Oscars Betting Previewed in Time for New Year

The year 2009 is behind us, and the odds are out as to who will win the Academy Awards when the big night is held early in the new year.

Comedy-drama Up in the Air, based on the 2001 Walter Kirn novel of the same name and starring George Clooney, has established itself as the early favorite to take out best motion picture, with Ladbrokes listing it at 4/9 odds. Also in the running are The Hurt Locker, a thriller set during the Iraq War, 4/1, Precious, 6/1, the new James Cameron sci-fi Avatar, 7/1, and Quentin Tarantino's violent hit Inglourious Basterds, 14/1.

Up in the Air is expected to take other awards too, with Clooney, 4/5, leading a talented field of nominees for best actor, ahead of Jeff Bridges, 7/4, Colin Firth, 11/2, Morgan Freeman, 8/1, and Tobey Maguire, 33/1.

Sandra Bullock heads the choices for best actress, listed at a steady 6/4 for the leading role in Blind Side. However, she'll have to beat debutant Gabourey Sibide (Precious, 15/8) and unheralded English woman Carey Mulligan (An Education, 2/1) to claim the prize.

Germany looks set to beat other European powerhouses for the best foreign film, with the White Ribbon, 1/2, currently favored ahead of Spain's Broken Embraces, 7/2, France's A Prophet, 6/1, and Italy's Baaria, 8/1.

Funny man Steve Martin will return to host the awards for the third time when they are held on March 7 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, but this time he will do so in conjunction with Alec Baldwin.