I have a confession to make: When I’m not ashamedly peeking in on reality TV odds, one of my favorite shows is Doctor Who. It’s quirky sci-fi fun, plus David Tennant’s got the looks — I’m a sucker for the British. (The accents, not the teeth.) So I was sorta ripped up to hear that his tenure as the good Doctor was almost at a close, though the entertainment wasn’t over yet: the Brits do love their oddsmaking, and so the chase was on to find out who the replacement Time Lord would be — and who could make some nice coin by betting on the right pick.

Here’s who we ended up with: Matt Smith. Not bad, sorta dorky but I’ll take it, despite the almost-fake sounding name. But wait, check THIS out: According to the Telegraph, betting odds on the new Doctor may have been fixed. Apparently, the BBC may or may not have leaked info to the bookmakers, who then adjusted Matt Smith’s line accordingly from 33/1 to a 1/3 favorite. That’s a pretty significant difference, people. Enough to make the betting-mad community over the pond take notice.

What’s the truth here? Was there a leak of info at the last minute? Can the Beeb go more than two weeks without scandals? I dunno about the rest of you, but I’m going to calm it down with some Golden Globes odds — and some choice pics of Mr. Tennant.

With the end of the year comes the tidal wave of critics’ annual picks for January through December, and the world of music is no exception. What IS a surprise this year is the resurgence of 80’s metal bands who’ve been putting out some pretty excellent new efforts in 2008 (see: Motley Crue, Judas Priest, AC/DC). So, as much of a blast from the past as it may be, it’s not a bad bet to expect to see Metallica on many music critics’ year-end lists.

With their new album Death Magnetic being the best effort that Lars and the boys have put out in years, it’s also a boost to Metallica’s odds at getting inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. My girl Summer did a nice little wrapup of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame odds, and concluded rightfully that Metallica have a spot all but locked down. (My vote also goes to the Stooges - yay Iggy! - and Run-DMC) And with the line at -280, that’s some rockin’ value. Get thee to your favorite offshore sportsbook and start the headbanging.

By the way, although it’s hardly relevant anymore (Metallica has finally embraced file sharing, or whatever), if you haven’t seen “Napster Bad”, check it out for giggles: