WITH OSCAR frenzy in full swing, a day before the 82nd Academy Awards or Oscars Awards begin, with celebrities dressed to their nines on the red carpet, could bookies have stayed far away? Even as debates on who should win and who could win at the Oscars rages on, much moolah is being made in this run up to the main event.

As per the odds cited by many Bookies, The Hurt Locker and Avatar are top favorites, with the other films of the ten nominated for Best picture falling far behind. While, The Hurt Locker has been given odds of -150 by Intertops, Avatar got 110. Though Precious rocked at the Spirit Awards, bookies think it has one in 5000 chance for the Best picture Oscar.

Two films, who by bookie accounts stand closer to the Oscar are Inglorious Basterds (one in 1400) and Up In The Air (one in 3000). Meanwhile, A serious man, An Education, District 9, The Blind Side and Up remain far behind.

Looking at the performances front, the 82nd Academy awards is banking on easy carmadiere by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin to raise numbers in TV rankings, which have been seeing a constant drop over the last few years. This seems so because, best song nomination performances have been dropped from the programme. While, few are relieved considering the song choices this time, but removing these has also removed a major chunk of the red carpet event entertainment.

Besides this, all winners will have to adhere to a 45 second limit for their thanks speeches, another move, that could either end up being praised or turn into a nightmare. The gap may be filled by a presentation by Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, best known as the other two parts of the Twillight love triangle.

Here's a look at the nominees for the Academy Awards 2010:

Best Picture:

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