Placing Bets on an Election
I was sitting having dinner with a few of my favorite friends, and chatting about things that are important, music, tequila, good bars… But come an election time distracting things come into focus. Things like the elections, debates, and politics are certainly a distraction, and perhaps it is a good thing. I love being around my friends come election time.
As I got home from dinner I thought to myself, “I wonder what the odds are for John McCain to show up tomorrow night for the debates.” Then I thought of other things that people could bet on.
First, I thought, I would take a look at what sports bookies thought on the subject of elections. Because I think bookie stats. although not so “scientific”, are probably more accurate to reality than what the polls show these days. Who know what the polls really mean? Bookies, well they have a business to run. Truth in free enterprise and all that. So let’s see what the bookies are saying.
The odds of who will win the election? Here are some stats I Googled from some online sports types:
Sportsbook.com
Barack Obama: -150
John McCain: +110
BodogLife
Barack Obama: -140
John McCain: EVEN
BetUS
Barack Obama: -130
John McCain: -110
SportsBetting.com
Barack Obama: -150
John McCain: +110
SBG Global
Barack Obama: -140
John McCain: EVEN
PaddyPower.com
Barack Obama: 2 to 5
John McCain: 7 to 4
The offshore odds are “reported” to favor Barack Obama 7:5 while John McCain is even money.
I’m am not a betting woman so I’m not sure what the top numbers mean in betting terms. (Someone help me out here.) I think these numbers favor Obama. The sports guys seem to think a little different than the polls.
Here are some of the more tasteful things I thought people could bet on:
1. What are the odds that one of the presidential candidates doesn’t show up to a debate on a year I actually am interested in watching a debate?
2. What are the odds that it will take an economic meltdown to finally piss off the American people enough to get off their asses and vote (or less tasteful, start burning cars in the street after an election)?
3. What are the odds that Palin was the perfect person for the Republicans to pick for a win?
4. What are the odds that this year will be the one that the government will lock bank doors to keep people from taking out their savings?
I’ll be home to attempt to watch the debates tonight… I guess I’m betting, or perhaps hoping that McCain will show. Should be an interesting world afterwards either way. We shall see…
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On the economic side it appears that people are sending e-mails and calling their law makers almost overwhelmingly against the bail out:
Lawmakers deluged with email against bailout; Dingell urges caution
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Happy debating — DV
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