Political Betting

Since the advent of modern betting technology, punters have been looking for ways to wager on what they know and make some cash off of it. From predicting when the first goal will be scored in an English Premier League match to guessing the total goals scored in an NHL game, just about every facet of sport and how it can be gambled upon has been exploited. So why not delve into the world of politics?

Political betting has been around in some incarnation for many years now, with markets on just about anything and everything that pertains to the outcome of an election.

For example, last year’s Victorian state election in Australia was gigantic on a gambling scale, with betting on who would win every seat in Melbourne.

This was unprecedented in the world of online gambling and the betting options on politics will only increase.

However, the sheer volume of political bets, as well as the plethora of different and outright wacky markets can be confusing. Let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with.

Next elections to place bets on

Around election time, many of us like to give off the impression we are learned in the ways of political policies and strategies, but results can often surprise even the most astute political follower.

In Australia, when former prime minister Julia Gillard was defeated by Tony Abbott in 2013, the writing was on the wall and short odds were offered for Abbott to become the new PM.

However, to the people who do put the time and effort into dissecting the political landscape and following the potential outcomes and swings in the seats of the states and nations, there is money to be made, just like there is when people take notice of trends and oppositional match-ups in a sporting event.

Bookmakers are offering odds on which parties will win the next Canadian and US elections, along with who will become the 58th President of the United States of America.

The Conservatives generally hold sway in the Canadian markets, while the Democratic Party is strongly fancied south of the border.

In the market for President a couple of familiar names are prominent at the top in Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. While at the other end of betting you will find the likes of Michelle Obama and Donald Trump, with the odd movie star and pop star thrown in for good measure.

These are just some of the political options to gamble on, so if you think you know your way around the parliamentary landscape, there are plenty of opportunities to exploit the system and make your fortune.

Other parliamentary outcomes to gamble on

If you are an avid political follower (and really, aren’t we all?) you will find it hard to go past the worldwide markets on presidencies and prime ministerial positions from right around the globe.

Some of the markets have more depth than others.
For example, the Japanese election may have just a simple head-to-head market on who will be the successful candidate in their elections.
In the American elections, the market goes into great depth, ranging from what each party will do in the way of their presidential nominations, right through to the gender of the winning presidential bid.

The online gambling agencies like to have a little fun with the most unlikely candidates, but for people who want to take the process a little more seriously; there are a lot of familiar names on whom you can place your money.

Where to bet on election results

Another part of the online political gambling word is the policies and agendas you can place your money on. Huge points of contention, such as the same-sex marriage debate, have raged on for decades, and betting agencies offer markets as to whether or not certain bills will pass.

There are markets on such things as when budgets will reach surplus again or, for example, when the next female prime minister of Australia will be sworn in and who it will be.

Whether you are interested in having a punt on the politics when the election rolls around, or you have a hot tip for who you think may be the next president of New Zealand, there are plenty of different places where you can put your hard-earned on the table and make some big bucks.

Just remember to use your slush fund wisely, as many of our political leaders have not done in the past.

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