The New York Giants weren’t supposed to beat Dallas. They weren’t supposed to beat Green Bay. And now they’re not supposed to beat the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLII. The Pats were 11.5-point favorites at press time with a total of 54.

Everything on paper says the Patriots should win this game hands-down. The computer projections at Accuscore say New England has a 75-percent chance of lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the fourth time in Tom Brady’s eight-year career. The pointspread itself is a giant neon sign telling you how great New England is.

But nothing will come easy Feb. 3. The Patriots have the upper hand; however, to win the Super Bowl, they have to endure the top-ranked pass rush in the league during the regular season. They also have to face the very real prospect of Eli Manning having yet another sound football game. It’s happened a lot lately.

The New York Giants are on a 7-1 ATS streak. The New England Patriots are 1-7 ATS. That makes Super Bowl XLII an easy pick, right?

Maybe more so at the open, when the Patriots were pegged as 12-point favorites. That spread was down to 11 at press time and could certainly drop further as money continues to pour in on the Giants. Even the most casual NFL bettors were glued to Big Blue’s performance against the Pats in Week 17; you couldn’t ask for a more obvious demonstration of what could happen at the Super Bowl.

But how far does the spread have to swing to make the Patriots the easy pick? Perhaps something in the single digits; AccuScore’s computer simulations have projected a 30-21 final with New England getting a 75-percent chance of finishing their perfect season. Those chances dip to 55 percent if Eli Manning doesn’t throw a pick – which he hasn’t yet in these playoffs.

Last month, tennis legend and commentator John McEnroe expressed his fears that the Russian mafia may be corrupting the sport. Actually, the U.S. Senate drew the same conclusion over a decade ago after a 15-month investigation. But fresh betting scandals have prompted McEnroe to speak and governing bodies to take action.

Last week, the ATP, WTA and ITF joined forces with the organizers of the four major tournaments to announce a review of their policies. “(This) independent review will help us ensure we are protecting the integrity of professional tennis into the future,” WTA Tour chief executive Larry Scott told reporters.

Whether anything more can be done, or whether the review merely pays lip service, remains to be seen. According to Scott, we may see the establishment of an anti-corruption unit with policing powers. But if the problem is organized crime, do you really want to send in the tennis police?

While bettors in the United States fume over anti-gambling legislation, not everything is rosy across the pond. Germany has ratified an accord unveiling new restrictions on Internet betting; those restrictions came into effect on New Year’s Day.

This state legislation (all of the country’s 16 states are on board) is the latest step in Germany’s attempt to entrench its monopoly over lotteries and other betting. Placing a wager on German soil, even with an offshore book, is once again illegal. So is any advertisement that tries to “directly invite, incite or prompt” customers to place a bet.

The European Union had previously asked Germany to reconsider its anti-gambling measures; now the European Court of Justice will almost certainly be brought into the legal fray, as online gambling operators have already sued to keep their businesses afloat. Like the U.S., Germany argues that its citizens need to be protected against the moral problems of gambling. The EU isn’t buying it.