Top-10 Olympic prop bets that we'd like to see

While betting on the Olympic Games has become more commonplace over the last few years, the proliferation of proposition bets has yet to catch fire. Unlike the Super Bowl, where you can bet on everything from the coin toss to the color of liquid to be dumped on the winning head coach, the Olympics have very few choices for creative prop bets. (PaddyPower.com has the best list).

With that in mind, we here at Casino City put on our bookie hats today and came up with 10 Olympic proposition bets we'd like to wager on when the games begin later this week.

10. Number of fencing video replays
It's OK to admit it. You had no idea that fencing has added a video replay review. We didn't either until we decided to compile this list. The new addition stems from a controversy 2004 when the Chinese men's foil team that felt the referee in its gold medal bout was favoring the Italians. Many of the top fencers in the world have already given the new system a thumbs up, but will they still be OK with it after the first review goes against them?

9. Number of clean air days in Beijing
Pollution is the number one concern for the Summer Games this year. In and around Beijing, plants have been idled and cars have been parked by government order in an effort to improve air quality for the athletes. But on hot days, a gray smoggy haze still surrounds the city. And that's why this is such a fun bet. Everyone is concerned about it. But nobody knows exactly what's going to happen.

8. Largest margin of victory for U.S. basketball team
Yes, the Americans have not won a meaningful medal in several years. But on their way to disappointing finishes, they usually clobber at least one team by a gazillion points, while posting double-digit victories the rest of the time. And with Angola on the schedule, this year should be no different.

7. Number of televised Dalai Lama references
The TV coverage of the Olympics is traditionally typically filled with an insufferable number of storylines that cover people and places other than the actual games and this controversial spiritual and political leader that the Chinese don't want on TV will be a natural choice. And you can bet that at bars and living rooms across the world, fans of the movie Caddyshack will immediately break into their best Carl Spackler imitation after each reference to "His Holiness."

6. Number of world leaders at the opening ceremonies
The opening ceremonies always draw a laundry list of powerful world leaders, but this year's roster will be interesting to watch considering the amount of pressure that has been put on many leaders to boycott the proceedings. U.S. President George Bush will be in attendance. How many other leaders will follow?

5. South American country to win the most medals
China, the U.S. and Russia are expected to dominate the overall medal count, but a South American pool would be fun to watch. In 2004, the count was evenly spread out with Brazil winning 10, Argentina taking home six, Chile winning three and Venezuela and Colombia each winning two. And those 23 medals were won in 19 different sports. With that kind of balance, this would be an interesting race to follow.

4. Which nation will win the most bronze medals?
Everyone loves the race for the most gold medals. In fact, almost every major online sportsbook is offering betting odds on it (with China as the favorite). But we're more interested in the chase for the bronze -- the least appreciated medal of the bunch. Hey, it's hard to finish in the top three. And if a country can stand up and say, hey we're number three, all the better.

3. Who will light the torch?
In what is typically the best part of the opening ceremonies, a famous athlete from the host country traditionally lights the Olympic torch. Who will ever forget that touching moment in 1996 when Muhammad Ali was chosen? Being able to wager on who will do the deed this year would just add to the drama.

2. Sport with the most drug-related disqualifications
One of the givens in Olympic competition is that at least a few athletes will be stripped of their medals after failing drug tests. The question here is which sport will be hit hardest. Will it be everybody's favorite drug-related whipping boy -- cycling? Will it be the more glamorous track and field? Or will an obscure sport like kayaking walk away with the crown?

1. Who will eat more -- U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps or the U.S. women's gymnastics team?
In his quest to win eight gold medals, Phelps will take in about 4,000 calories a day. Is that enough to out eat the six petite gymnasts from the U.S. women's gymnastics team? Only time will tell.