Las Vegas Weekly

March 10, 2009 · 7:12 AM

Photo Gallery: DWTS begins with new recruits Holly Madison, Melissa Rycroft

By Robin Leach

Tony Dovolani and Melissa Rycroft.

Photo: ABC TV

As promised, here are the first action photos from last night’s Season 8 premiere of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. Click HERE for our report last night and the judges’ first-round scores.

This is going to be a season of “all in the family” drama, with former Las Vegas Academy student Julianne Hough teamed with country singer boyfriend Chuck Wicks; professional dancer Karina Smirnoff, paired with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, competing against her fiance Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is coupled with Las Vegas nightclub queen Denise Richards; and Julianne’s brother, pro dancer and defending champion Derek Hough, paired with rapper Lil’ Kim. Cowboy king Ty Murray would have danced off against singer wife Jewel, but she’s been KO’d with knee injuries and replaced by Holly Madison.

First odds

Meantime, Johnny Avello, executive director of the Race & Sports Book at the Wynn, has released his odds for the winners of DWTS’ new season. Please note that these odds are for entertainment purposes only.

He pegs Vegas nightclub regular Steve-O bottom of the list with 40 to 1 odds and has new contestant Holly at only 20 to 1. My personal note from last night’s debut is that she’ll move up in his betting odds. The other new entrant, jilted Bachelor girl Melissa Rycroft, is set at 14 to 1 odds in the 7th position -- and you just know she’s going to wind up in the Top Four! Chuck and Julianne are ranked 4th at 6 to 1, and at the top of the charts is an unexpected David Alan Grier at 4 to 1 with partner Kym Johnson. Our other must-watch Vegas couple Denise and Maksim rank 6th at 12 to 1 odds, but, having watched them last night, I’d say they’ll be lucky to last three weeks!

With more than 20 years of experience in the gaming industry, Johnny’s predictions are derived from a combination of odds-making formulas, researching and reading and networking with people in the business and community. Created for entertainment purposes only, his TV show odds are featured on TV and radio programs including Extra, Good Morning America and E! Entertainment’s Daily 10.

For the record, Johnny’s predictions were spot on week after week during Season 7, when Brooke Burke danced off with Derek for the title! Dancing With the Stars resumes Monday with the second-round dance and then Tuesday’s results show.

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