Katie Couric Evening News Ratings Now a Betting Proposition

NEW YORK -- Acclaimed newscaster Katie Couric is set to make her debut as anchor on The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric, September 5, 2006. Sportsbook.com, the world's largest online sportsbook
Katie Couric's ratings will be closely watched.  and casino, is now offering odds on the ratings for Couric's first newscast with CBS.

CBS hopes that the addition of Couric will give the CBS Evening News some star power and help boost its audience. The network certainly has reason to be optimistic. After fifteen years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show, Couric has become a household name across America. Her farewell show in May drew a whopping 8.4 million viewers. Odds on Couric's first show with CBS drawing ratings higher than 8.4 million currently sit at +200. Under 8.4 million is - 300.

With her CBS debut, Couric will go down in American history as the first female solo anchor of a major evening television network newscast. The first female co-anchor was Barbara Walters on ABC from 1976 to 1978. Couric will replace interim anchor Bob Schieffer whose last newscast with the CBS Evening News airs August 31. Over the last month, Schieffer has been averaging 7.39 million viewers per night.

This spring, the CBS Evening News slipped past ABC's World News Tonight to snatch second place in the ratings war behind top-ranked NBC Nightly News. CBS is now averaging 7.39 million viewers compared to 7.31 million for ABC, and slightly less than 8 million for NBC. The audience growth for CBS' evening newscast has come at the expense of NBC and ABC, both of which are down approximately 500,000 viewers. Odds on The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric debuting with higher ratings than ABC and NBC are currently +150. Odds the show will be lower than the two other networks are -200.

"Advertisers have already gambled that Couric will draw more eyeballs to CBS Evening News, plunking down $15 million, the reported price of her contract," said Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. "Everybody bets, ratings are just another sport and sportsbook.com is offering Americans an opportunity to play this latest ratings game."

The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric

Will the ratings for the September 5th newscast be over / under 8.4 million?

OVER +200

UNDER -300

Will the ratings for the September 5th newscast be higher than the ratings for NBC Nightly News and ABC World News Tonight?

    YES        +150
    NO         - 200