Internet betting sites suggest that U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, will be confirmed as the next justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dublin-based Tradesports.com, on Wednesday, put the odds that Gonzales will replace O'Connor at 9 to 1, while Emilio Garza, a U.S. Appeals Court judge, was the favorite at 4 to 1.

Tradesports.com accurately predicted a George Bush re-election last year, but foresaw only a 20 percent probability that O'Connor would resign from the court, compared with a 63 percent probability that the next resignee would be ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Knesevitch said.

Newsfutures.com, a site that lets traders speculate without wagering money, was quoting a 33 percent probability that Gonzales will be confirmed to the court this year; if not to replace O'Connor, then perhaps to replace Rehnquist.

The probability was around 50 percent a week ago.

"The trend is definitely down in anticipation of a long fight that may not be settled by the end of the year," said NewsFutures Chief Executive Emile Servan-Schreiber.

On sites that let gamblers bet against the house, Gonzales remains the favorite.