American Idol: How did Chris Daughtry get voted off?

American Idol: How did Chris Daughtry get voted off?

Payout odds were 12 to 1 prior to Tuesday night's show, remaining exact bets pay out huge

Nobody saw it coming. Well, almost nobody. Online gambling web sites the likes of PinnacleSports.com (See Web Site Here) sure did as they lowered Chris Daughtry's elimination odds from just over 12 to 1 (listed as +1252 at PinnacleSports.com) to near even odds going into Wednesday night's elimination show. Early warnings came when Gambling911.com began publishing that Chris Daughtry could be voted off this week.

Daughtry had been the favorite to win throughout much of the season and Idol fans were in complete shock that he - not Katharine McPhee - got the boot.

The American Idol forums were full of anger Wednesday night.

I can't believe all you people out there that didn't vote for Chris call yourselves idol fans. This was my first year watching it and I am very disappointed in how America votes. I am not even gonna watch the finals to see who wins and all you Chris fans should join the boycott with me!!!! Chris should not have gone home. That BLEEP Kat should have gone. She should have gone a while ago so that's why I think something about the voting is fixed!!! Who's with me America!!!!!

Aside from Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks and Elliott Yamin along with their own fans, probably the only other individuals more happy to see Chris Daughtry go were the gamblers who had him getting eliminated at near 13 to 1 odds.

Even more so, PinnacleSports.com (See Web Site Here) the other day featured exactas that included excellent payout odds for all bets not featuring Daughtry.

I had an opportunity to discuss this with the Cleveland Fox affiliate Tuesday and just how rewarding these types of exactas can be. Now that Chris is gone, they become even more exciting.

Exactas require the two Idols as part of a bet to win in the order they are listed. Thus, an exacta of Taylor Hicks / Katharine McPhee +1500 would pay out $1500 for every $100 bet (+1500 being the same as 15 to 1 odds).

In fact, that was the lowest paying of all the remaining exactas. Should Katharine McPhee win and Taylor Hicks come in the runner up, the same odds have been placed on this bet.

Considering how well Elliott performed (he was in the top two in terms of number of votes) and the reality that Katharine McPhee should have gone home Wednesday night, a Hicks / Yamin exacta would pay out - hold on to your hats - $6000 for every $100 bet! Should Elliott Yamin win and Hicks comes in second, this exacta bet would pay out $10,000 for every $100 bet!

This is why so many people are betting on American Idol this season and it is indeed paying off. Daughtry offered the biggest payout thus far this season.

So how could Daughtry, the big favorite and perhaps one of the most popular acclaimed Idols be booted off 4th?

Simply put, he didn't give it his all and fell flat when compared to an Elliott Yamin, who seemed to give everything he had and Taylor Hicks, whose first performance appeared to be a fan favorite but whose second performance probably won over new fans.

Katharine, the lone female, would have gotten all the votes from those desiring a female Idol while the guys had to split votes three ways. Likewise, each of the men hail from Southern states and had to split the vote in that sense as well. The "Elvis" theme show most certainly attracted a significant number of Southern voters.

Elliott Yamin, a favorite to get ousted going into Tuesday night's show, wowed America and deservedly moves on to the next round. Hicks fan base is believed to be among the largest. But likewise, based on Gambling911.com's own tallies, Katharine McPhee also has her loyal fan base. As one reader pointed out, "that's because a lot of guys like her". These same guys may have voted for her as well, nudging out Chris Daughtry.

Biblical traffic numbers were recorded Wednesday evening by the Gambling911.com website with final tallies anticipated Thursday AM. Over 1000 unique visitors per minute were recorded immediately following the show as fans desperately began their search for American Idol betting odds.

PinnacleSports.com immediately released its latest odds (appearing below):

Tue 5/16 Will Katharine McPhee win American Idol 2006?
05:00 PM 27 Yes +264
28 No -310
Tue 5/16 Will Taylor Hicks win American Idol 2006?
05:00 PM 29 Yes -165
30 No +147
Tue 5/16 Will Elliot Yamin win American Idol 2006?
05:00 PM 31 Yes +560
32 No -700
Wed 5/17 Will Elliot Yamin be eliminated on May 17, 2006?
At least one contestant must be eliminated on May 17th, 2006 for action
04:00 PM 40 Yes -180
41 No +162
Wed 5/17 Will K. McPhee be eliminated on May 17, 2006?
At least one contestant must be eliminated on May 17th, 2006 for action
04:00 PM 42 Yes +180
43 No -203
Wed 5/17 Will Taylor Hicks be eliminated on May 17th, 2006?
At least one contestant must be eliminated on May 17th, 2006 for action
04:00 PM 44 Yes +610
45 No -800

You can bet these here (credit cards, eChecks, Western Union payments accepted - you do not want to miss out on these folks)

In the end when all of this has blown over, it will be hard to feel sorry for Chris Daughtry as many predict he could go on to have the most successful post-Idol singing career, and deservedly so we might add.

----

Christopher Costigan, www.gambling911.com

Originally published May 10, 2006 11:50 pm EST