He was picked in the sixth round of the NFL draft for the 2000 season by the New England Patriots and has led the team to the big game a total of five times winning the championship three times. During the 2011-12 season, he compiled 5,225-yards for 39-touchdowns for a quarterback rating of 105.6 and has led the Patriots into Indianapolis with a 13-3 regular season. While the defense might be a bit suspect, it is easy to see why Super Bowl 2012 odds to win the MVP favor Tom Brady. Bookmakers in Vegas and at online sportsbooks have listed Brady as a 7/5 NFL betting favorite to win the most valuable player award followed by Giants QB Eli Manning at 9/4 and WR Victor Cruz 8/1. Rounding out the top five choices are Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski and Giants WR Hakeem Nicks 12/1.

Despite handicappers and the gambling public leaning towards a New York victory in Indianapolis, Vegas Super Bowl betting odds are still holding strong to favoring New England -3 against New York when the two play for the title on Sunday. The over/under total opened as high as 55.5 at one point as bookmakers were expecting a high scoring affair but with numerous injuries facing the Patriots, the sentiment has dropped the line to an average of 54 at most sportsbooks. A $100 wager on a straight up victory by New York would return +115 on the moneyline while it would cost -$135 to win a $100 on the favored Patriots. Along with the standard point spread and moneyline for the game, bookmakers have listed numerous Super Bowl XLVI prop bets for results that will happen during the game such as which team will receive the opening kick-off, what will the first offensive play be or what will be the first scoring play for each team. Let's take a look at a few of these props to show how you can make money on the championship game.

ESPN and ESPN2 will feature two top-25 teams in action this evening starting with the #5 Duke Blue Devils go on the road to face the Virginia Tech Hokies at 7:00pm EST. Then ESPN2 will take over the action when the South Carolina Gamecocks take a trip down south for a match-up against the #11 Florida Gators at 9:00pm EST. Duke will enter tonight's contest looking to win their third straight game having gone 18-3 overall and 5-1 in the ACC conference while Virginia Tech will be looking to rebound from two straight losses and improve on a 12-9 overall record having gone a dismal 1-5 in the ACC. Duke vs Virginia Tech odds in Vegas and at offshore sportsbooks have listed the Blue Devils as 5.5-point favorites in college basketball predictions to win on the road tonight while the over/under betting total is set at 140.

Thursday night basketball on TNT will feature an exciting double header worth of action this evening when Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls (18-6) take a trip to the east coast for a match-up with Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks (8-13) at 8:00pm EST from Madison Square Garden. Following the game, TNT will then broadcast a west coast battle when the Denver Nuggets take on the Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30pm EST from the STAPLES Center. Bulls vs Knicks odds in Vegas and at online sportsbooks favor Chicago on the road by 4-points against New York with the over/under total listed at 190. NBA betting picks on the moneyline also favor Chicago at -175 while New York would pay-out +155 on a $100 wager for the home win. The Chicago Bulls are in the middle of a nine game road trip in which the team has gone 1-2 thus far losing at the Miami Heat on Sunday and at the Philadelphia 76ers last night.

There will be an exciting double header of action tonight when the Oklahoma City Thunder (16-4) head down south for a meeting with the Dallas Mavericks (14-8) at 8:00pm EST on ESPN. Following the game, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers will see if their acrobatic show will work against the Utah Jazz when they take they court at 10:30pm EST with both games also being streamed live online at ESPN3. Oklahoma City has won four straight games but victim to the Clippers aerial assault on Monday night while Dallas will be looking for their fourth straight win. Thunder vs Mavericks odds favor Dallas at home by 1.5-points in NBA predictions against Oklahoma City while the over/under betting total is set at of 197. The moneyline also favors a Dallas victory at -125 while OKC would return a pay-out of +105 for the road win.

Super Bowl predictions in Vegas and at online sportsbooks are holding strong to favoring New England by a field goal in Giants vs Patriots odds for the championship game on February 5th. The over/under betting total hasn't fluctuated much either since the opening lines and currently sits at 54.5 while the money line slightly favors the Patriots at -135 with the Giants as +115 underdogs. Heavy action on New York at the MGM Mirage in Vegas however has dropped the line down to 2.5 by Tuesday morning. It does seem that the sentiment is taking hold with many handicappers and announcers as most are now leaning towards a New York victory similar to the one witnessed during the 2007-08 season. Super Bowl XLII featured a tough defensive battle with only 10-points allowed by both teams but the Giants found a way for 14-fourth quarter points in a 17-14 win to easily cover the 12-point spread as underdogs.

ESPN will feature the #10 ranked team in the country when the Michigan State Spartans take a trip to face the Illinois Fighting Illini at 7:00pm EST while ESPN 2 will feature Clemson at Virginia (18) with both games being streamed online at ESPN3. After winning fifteen straight games, the Spartans faltered in two road games to recent go 2-2 straight up, 17-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten Conference. Illinois started off the season well enough with 10-straight wins but have since 5-6 including three in a row for an overall record of 15-6 and 4-4 in the Big 10 conference. Michigan State vs Illinois odds at online sportsbooks and in Vegas are predicting a very close game tonight on ESPN as college basketball betting picks slightly favor the Spartans -1.5 on the road against the Fighting Illini while the over/under total has been set 128.5.

ESPN basketball will feature an exciting Eastern conference battle on Friday night when the New York Knicks (7-11) travel down south to take on the Miami Heat (13-5) at 8:00pm EST from the AmericanAirlines Arena. The Knicks will be looking to turn things around having won only 1-game for their last eight times out on the court. It doesn't look to get any better for New York however, as the Heat have won two straight games and have gone 7-2 when playing at home this season. Knicks vs Heat odds at Vegas sportsbooks have listed Dwyane Wade and Miami 11-point basketball betting favorites vs New York with an over/under total of 194.5. That's right... after sitting out the past six games with an ankle injury, Wade could make his return to the court since joining the team for this morning's workout.

TNT basketball on Thursday night will feature an exciting pair of conference match-ups as the Boston Celtics (7-9) will be looking to win their third straight game when they face the Orlando Magic (12-5 ) at 8:00pm EST from the Amway Center. Following the Celtics vs Magic, TNT will then air the Memphis Grizzlies (10-7) vs Los Angeles Clippers (9-6) at 10:30pm EST. With a win tonight, Orlando will go 7-2 when playing at home this season and win their second straight game after defeating the Indiana Pacers on the road by nearly 20-points last Tuesday. Celtics vs Magic odds in Vegas have listed Orlando as heavy 8.5-point home favorites against Boston while the over/under basketball betting total has been listed at 176. NBA predictions also favor Orlando -450 on the moneyline while Boston would pay-out +350 on a $100 wager for the road upset.

Vegas 2012 Super Bowl XLVI odds at various sportsbooks are predicting that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will get their revenge this year against Eli Manning and the New York Giants for a 14-17 loss in XLII to end their perfect season at 18-1. Although the Pats are not undefeated this season, they have played a season that is worthy of a championship having won ten straight games and going 13-3 overall this year. Big Blue on the other hand, finished the regular season with a shaky 9-7 mark but have since won three straight games in the playoffs including 2-of-3 on the road earning the right to play for their fourth championship trophy. Giants vs Patriots odds in Vegas have listed New England as 3-point favorites with an NFL betting total set at 55.5. The MGM Mirage is currently the only book that is carrying the Pats at -2.5 while the Hilton is carrying the total at 54.5.