotlight

The Steelers are the AFC champions this season, but how do the Vegas oddsmakers like their chances of duplicating that feat next year? Well, the (very) early line has them listed second at 4/1 odds to be the 2009/10 AFC champs, behind the Patriots at 7/2 odds. The Colts are next at 9/2, followed by the Ravens at 11/2, the Titans at 15/2, and the Chargers at 8/1. The second tier of contenders are the Dolphins (12/1), Jets (14/1), Jaguars (15/1), and Broncos (18/1), with the Texans at 20/1, and the Bills behind them on the list at just 25/1.

Longshots for next season include the Browns at 30/1 and the Bengals at 35/1, while the Chiefs and Raiders sit down in the odds basement at 50/1 right now.

Super Bowl XLIII odds have the Steelers a seven-point favorite over the Cardinals.

Sports Betting Events

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We have Wise Guy plays in the NBA and CBB and two outlaw line plays. The official outlaw line is what the odds would be if there was no consideration given to public perception and balancing the action.  It is the more accurate line from the standpoint of the bettor. Click now to purchase the entire card for $17.

Other Notable Events

The Magic are riding a seven-game winning streak heading into Thursday night’s marquee matchup with the Celtics, and they’ve managed to pick up the victory in nine of their past 10 games to sit at 33-8 straight-up and 28-12-1 against-the-spread on the season. However, when these two teams met back on December 1 the Celtics cruised to a 107-88 win as an 8.5-point favorite on their own court.

The second game of the night’s NBA doubleheader is a projected mismatch between the Wizards and Lakers in Los Angeles. Still, lowly Washington did manage to hold their own in the last meeting between these teams, a 106-104 Lakers road win back on December 5; the Wizards had been 12-point underdogs.

The Rest of the Schedule

A Big Ten battle between No. 18 Purdue and No. 21 Minnesota highlights the college hoops schedule for Thursday. The Boilermakers (14-4 SU, 7-8 ATS) knocked off Iowa 75-53 in their last game, while the Golden Gophers (16-2 SU, 9-4 ATS) are coming off a 74-65 loss to Northwestern. As well, No. 12 Georgetown will take on West Virginia, No. 13 UCLA meets Washington State, No. 16 Butler plays Wisc-Green Bay, and No. 23 Gonzaga travels to Pepperdine.

News from the Wire

Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro and Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire are both gone for the season; DiPietro hasn’t been able to recover from his knee injury, while Leclaire will have ankle surgery . . . Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward is still on track to play in the Super Bowl despite his knee injury, which has been reported as a slightly sprained MCL . . . Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is also a little banged up, but will be behind center next weekend…Jay McGwire, brother of Mark McGwire us pitching a book to major publishing houses dealing with Mark’s steroid saga…

A Peek at the Future

Friday’s NBA slate features 12 games, including Dallas at Detroit, Houston at Indiana, New Jersey at San Antonio, and Cleveland at Golden State . . . the PGA Tour continues its latest stop this weekend, the Bob Hope Classic at PGA West in La Quinta, California . . . No. 3 Connecticut will take on No. 19 Notre Dame in college hoops action on Saturday, with Maryland travelling to play No. 2 Duke.