I think it�s time for another �imaginary� betting pool.

The Winter Olympics are coming up, and I really couldn�t care less except for the International �Dream Team� tournament in Hockey. Canada, Russia, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Finland will all have elite squads compiled of mostly, if not all, NHL players. Olympic hockey is played on �the big sheet� (the NHL rink is 200� long by 85� wide, the Olympic rink is 200� x 100�) which means there is less emphasis on the physicality, checking, clutching, grabbing, grinding that seems to bog down a lot of NHL games, and more emphasis on speed, skill, passing, movement.

As before, you have $100, email me with your bets (jake_reeder@hotmail.com) , please make no more than 5 bets in $5 increments (i.e. 5, 10, 25,35, 50� whatever).

Odds to win Outright (Gold medal)
Canada: 9/5 (i.e $5 bet wins you $9)
Russia: 3/1 (i.e. $5 bet wins you $15, you get the point now)
USA: 4/1
Czech Rep: 3/1
Sweden: 7/1
Finland: 16/1
Field (any other team): 50/1


Matchup bets (these are money line bets as described in my Super Bowl betting blog)
Team that will be placed higher:

Canada -140
Russia +110

Czech Rep -130
USA +110

Finland +130
Sweden -160

Here are some wagers I made up:

Pick �em (means straight up bet, one vs. the other, bet $5 to win $5)
Winner from Europe
Winner from North. America


To win any medal:
USA: 8/5
Canada: 4/5 ($5 to win $4)

Pavel Bure (Russia) leads tournament in goals
5/2 (Mr. Bure went off in the Nagano '98 games, with 9 goals -- 4 more than anyone else)

The Kournikova bet:
Pavel Bure vs. Sergei Fedorov (both Russia) total points in Tournament (goals and assists)
pick em (bet $5 to win $5)
(Bure briefly dated Anna Kournikova, Fedorov is involved in a "serious relationship" with the Russian tennis bombshell)

Have fun!
I�ll have my picks up shortly.