The Daytona 500 is little more than week away, which means drivers are taking to the vaunted NASCAR track this weekend to kick off the season in advance of the sport's proverbial Super Bowl. But NASCAR does not yet have the spotlight, as NBA all-star weekend will soon be taking center stage in New York City.

Odds provided by Bovada Sportsbook unless otherwise indicated .

Sprint Cup

Jimmie Johnson (+750) - The 2015 NASCAR campaign gets underway with the Sprint Unlimited this weekend, eight days prior to the Daytona 500. Johnson has won six championships, but only one in the last four years since NASCAR began Jimmie-proofing the format after he won five in a row from 2006 through 2010.

Jeff Gordon (+750) - The new Chase for the Sprint Cup is such that four drivers are guaranteed to be in contention all the way to the final race. That's why nobody-Johnson included-is a clear favorite and why three are tied at the top with the best odds. Gordon owns four championships but none since 2001.

Kevin Harvick (+750) - Harvick was consistent in 2014 and, more importantly, incredible at the end. The No. 4 car's last three results were runner-up, winner, and winner. The final triumph at Homestead gave Harvick his first championship. He took home five checkered flags last season, giving him nine since the start of 2013.

Brad Keselowski (+800) - Keselowski and Gordon were both eliminated at the second to last event in 2015, while Johnson saw his hopes end four races prior to the finale. Overall it was an outstanding year for Keselowski, who won six times, recorded 17 Top-5 finishes, and placed in the Top 10 on 20 occasions.

NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest

Zach LaVine (-110) - How far has the slam dunk contest fallen? Well, all you need to know is that someone named Zach LaVine is favored. Still, people will watch and people will bet on it. LaVine, a former UCLA standout now with the Timberwolves, turned in a 46-inch vertical in a summer workout and has some crazy dunk videos on YouTube for all to see.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (+225) - Recent dunk champions include Terrence Ross, Jeremy Evans, and in the not-too-distant past Fred Jones and Desmond Mason. Another relatively obscure name like Giannis Antetokounmpo would fit nicely among them, right? Perhaps better known as the "Greek Freak," Antetokounmpo has huge hands that help him do whatever he wants with the ball.

Victor Oladipo (+300) - Oladipo will be the underdog in terms of stature. He stands just one inch shorter than LaVine at 6-foot-4, but he has the look of a point guard while LaVine is a long, rangy swingman. The former Indiana star delivered some huge dunks last month and had one on LeBron James in December.

Mason Plumlee (+700) - The literal underdog in the event, however, is Plumlee. The Brooklyn Nets' forward stands at 6-foot-10, so he has no trouble getting above the rim, but he lacks the highlight-reel athleticism of his three competitors. Plumlee has some creative dunks out there in the video world, including one in which he slams home three balls in one attempt.

AT&T Pebble Beach

Jason Day (+800) - Day is in fine form right now. While healthy, when is he not in fine form? With no physical ailments at the moment, Day had a Top-10 finish in December, posted T-3 and T-17 performances in Hawaii, and he won last week at Torrey Pines. The fourth-ranked Aussie endured a dreaded MDF (made cut, did not finish) last year at Pebble Beach.

Jimmy Walker (+900) - The only person hotter than Day right now is Walker, whose Hawaii swing saw him finish runner-up (Kapalua) before winning (Honolulu). The American also won three times in the span of four months last season. Moreover, Walker is the defending champion of this event, so he obviously knows what he is doing at Pebble Beach.

Jordan Spieth (+1400) - Spieth has cooled off just a bit since a torrid November and December. The 21-year-old was T-7 in Phoenix but never seriously contended, and he missed the cut at last week's Farmers Insurance Open. Nonetheless, Spieth is clearly one of the best players in the world these days, and he finished T-4 last year at Pebble.

Dustin Johnson (+1600) - Bad news for Johnson: he was out for six months due to well-documented personal reasons and missed the cut upon his return at Torrey Pines. Good news for Johnson: Pebble Beach is the spot where he can regain his form. Johnson is a two-time champion of this tournament and was runner-up to Walker by one shot in 2014.

Women's World Cup (odds provided by Sportsbook.ag)

United States (+225) - The USWNT lost a friendly to France 2-0 over the weekend, but it was without some of its top players, so it is not time to press the panic button. The Americans reached the final in 2011 before suffering a heartbreaking shootout loss to Japan.

Germany (+333) - Germany had the benefit of home-field advantage last time around (this year's event will be Canada). The host nation could not capitalize, however, as it went down to the Japanese side 1-0 during quarterfinal action. Germany is tied with the USA with two titles.

Brazil (+500) - Brazil is still seeking its first championship in what is now the seventh installment of the women's World Cup (the inaugural event came in 1991). It finished runner-up to Germany in 2007 then lost a quarterfinal thriller to the United States in stoppage time four years ago.

Japan (+600) - Japan came somewhat out of the blue to triumph in 2011, having never previously reached the World Cup semifinals. Once again it is not favored, but it cannot be discounted as the fourth-ranked team in the world (behind Germany, the USA, and France).

Read more articles by Ricky Dimon