If you love placing a bet on some fantastic winter sports, then the Nordic combined will definitely be the top of your list. For those already not a fan of the sport, the Nordic combined is a thrilling winter sport where athletes compete not only in the difficult and often unpredictable ski jumping event (perfect for some excellent odds and high returns on your bet) but also cross-country skiing. There are six types of events available in the Nordic combined currently, of which three of these - the sprint, team and individual - are events held at the World Championships. In addition, the Nordic combined is to be expanded even further with a mass-start competition for the 2009 championships at Liberec, Czech Republic.

The Nordic combined has been enjoyed for many years, with the first major event in which the sport was part of held in 1892 at the first Holmenkollen Ski Festival in Oslo. This event is still held annually and always draws a huge audience in Norway and across the globe. The Winter Olympics first added the Nordic combined competition to its line up in 1924, with the sport held every year ever since. Currently only men compete in the Nordic combined, however, as there is no womens' competition sanctioned by the FIS.

If you fancy a flutter on the Nordic combined, then there are few names to look out for. As the event first began in Norway, it stands to reason that this country should always deliver the cream of the crop when it comes to athletes to bet on - but competitors from Germany, Austria, Finland and Japan often do very well, with tempting odds! World Champions to keep an eye on include Hannu Manninen, Ronny Ackermann and Felix Gottwald.