As you read this, chances are — whether sports fan or not — that later on today, if not already,  you will be among the estimated 100 million + people viewing and partaking in that most American of rituals: Super Bowl Sunday. And while true fans of the two competing teams for professional football’s 44th (XLIV) championship, The New Orleans Saints and The Indianapolis Colts, likely don’t extend too much beyond Louisiana and Indiana respectively, Super Bowl Sunday, for the unattached and/or casual fan, is far beyond the two teams.

Chances are you’ll be watching the game at a party with friends and friends of friends amidst an array of charred meats, salty snacks, piquant condiments and trays of seven layer dip and various yummy desserts. Alcoholic beverages — probably the same brands sponsoring the game — are a given. And even the most anti-football fan can admit to at least looking forward to the array of cool, creative tv commercials and, Janet’s nipple be damned,  the hyped Halftime Show. Yep, Super Bowl = festive atmosphere.

Super Bowl Sunday also = gambling. Lots of gambling. To the tune, multiple estimates say, of easily over $1 billion in wagers. And it’s not just limited to the game. Nor, even, to terrestrial casinos, sportsbooks or bookies. The game is a veritable stimulus package in and of itself to Online gambling sites. Bodog.com, for example, is offering more than 120 betting propositions with a good number having nothing to do with football including the number of times CBS cameras will show Kim Kardashian, the reality show maven and girlfriend of Saints running back, Reggie Bush.

You can wager on how many times The Who’s Pete Townshend will do his trademark windmill move (must be a full 360 to be counted) during the halftime show and the site will even take bets on who the game’s eventual MVP will thank first (God, mom, teammates) and how many times the game’s announcers will reference  Hurricane Katrina when talking about The Saints.

The gambling will likely also be part of your viewing party as evidenced by the pool bets and the nervous, on-edge, not-quite-fulling-enjoying himself dude sitting in the corner – chances are he’s got a mortgage payment riding on the game.  So, are you in for a little fun yourself? If so, here’s how to enjoy your gathering and maybe add a few greenbacks in your  pocket as well.

*Caution: If you’re among those with a proclivity toward irresponsible gambling (heck, you might be at Bicycle Club or a similar casino now) than do yourself a favor and DO NOT READ FURTHER.

Step 1: Remain your friendly, unassuming and non-threatening self while spotting out the party’s “Mr. Know-it-all.” He shouldn’t be difficult to spot — or hear. It’s the lout who claims to know both teams’ game plans and damn near everything about the history of game itself.

Step 2: Engage the know-it-all lout in friendly conversation, perhaps even asking him to opine on the game as a further ego boost.

Step 3: During the conversation, quiz him on a few, easy trivia questions and as his confidence shoots up the charts, present him with this enticement: Do you know if any Asian Americans are playing in today’s game? If so, can you name them?

If he responds to your query, suggest a friendly wager much like you would a bar bet (insert your amount here). He, having studied both team’s rosters will predictably mention Saints linebacker Scott Fujita. This is can be a matter of conjecture as Scott is ethnically not Japanese as his surname would suggest but, was adopted by and took the name of his Japanese American father.

Step 4: If he guesses Scott Fujita, you counter with, Excellent. Now, can you name the other Asian American?

Step 5: After he fails to identify Colts safety Aaron Francisco (He’s Filipino-Hawaiian), collect your cash and have celebratory drink.

Should other know-it-alls/potential victims want in on the action, herewith is your cheatsheet for variations on your Super Bowl Party winning betting strategy:

What player in today’s game was born in Fiji? Colts linebacker Freddie Keiaho.

Has an Asian American ever been Super Bowl MVP? Hines Ward (Korean-African American), Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XL, 2006.

What Asian American has the most Super Bowl rings? Tedy Bruschi (Filipino American), New England Patriots, Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX.

True or False: The NFL has had an athlete of Thai ethnicity. True. Kevin Kaesviharn, ex-Saint and current Tennessee Titans saftey.

How many NFL players speak Farsi? One. TJ Houshmandzadeh of the Seattle Seahawks who is Persian-African American.

Enjoy and . . .

Geaux Saints!