LAS VEGAS -- Like the rest of the sporting world, most Las Vegas sports bookmakers are awaiting word on Michael Jordan's possible return to the basketball court. On Monday, Chuck Esposito said he couldn't wait anymore.

Esposito, who controls the race and sports book operations for five Las Vegas hotels, gave the Washington Wizards 25-1 odds of winning the NBA title next season. That is assuming, of course, that Jordan will be on the court as a player with the Wizards.

	“	We have no specific information as to if he's coming back or not, but it went too long without him commenting either way, so we thought we'd put the line up and see if it's appealing. ”
		— Chuck Esposito, who controls the betting lines at five Las Vegas casinos

It is the first time since Jordan's rumored return that Park Place Entertainment -- which owns Bally's, Caesars Palace, The Flamingo, Las Vegas Hilton and Paris and their respective sports books -- has posted odds on the Wizards. Other sports bookmakers posted the Wizards earlier, but gave the team very favorable odds of winning, reducing the chance of longshot odds on a Jordan-less team if Jordan ultimately played.

"We have no specific information as to if he's coming back or not, but it went too long without him commenting either way, so we thought we'd put the line up and see if it's appealing," said Esposito, the assistant vice president of race and sports book operations for Caesars. "If we don't get any play we're of course subject to raise it."

Sports book directors at the MGM Mirage chain, which includes the Bellagio, and the Coast chain, which in turn includes the Barbary Coast, give the Wizards a better chance to win the NBA title. Coast books has the Wizards at 15-1, while the MGM Mirage has the team at 12-1.

None are offering odds specific to Jordan's possible return.

But even those who maintain the line say their odds are too generous. "Twelve-to-1 would be a joke even if Jordan did come back," said Darren Hinsley, supervisor of the race and sports at Bellagio. Thanks to the tough odds, Bellagio's line has not changed since it was posted in mid-June. The Clippers went from 120-1 to 40-1 after the NBA draft in June. All sportsbooks had the Lakers as favorites to three-peat.

	“	The Lakers are the team to beat, I don't care if he comes back or not. ”
		— Bert Osborne, director of race and sports book for Coast hotels, referring to Michael Jordan

"The Lakers are the team to beat, I don't care if he comes back or not," said Bert Osborne, director of race and sports book for the Coast hotels. Had he thought Jordan would not return to the court, Osborne said the Wizards' 15-1 odds would be more like the 125-1 odds of the Atlanta Hawks to win it all.

The sports book casino at the Aladdin hotel was one of the few remaining hotels that didn't have a line on the Wizards by Monday.

"For the most part, I think people are waiting for what Michael is going to do," said Jason Desrosiers, Aladdin's race and sports book supervisor. Desrosiers said odds on Washington will go up as soon as Jordan makes his intentions clear.

But thanks to continued speculation about Michael's possible return, action on the Wizards might increase.

"There are plenty of Jordan fans out there that are going to put money down on the Wizards," said Dave Petersen, a 36-year-old accountant from Orange County, Calif., who spent this past weekend in Vegas. "But there's no way in hell they're going to win."

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at darren.rovell@espn.com.