I’m not a betting lady myself (too few pennies to go risking them), but for those of you who like a flutter, the Emmys could be worth a few bob. So if you would like the chance to exercise your superior television knowledge and perhaps make some money, here are some of the odds being offered on the American awards ceremony by Bet365.

Warning: If you lose out and have to hand over your house to debtors, sell your children into slavery and get a job cleaning the poles at a strip club – please don’t blame me. This is only meant as a bit of fun and in no way endorses people to hand their lives over to an all-consuming gambling problem. On the other hand, if you make some serious money taking a punt – just remember who tipped you off, eh?

Best drama series
HBO’s now-finished mob saga The Sopranos is the unsurprising vote for the best drama award with odds of 4/11. Newbie and TV Scoop favourite Heroes enjoys odds of 11/2 while House, like Grey’s Anatomy is on 13/2. Rank outsider is the David E. Kelley show Boston Legal (15/2), which raised many eyebrows simply with its inclusion in the category. The show has long been over-looked and now, when fans considered it on the wane it picked up the much-needed support of an Emmy nod – interesting.

Best comedy series
When reading press from the States regarding the current state of their sitcoms, it seems that their version of The Office is a universal favourite. Reflecting this popularity is the programme’s envied status as bookmaker’s favourite with odds of 1/1. Yes – you read that correctly. The Steve Carell laughter-fest and winner of last year’s award is considered such a shoe-in that you might want to look to other categories to spend your pennies. Trying to steal The Office’s glory is 30 Rock (2/1), Ugly Betty (16/5), Entourage (7/1) and Two And A Half Men (15/2).

Best dramatic actress
In the best dramatic actress category veteran Sally Field is the favourite with odds of 11/4. Just behind her are Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) and Edie Falco (The Sopranos) with 3/1. Newcomer to the category Brit Minnie Driver is offered on 7/2, while last year’s victor Mariska Hargitay (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit) is 5/1 and 2005’s winner Medium’s Patricia Arquette brings up the rear with odds of 7/1.

Personally I’m quite surprised that Falco, best known as Carmela, the wife to family boss Tony Soprano isn’t the hot choice. Often when shows come to an end, industry voters like to send them off with a few mementoes as a thank you – but the odds don’t reflect this. Maybe it’s because she has already won it three times, maybe it is a reaction to the controversial ending or maybe the bookmakers think her show was a winner, but her individual performance wasn’t.

Best dramatic actor
In sharp contrast, co-star James Gandolfini is the bookmaker’s favourite with odds offered of 4/11. Like Falco, he’s going for his fourth Emmy and is also up against recent former winners. Hugh Laurie (5/1) might have snagged the last two Golden Globe awards for his turn as the grouchy doctor in House but he has yet to amuse Emmy audiences with his trademark witty acceptance speeches. Rescue Me’s Denis Leary (6/1) was for many a surprise inclusion in the category having never picked up a top award for the fire-fighting drama.

In contrast Kiefer Sutherland and his terrorist bashing alter ego, Jack Bauer was acknowledged last year for the excellent fifth season of 24, but his this time around his luck might have run out. Some insiders consider this year’s nod a polite gesture from the industry to an actor who has helped invigorate American TV in the past few years, rather than that of a serious contender. After the critical mauling of the sixth season of 24, the fact that his name made it onto the list in the first place is a great testament to the popularity and endurance of Kiefer Sutherland. Least fancied by the bookies is James Spader for his part in legal drama Boston Legal on 7/1. Spader won in 2004 and 2005 and it could be such recent successes that see him low down in the pecking order.

Best comedy actress
The buzz around new show Ugly Betty sees star America Ferrara named as the favourite with odds of 4/7. Tied on odds of 5/1 are Felicity Huffman from Desperate Housewives (pictured left) and Mary-Louise Parker from Weeds. Huffman was nominated in this category at the Golden Globes for the past three years without winning though had more luck at the Emmys in 2005. In contrast, the excellent Parker has experienced an Emmy win but not a Golden Globe victory. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a comedy stalwart after her time on seminal sitcom Seinfeld. Now enjoying solo acclaim in The New Adventures of Old Christine, the former ‘Queen of her castle’ is only offering odds of 11/2 despite winning at last year’s ceremony. 30 Rock’s Tina Fey is least fancied with odds of 6/1, though the category is interestingly close.

Best comedy actor
Like his show, Steve Carell looks pretty convincing with odds of 5/4. Alec Baldwin picked up this year’s Golden Globe award for 30 Rock but ranks behind Carell on 9/4. Enjoying success across the pond, Ricky Gervais is on 11/4 for Extras while the enduring Tony Shalhoub is offering odds of 9/2. Last is tabloid fodder Charlie Sheen (13/2) for the abysmally trite Two And A Half Men. One question – where’s Jason Lee for My Name Is Earl?

As the Emmys is blessed/ cursed (delete as appropriate) with a great many categories, we have only brought you the headline grabbing ones. And so what do you think? Can you work your magic to wrangle some change out of this lot or have the bookmakers got it right? All will be revealed at the ceremony to be broadcast on E! at 1am this Monday.