Political betting used to be relegated to a few annual prop wagers. But this betting genre has exploded over the past several years, with numerous online sportsbooks now offering political wagering.
If you're new to the subject, keep reading as we cover betting on US politics and British politics along with how you can choose the best sportsbooks for these purposes.
US President Betting - Wager Any Time During a 4-Year Election Cycle
The nice thing about political betting is that there are a large variety of wagers you can make. But none are more popular than betting on who will become the President of the United States.
Some bettors think that these wagers are only available in the election year, which happens once every four years. But the truth is that you can bet on the US presidency race at any point during a four-year election cycle. This allows you to take advantage of different lines as a race moves throughout its different stages.
Internet sportsbooks begin listing candidates with their odds in the first year of the election cycle. You'll initially see a lot of different candidates because many powerful people will be interested in running. But once you get into the fourth year of the cycle, these names will be narrowed down to the leading GOP and Democratic Party candidates.
The biggest US Presidential wager is based on who wins the election. However, you'll also find plenty of surrounding prop bets. These include who'll win the Democratic Party and Republican Party nominations, which party will win the White House, and how individual states will vote.
Other US Political Bets
Those who are really into political betting will find that they can bet on other major US races too, such as who'll be the next governor of California or the mayor of New York.
Another bet that you can make involves wagering on which party will control the House of Representatives and Senate. Sportsbooks also commonly offer wagers on who will be the Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader.
One more common type of bet that you can make involves the President's approval rating. Sportsbooks attach odds to approval percentages that you can bet on.
British Political Betting & International Races
Like the US, Britain also has many high-profile political races. And this is why you'll see a lot of online sportsbooks offering bets on British politics.
Some of the available British wagers include who will become the next Prime Minister, Conservative Leader, Labour Party Leader, and mayor of London.
The larger sportsbooks also offer odds on international politics. These are typically relegated to major races, such as the Prime Minister of Australia or President of France. But the point is that you can enjoy political betting around the world.
How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Political Betting
The nice thing about today's online betting world is that you'll find many different sportsbooks with political wagering action. But the truth is that some sportsbooks are better than others in this regard.
Questions that you need to ask yourself when picking an internet sportsbook for political betting include the following:
- What kind of variety is the sportsbook offering on political wagering?
- Who offers the most-favorable odds?
- Do the odds frequently shift and make it hard to get a good price?
- What kind of bonuses and promotions can you expect at the sportsbook?
- Does a sportsbook have a good reputation?
10-15 minutes of online research will help you clear up some or all of these questions. It's especially important to pick a site that offers a wide range of political bets if this is what you're into.
Final Thoughts on Political Betting
The rise of political wagering is definitely a good thing for bettors. The reason why is because this is creates competition and better pricing on the odds. This means that you have a better chance now than ever to enjoy political wagering with good prices. Placing political bets will also make the races much more exciting for you.
