What did NFL betting star QB Carson Palmer do to deserve such misery? First, while leading his Cincinnati Bengals to their best record in years and looking to make a run at the Super Bowl, his knee is blown in out in a playoff game against the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. And now, his team’s front office has unleashed the plague of Terrell Owens on his team.

Perhaps it’s not quite that bad, but if you’re a fan of football wagering you can’t help but feel a bit sorry at least in the back of your mind for this talented QB who can’t seem to catch a break. He’s already has to put up with Chad Ochocinco and now Owens too?

If the truth is told it could actually be a terrific pairing for both sides and might even have a big impact on the 2010 NFL betting, at least in the hotly contested AFC North.

The Bengals are a good team coming off a division winning season last year (10-6) but are sorely lacking talent in the WR department. Ochocinco is still a legit #1 WR but with no other receiving threats on the field he’s generally hampered by double teams. TO should be able to help spread the defense a bit and with one of the top running games in football wagering this multi-faceted offense that could give opposing defenses trouble. The Bengals also added depth at the receiver position in the NFL draft with top TE prospect Jermaine Gresham and deep threat Jordan Shipley of Texas to stretch the field.

Looking at TO’s signing through that lens makes it seem like a great addition to this already playoff contending team. And it just might be.

But you could also argue that TO could be over the hill and ineffective as a WR, and more trouble than he’s worth which is why all the other NFL betting teams passed on him.

TO’s numbers from last season were nothing impressive (55 catches, 829 yards, 5 TDs), granted he was playing with an awful QB but that was hardly the problem. TO leads the league in drops almost every year (many negating sure-thing TDs), he doesn’t like contact and doesn’t have great speed.

And after what Jets CB Derrell Revis did to Ochocinco in back to back weeks last season the this WR duo might struggle mightily this football wagering season as their talent level seems to be rapidly deteriorating.

The jury is still out on this signing and the only thing it guarantees the Bengals is that they’ll lead the NFL in reality show drama.