I’m sure most guys will agree that it’s never a bad time to talk about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. We’re about a year away from the next edition of the Swimsuit Issue, the 48th edition according to our friends at Swimsuitologist, but that doesn’t mean guys aren’t already talking about it. We may not actually know who will be in the next Swimsuit Issue but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate about who will be on the cover. So who are we tipping to be on the cover of the 2012 edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue? Find out after the jump.

75-1 Irina Shayk
Repeat? Not too likely. Only five cover models have made back-to-back covers and only three of those consecutive covers have been solo. Tyra Banks and Carolyn Murphy are the two most recent models to go back-to-back but both shared one of their covers. Christie Brinkley (1979 – 1981), Paulina Porizkova (1984 & 1985) and Elle Macpherson (1986 – 1988) have gone back-to-back but it’s safe to say that they’re all legends. I’m not sure that anyone is ready to put Shayk in the same company.

40-1 Anne V
My choice for the 2011 cover didn’t quite pan out. I still think that Anne V would have been the perfect cover girl in 2011 but I’m not sure that she’ll even be in the 2012 issue. She’s made seven appearances and was a rookie back in 2005. If memory serves, Anne’s six consecutive appearances heading into the 2011 issue was a record for the Swimsuit issue. You have to wonder at what point she or SI decide to move on and let someone else have the spotlight.

30-1 Genevieve Morton
I thought Genevieve would have an outside chance at the 2011 cover thanks to her FHM cover that came out in January. However, the competition for the 2011 cover limited the chances of underdogs  to make the cover. And that’s a shame because I think Genevieve had one of the best shoots of the 2011 issue. I don’t think that we really have as strong a set of early favourites for the 2012 cover as we did in 2011 but I think that Genevieve is in better shape for the 2013 cover than in 2012. If her 2012 shoot is as good as 2011, I’ll call her the favourite for 2013 right now.

15-1 Julie Henderson
Well, I liked Anne V to make the cover in her seventh Swimsuit Issue so I see no reason why Julie Henderson can’t still get consideration for the cover in her sixth appearance. Really, I think her spot on the list and odds are interchangeable with anyone ahead of her on the list. After all, you don’t make five appearances in the Swimsuit Issue without being popular. And it’s not like age is against her. Despite making three more appearances in the Swimsuit Issue, Henderson is actually three months younger than Chrissy Teigen.

10-1 Chrissy Teigen
When you’re a favourite of the SI-associated Dan Patrick Show, you’re going to get some consideration for the cover. And like 2011 cover model Irina Shayk, Teigen is one half of a high-profile romance. Her boyfriend is singer John Legend which gives her a higher profile than most of the other SI girls. She’s also friends with 2010 cover girl Brooklyn Decker. The two did a video for SI.com a couple weeks ago and apparently did a uStream thing last week. Appearances together can’t hurt Chrissy’s chances.

7-1 Kate Upton
I’m not exactly a Swimsuit Issue historian but I’m fairly certain there have been sophomore models that have made the cover. There’s really no debate that Upton is the 2011 rookie of the year and has made the most noise of all the swimsuit models. I’m fairly certain that the only model with a higher profile than her right now is Irina Shayk. She was also in an inset on the cover this year. Brooklyn Decker got a cover inset the year before she got her cover. That’s good news for Kate.

5-1 Cintia Dicker
The timing is right for Cintia. It seems as though most swimsuit cover girls get their cover in their fourth or fifth appearance in the issue. 2012 will be her 4th appearance in the Swimsuit Issue. However, when 2012 rolls around, it will have been 34 years since the last Brazilian cover model (Maria Joao in 1978). Another fun fact is that, according to CNBC, only one cover model was a redhead. History might not necessarily be on her side but I think Cintia is poised to be on the cover in 2012.

UPDATE: The final odds list is up and someone new is on top.

Obligatory Legal-ish Disclaimer: This post is for entertainment purposes only. If you gamble your money based on the ramblings of a man who’s never bet a dime in his life, it’s your own damn fault. Hell, no ones know who will be in the issue yet.