AFL brings back real favorite

For bettors who have not felt the same since the end of the NFL season, don’t panic.

The start of the Arena Football League season is here, with the Avengers playing host to the New Orleans Voodoo in the first game tonight at Staples Center.

The Avengers, who finished 9-7 during the regular season and reached the second round of the playoffs last year, are listed as 8 1/2 -point favorites over the Voodoo, who went 5-11 last season and didn’t make the playoffs.

But maybe the most interesting action on the game is the over/under point total, listed at 104.

With the AFL adopting a new rule this season that allows “Jack” linebackers to roam sideboards to sideboards after the snap, offenses may find it harder to score points.

“I think everyone is waiting to see how everyone else is going to use the position,” Avengers Coach Ed Hodgkiss said. “I really think that it’s going to have a big impact on the game.”

In other AFL games this weekend, home teams are given the edge in five of seven matchups, highlighted by Chicago being favored over San Jose, the defending Arena Bowl champion.

The Rush, AFL champions in 2006, are a 1 1/2 -point favorite over the SaberCats with the over/under at 103 points, according to TheGreek.com.

Auto racing

NASCAR moves to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend and oddsmakers have made two-time Sprint Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson the favorite to win the UAW Dodge 400.

Station Casinos of Las Vegas has Johnson favored at 7-1, while Sportsbook.com listed Johnson at 9-2.

But based on the results of the first two weeks of the season, favorites are no longer locks to win big money. With the Car of Tomorrow being used full-time throughout the Sprint Cup schedule, there’s been more even racing and big payouts.

Ryan Newman began the season with an upset victory at the Daytona 500 after opening with 20-1 odds. It was Newman’s first victory in 81 Cup races and his first for Penske’s racing team.

Last week, Carl Edwards was listed with 8-1 odds and then picked up his first victory at Fontana.

Although Hendrick Racing has fallen short so far this season, oddsmakers still like the chances of Johnson and teammates Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon is listed at 5-1 and Earnhardt Jr. is 12-1 as Hendrick tries to bounce back after winning the points championship seven of the last 13 years.

The other favorites this weekend are Tony Stewart and Edwards at 8-1, and Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch at 10-1.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com