Political Betting Odds

• Political Betting Odds Online
• Political Betting Odds 2016
• Political Betting Odds Vegas
• Political Betting Odds 2020

US politics betting for all American markets. Get 2020 Election odds, including Democrat and Republican candidates, plus midterm specials and much more.

2020 Presidential Election Update (11/4): Currently, it looks like Joe Biden is in the driver’s seat to win the 2020 Presidential election, and he was the betting favorite to do so. You can still bet on Biden vs. Trump at the top political betting sites, and there are also odds available for several contested swing states. However, even after all the votes are in, you’ll still likely find a lot of betting lines for props having to do with election recounts, legal challenges, and more. This promises to be the most contested election in history.

1. The latest 2024 presidential election odds show Vice President Kamala Harris as the front-runner over President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump at most European sportsbooks. For instance, Harris is +350 to win in 2024 at Bet365, with Biden at +400 and Trump at +600.
2. RealClearPolitics - Betting Odds - 2020 U.S.

Political betting odds are not solely available just for the major elections. Whenever any US politician for either the Republicans or Democrats (or any third party) runs for office, delivers a speech, participates in a debate, or attempts to pass a bill or mandate, oddsmakers waste no time posting a variety of betting odds surrounding these events. Odds also emerge for political outcomes such as government shutdowns and scandals and the like.

Betting on these kinds of events is growing tremendously in popularity, providing great opportunities for those who follow politics and want to have (even more) skin in the game. And while Presidential election cycles and midterms generally garner the most betting action, more and more online sportsbooks are starting to offer year-round odds, even in political “off-seasons.”

With things reaching a fever pitch as they did in anticipation of the 2020 Presidential election, the contentious primary season and various global issues permeating the mainstream media were perfect fodder for sportsbooks to ramp up their offerings. Below, you’ll find our recommended election betting sites, legal information on the political betting market, and a guide on how to wager on politics in the United States.

**Coronavirus Update: The Coronvirus pandemic most certainly affected the 2020 Presidential election in several different ways, including the political betting landscape. The odds fluctuated in response to how each candidate positionined themselves in regards to the situation, with President Trump’s odds for re-election changing dramatically.

There were also new betting odds surfacing relevant to COVID-19 and its reach into politics, which you can review with our page dedicated to covering the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic on the 2020 Presidential election.

The Best Online Political Betting Sites

Sportsbook	Bonus	Rating	USA	Visit Site	Review
50% Max $250	Visit Site	Review
50% Max $1,000	Visit Site	Review
100% Max $1,000	Visit Site	Review
100% Max $300	Visit Site	Review

Political Betting Guide Menu

How Do I Bet On The Presidential Election?

For online betting markets, 2020 election numbers are shaping up to be record-breaking, as it’s the most anticipated and crucial US election of all time. You can bet on 2020 election action at legal offshore sportsbooks, all of which have odds and lines on every aspect of the race, from election winners and political props to state odds, debate props, and more.

For those interested in learning how to bet on 2020 Presidential election odds and future elections, our brief guide explains the entire process quickly and succinctly – unlike the bloviating politicians you’re used to. Best of all, when you’re done, you’ll understand every betting line on Presidential elections and other aspects of political gambling, and you’ll be able to boost your bankroll before the next candidate takes office and raises your taxes.

Is Election Betting Legal In The US?

Yes, it is, depending on where you place your bets. When it comes to how to bet on election results for the presidency, it’s actually very simple. The only real hurdle is that no US-based betting outlet – whether land-based or online – actually offers political odds of any kind. In fact, in most US states, it is expressly illegal for local sportsbooks to host political betting odds.

Thus, for those looking for election betting odds or lines for any other political race, legal online sportsbooks operating outside of the United States are a necessity.

Legal offshore sportsbooks offer Presidential betting odds and other election actions legally and safely because the federal government does not bar individuals from gambling with overseas operators. Only two US states place restrictions on internet betting, Connecticut, and Washington, though these restrictions remain unenforced as of this writing. The political betting sites we recommend have legitimate licenses, are regulated in their own home countries, and they accept US residents aged 18 and up.

How To Bet On Presidential Election Outcomes

Before you learn how to place a political bet on the 2020 Presidential election or any other political outcome, you will have to make sure you understand a few things.

First and foremost, you must sign up at a legitimate, trusted election betting site like those in the table above. After that, betting odds on election results will be available to you at the sportsbook of your choice. Still, before placing a wager, you need to make sure you know how to read the betting odds.

Finally, you should have a solid strategy in mind before you simply start betting all slick willy-nilly. For further information about the sportsbooks listed above visit our online sportsbook reviews page where we discuss each site in detail outlining the best and worst features of each USA accepted sportsbook.

As with elections, the point of betting is to win, and these are the ground rules for your ground game on the campaign trail. Follow our instructions and advice, and you’ll be polling at the top – and pulling in top dollar – in no time flat!

Signing Up At An Election Betting Site

Before you can place a bet on Presidential election outcomes, you will have to sign up at a sportsbook that offers election odds. This is easy enough, and the process takes just a few minutes:

1. Visit any top online sportsbook listed above through the link provided.
2. Once at your chosen site, find the “Join” or “Sign Up” button, usually in the top right of the screen. Click or tap this.
3. Now, you will be asked to type in your credentials, including your name, email address, phone number, an account nickname, and the desired password. Please use real, verifiable information, as you will not be able to collect any payouts otherwise.
4. After this, the next screen will ask you to select a deposit method. Most international election gambling operators accept a wide variety of payment options (Visa, Mastercard, bank wire, money order, etc.), but we recommend Bitcoin or another supported cryptocurrency, as these come with the best bonuses and are the only ways to claim same-day payouts.
5. Select an optional deposit-match bonus to boost your bankroll.
6. Place your bets and wait for election day!

That’s all there is to it. However, please be aware that only crypto, credit cards, and debit cards will process instantly. If you wish to use any other deposit method, you must be prepared to wait between 2-5 days before your account will be credited with funds.

Also, you do not have to make a deposit when signing up (you can skip Step 4 above), but you won’t be able to bet on US elections until you do.

How To Read Presidential Betting Odds

All Presidential election odds for 2020 (and every other race) are predicated on the American moneyline. The moneyline can be viewed as a wager’s “price tag,” and it allows you to see the exact risk-to-reward ratio for any wager on the books.

A negative moneyline indicates the favorite (or, in a list of futures, the lowest positive moneyline indicates the favorite). For pricing purposes, the negative number shows how much money you must wager in order to win $100.

The positive moneyline typically shows the underdog (or underdogs, in a futures bet), and the number indicates how much money you stand to win on a $100 bet.

Note: While the moneyline is based on $100, this does not represent a betting minimum. All the top US election betting sites accept wagers of as little as $0.50 to $1.00. Remember, the moneyline is a ratio to show you how much you stand to win on a given wager, and nothing more.

• Example 1: US Presidential Election Winner
  • Joe Biden -150
  • Donald Trump +150
  • Kanye West +10000

The above shows that Joe Biden has the best odds to win the White House. At -150, you’d have to wager $150 in order to win $100. Meanwhile, the Trump odds (+150) show that you will win $150 with a $100 wager should the incumbent be reelected.

There may be many more candidates beneath the main-party nominees, like Kanye West. Here, West is a +10000 dog, which means that a $100 wager would pay out a whopping 10 grand if West wins the election.

• Example 2: Which candidate will win the Pennsylvania electoral vote?
  • Democrat -220
  • Republican +240

In this betting line, the Democrats are heavy favorites to win PA, and you’d have to pony up $220 to win $100. On the other hand, the GOP is a big underdog, and the payout is $240 for a $100 wager. Underdogs always payout better than favorites.

• Example 3: How many times will “Russia” be mentioned by candidates in the first Presidential debate?
  • Over 9.5 Times -110
  • Under 9.5 Times -110

Here, you’re betting on the total number of times that all candidates will say the word “Russia” on the debate stage. If the word is uttered 10 times or more, the over bet wins, while if it’s said fewer than 10 times, the under bet wins.

The payouts are the same for both outcomes, showing that you must risk $110 to win $100. The difference is kept by the sportsbook as “juice” or “vig” (aka “vigorish”). This is how sportsbooks make most of their money.

There are many more kinds of wagers you’ll come across when browsing the betting odds on 2020 election results (see below), and the above hypotheticals simply illustrate how the moneyline works.

US Election Bet Types

When you come across any 2020 Presidential election betting odds online (or any odds for upcoming elections in general), you will likely find a number of different wager types available. Most of these should be familiar to you if you’ve ever bet on sports, but for those new to Presidential election betting markets, the following wager types are going to be the most popular and prominent. All of them fall within the larger categories of futures and proposition bets.

Political Futures Bets

Political futures are the most common kinds of odds you’ll see when you bet on Presidential election action, as these concern the outcomes of the races themselves. They’re called futures odds because they are wagers on events that will happen in the future, and you can put money on these lines several weeks, months, or even a year or more out from the elections themselves.

From candidate odds to win primaries and generals to VP selection odds and more, futures are where the big money is in political betting. These are very volatile, as well, as the events of any given day can crater a candidate’s odds or send them sky high like Air Force One.

Political Prop Bets

Political prop bets, or election props, are wagers that deal with ancillary or tangential issues not related to actual election outcomes. Props run the gamut, with popular 2020 election betting odds featuring things like Trump tweets, geopolitical issues (i.e. “Which country will declare war on the US first?”), and so on.

Often, you’ll see fun Presidential props during the Super Bowl and other big sporting events. During the Trump presidency, a popular prop was whether or not a championship-winning team would accept an invitation to the White House.

Debate Prop Bets

While these are also political props, they tend to get a special section all their own at the best online election betting sites. Debate props are related to statements, statistics, and other minutiae that occur during primary debates and Presidential debates.

Will a given candidate wear a tie? How many times will the participants say a certain buzzword? Which candidate will get the most talking time? You can bet on these things and many more in most political debates.

State Election Odds

State odds in political betting are technically futures, but they are related to state wins for a given candidate in a national election. Usually, you’ll get betting lines on which candidate a state will be award to via the electoral college as well as which candidate will win the popular vote (and by what margin). State odds are often available for primaries, but they’re always available for the November generals.

Candidate Head-To-Head Matchups

H2H matchups for candidates are prop bets that pit two candidates against one another among a wider field. They can also be betting lines related to the presumptive nominees when the races are narrowed down to two finalists. In 2020, Biden vs. Trump betting odds were the most popular head-to-head lines on the Internet.

Miscellaneous: Betting Lines for Election or Political Specials

All other political wagers fall under this category, which online sportsbooks often call “specials.” Election specials or political specials are not a hard and fast category, and different sportsbooks will have different kinds of wagers on the specials boards. Usually, this is where you’ll find the wackiest and off-the-wall odds in the election betting market.

Political Betting Odds Online

US Presidential Election Betting Strategies

When you wager on anything – whether sports, entertainment, or elections – the strategy you employ is critical. However, to bet on US Presidential election odds, your strategy will need to be far more nuanced, as there are infinitely more variables in play.

The following 2020 election betting tips and tricks can be applied to any election, but in these uncertain and unprecedented times, they are all the more important.

Check The Polls

Polling is notoriously untrustworthy, but it’s still valuable when assessing whether or not a candidate is likely to win. However, polls are often oversampled or undersampled, and they can be used in this way to drive a narrative rather than showing you a true reflection of the electorate’s opinions. Make sure you look into each poll’s methodologies and sampling data and always take the results with a big grain of salt.

Keep Up With Current Events

Obviously, if you’re going to put money on 2020 election betting odds – or any other political lines – you’ll need to follow the news. That’s a bummer, we know, but if you want to maximize your chances to win, you’ll have to bite the bullet.

Isolated events that happen in the US can often reverberate nationwide and cause election upheaval, as was the case with the 2020 George Floyd killing and summary protests and riots that spread like wildfire throughout the country. The coronavirus also had a tremendous impact on the election odds boards.

Pay Attention To Comments

Many news sites don’t allow comments, but on those that do, you should always read them. Outside of social media, there is perhaps no better way to gauge the opinions of the electorate than reading comment sections online.

In the 2016 Presidential election, one of the biggest signs of strength for Donald Trump was his overwhelming support in the comment sections of many prominent news outlets on both sides of the aisle.

Browse Social Media Trends

Social media is a mire, but for politicians, it’s heaven. In the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections, Barack Obama won in large part due to his embracing of Facebook to get his platform’s message out. Trump trumped that in 2016 when he singlehandedly turned Twitter into a free platform for his own messaging, using the service to stunning effect. Be sure to analyze the volumes of responses to politicians’ comments and posts to get an idea of the support surrounding any candidate or hot-button issue.

Research Historical Odds

When it comes to betting odds, 2020 election action – as aberrant and unprecedented as it is – should still be measured against similar movements and periods of history that came before. Incumbents are notoriously difficult to defeat, as only five US Presidents in the last 100 years have been voted out of office in their reelection campaigns.

Analyze US House And Senate Makeups

One of the primary indicators for which party wins a Presidential election is actually the balance of power on Congress. Using these metrics, several political scientists correctly predicted the outcome of the 2016 Presidential race.

There is very rarely a Presidential election where the winning executive party completes a government trifecta. That is, whichever party controls the House and/or Senate by the widest margin often has inverse luck in executive races. Political elections are measurably cyclical with a high degree of statistical certainty.

Understand The Electoral College

The electoral college might seem like an antiquated construct, but it exists to keep individual big cities – or small cabals thereof – from dictating national elections. With a pure popular vote, the biggest cities would foist their politics on the rest of the country. Thus, the Founders established the electoral college.

In 2016, Trump won the electoral college handily while losing the popular vote by millions of ballots. Every election is largely decided by a dozen or so “swing states” or “purple” states. You should focus your research on these, do the math, and cash in on your US election 2020 betting accordingly.

Bet With Your Head, Not Your Politics

When betting on the any Presidential election, it is more important than ever to bet with your head and not your political ideals. You are wagering money on whom/what you think will win, not whom/what you want to win.

Don’t Risk More Than You Can Afford To Lose

It might be tempting to go all-in, but there are no sure things in political betting. Bankroll management is crucial for any successful bettor, so never risk more than you can afford to lose. This is the biggest and most important rule in all of betting, period.

Mobile Betting On Politics

It’s 2020, and that doesn’t just mean there’s a huge election outcome on the horizon – It also means that people are firmly entrenched in the mobile revolution. As a result, all the top election oddsmakers offer their lines in mobile-friendly formats through web apps.

While there aren’t traditional iPhone apps or Android apps for these sites on the App Store or in Google Play, outlets like Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie all have a smartphone- and tablet-optimized mobile portals, allowing you to quickly wager on politics, no matter where you are. Mobile betting also has the benefit of not being geofenced, so you can bet from anywhere in the US!

Political Live Betting Options

Live betting is hugely popular in the sports betting marketplace, but there isn’t much call for it in the election realm. While you may find some “in-game” betting on election night in November as state-by-state results come pouring in over the airwaves, most books are unlikely to offer these. However, as more bettors turn to political wagering, that could change in the future, with sportsbooks developing algorithms to adjust betting odds on the fly.

Shopping Lines At Online Sportsbooks

Shopping lines is an important strategy for all bettors, whether you’re new to the pastime or an old veteran. Most pros and regular gamblers agree that line shopping – or looking at odds for similar bets across multiple sites – is the best, the easiest edge you can get when betting on politics.

If one book has the incumbent at -145 odds to win while another has him or her at -115 odds, you’d be silly to take the former and leave all that money on the table. By joining multiple trusted betting sites, you can easily and quickly shop lines to maximize your potential winnings.

What Can I Wager On At Political Betting Sites

At all the top election betting outlets, you will find a mix of the following political lines and odds. Of course, many of these won’t be available all the time, as their inclusion depends on the types of elections on hand and the political calendar and news cycle in question.

• Primary Elections
• General Elections
• Ballot Measures

Political And Election Betting FAQs

When is the best time to bet on politics?

You can wager on politics pretty much all year long, but the best time to place your bets depends on what type of bet you’re placing. If you’re interested in futures bets on the winner of the Presidential election, for example, you’ll want to get those picks in early, because the odds are going to be better for the candidate of your choice the further out from the election they are. Generally speaking, the earlier you bet, the more you stand to make. Once candidates get narrowed down, odds shrink, and payouts are less robust. For things like debates, of course, you’ll only be able to wager in the last day or two before the event, so that’s the time to pull the lever.

How does betting on politics differ from sports betting?

The biggest difference between sports betting and political betting is that the majority of political odds (excluding election futures) are available for only a couple days before a given event or deadline. This means that a flood of action can heavily influence the price of a line at any moment, shifting it enormously. Odds on sports level out after the opening line, but political lines can swing at any moment, and swing big! Otherwise, structurally, these types of markets mirror each other fairly closely.

When do odds on politics become available?

Political odds can be found all year long, but the kinds of odds you’ll come across change depending on the proximity of debates, elections, news conferences, trials, and the like. Odds for a particular event will usually be posted just a day or two out from that event, with the exception of elections futures. For example, Super Tuesday betting odds are only posted once the field of candidates is more or less finalized and the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries have established a pecking order.

Why can’t I bet on politics at local domestic sportsbooks?

Local domestic books don’t offer political betting, and most of them don’t even offer standard entertainment betting on things like reality shows, awards shows, and similar fare. There isn’t really any law stopping them from posting these lines, but Vegas tradition – and a desire on behalf of domestic books to stay in politicians’ good graces – typically means that you’re only going to find legal election odds at international betting sites.

Is it safe to bet on politics and elections?

If you do so at one of our recommended operators, absolutely! All the top betting sites in the international market use cutting-edge encryption standards (SSL, TLS), have strict policies against selling or sharing user data with third parties, accept Bitcoin, and other blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, and employ end-to-end encryption. That said, in order to maximize your safety, you’ll want to keep your computer or smartphone/tablet up to date with all security patches and major releases.

Is political betting ethical?

This is strictly personal, but we believe it is. Politics themselves are unequivocally unethical, but putting a little bit of extra cash in your pocket betting on circus clowns isn’t hurting anyone. Heck, with taxes being what they are, you might even be doing you and yours a definite service! Of course, if you suffer with gambling addiction or wager more than you can afford to lose, politics or not, you need to reassess your priorities and seek the necessary help. Remember: If you’re not a professional, betting on politics is strictly for entertainment.

Do political betting odds affect elections?

Not directly. That said, there is no question that politicians’ campaigns pay attention to betting lines as much as they listen to polls, as odds boards are reflective of Americans putting their money where their mouths are and making picks they believe in. Some might even argue that betting lines are more apt and informational than most polls, but the jury’s still out on that.

Do political odds reflect polling numbers?

Most of the time, yes, because polling affects bettors’ picks (and possibly vice versa). But interestingly, you’ll find that betting lines and political polls sometimes don’t resemble one another to the same degree. For example, in 2016, most polls had Hillary Clinton easily defeating Donald Trump. But at betting sites, odds were much closer to even, indicating that bettors exhibit some degree of independence from the national narrative.

Are political odds a reliable way to predict election winners?

Again, yes and no. It really just depends. As gambling enthusiasts, we tend to believe that odds are at least as effective as polls at predicting election outcomes, but there are simply so many variables that it’s impossible to quantify exactly how valuable they are. As with the above example, in 2016, bettors had the race closer than pollsters did, but they still favored Clinton to win. Of course, she ended up losing bigly.

What are the election betting limits at political betting sites?

Because elections and politics are such fickle institutions that hang on the day-to-day shifts in public perception and mainstream trends, sportsbooks do not have the empirical data to draw from that they do for other more traditional sports like football or basketball. As a result – and because election odds can shift on a dime – these books install relatively low betting limits for political wagers. Usually, you’ll find election betting limits of between $500 and $1000, though these may increase in the future as the market grows in maturity.

Additional Political Betting Resources

Wait, you can bet on politics?

Yes, you can! In fact, since 2016, political betting has been one of the fastest-growing categories of the online betting industry and political betting odds are popping up all over. For Americans or anyone living in the USA, offshore betting is the only lawful option, as it is illegal for brick and mortar sportsbooks to offer any sort of politics betting. In Europe, however, this form of wagering is a well-established staple of their legalized betting culture.

Regardless, top-notch online political betting sites are available to everyone, no matter where you live. What’s most important is finding one that’s vetted, safe to use, and can be relied upon to provide handicappers with the best odds and markets consistently.

Top Sites for Betting on Politics

• Bovada – One of the most widely recognized names in online wagers, they frequently offer the best political betting odds.
• MyBookie – This site posts a broad range of creative political lines, including a selection of fun Donald Trump prop bets.
• BetOnline – As a long-time industry leader in online bookmaking, it has lots of great political betting markets.
• Betway – This is a UK-based bookmaker that holds licenses throughout Europe and offers a large selection of US and European political betting opportunities.

Our mission is to introduce new players to the world’s top political betting websites; however, the qualities that make an option the “best” for one player may not be the same for another. It’s all relatively subjective once you get past the fundamental attributes like safety, legitimacy, and ease of use. You can find out more about this further down on the page but first, lets jump into to different political betting options on the market.

Political Betting Around the World

Everything from the online sportsbooks available in your region, to the political betting events in which you’re likely interested, will probably depend on your location or country of origin. In the United States, it’s illegal for licensed providers—brick and mortar and web-based bookmakers alike—to take odds on politics. This law was put into place to prevent the American electoral system from corruption.

However, it’s perfectly legal for US citizens to utilize offshore betting sites; they just won’t benefit from any government regulations, which makes finding trustworthy operators particularly crucial for Americans. The best political bookmakers accepting Americans will often cover foreign elections as well, but not as thoroughly as what’s going on in the United States.

In Europe, political betting is commonplace and easily accessible, both at land-based establishments and on the internet. For a player in the UK, using a licensed gaming website is a requirement, which gives the player increased protections and less reason to fret about the legitimacy of a site operator. Fortunately, European oddsmakers do a superb job at covering US political events in addition to their local lines.

Betting US Politics

No matter the country in which you live, United States political betting markets are the most popular on the internet. All of the top political betting sites offer a plenty of lines and odds, dealing with the US presidential elections, party primaries, congressional races, and a wealth of wagers relating specifically to President Donald Trump.

Political betting’s rapid growth is largely attributed to the 2016 election, in which Trump scored a shocking upset win over Hillary Clinton. Before that race, wagering on politics didn’t offer much value, because the polls were relatively accurate, and so the lines and odds shifted in response to the latest polling data.

2016 changed everything because it proved that:

1. The pollsters and media were no longer reliable sources
2. That major upsets were possible, which means there’s positive value out there for handicappers.

Today, you can bet on each individual state’s primary or caucus on the road to the two parties’ national conventions, the eventual nominees, how many times Donald Trump will tweet in a given day, whether he will be removed from office, and so much more!

Betting UK Politics

As we previously mentioned, betting on politics has been a normal fixture of UK odds boards for years. Similar to Trump’s victory in 2016, handicappers in England were treated to a massive upset of their own with the passing of “Brexit.” The substantial payouts and surprising result had the same impact across the pond, creating newfound interest in betting on politics.

Online sportsbooks in the UK treat residents to all sorts of creative lines, covering everything from the London mayoral election, to the next leaders of each major party, to the next general election. Bookies include options to bet on either the next winning party or next Prime Minister in the generals.

Betting French Politics

Many online political betting sites cover French elections and events as well. France’s presidential election takes place every five years, with the next race taking place in 2022. The current president is Emmanuel Macron, whose main opponent in two years will be Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party. Many European oddsmakers are already taking action on the electoral contest.

It’s also worth noting that France uses a two-round presidential election system, providing multiple opportunities on which to wager on the same race.

The Basics of Political Betting

As you know, the category of “political betting” covers a broad range of unique wager types and events. The most common are futures bets for presidential elections.

Sportsbooks will post political betting odds for the incumbent and a variety of potential nominees for the opposing party and set lines for them all. You pick who you believe will become the next president, and the bet is resolved on election night. But that’s only a small percentage of what the best political betting sites offer – check out the different types of wagers below.

Types of Political Bets

Moneyline

A moneyline bet deals with two possible outcomes; for example, “Which party will win the 2020 presidential election? Republicans or Democrats?” Often, despite having two possible options, the likelihood of either of them happening isn’t an equal 50/50 split.

So, moneyline odds set specific payouts for both sides. The “favorite” or result more likely to happen is expressed as a negative number, like –150. That means you must bet $150 on that side to win $100. The underdog has positive moneyline odds, such as +125. For every $100 you stake, you’ll earn $125.

Futures

Most political bets fall into the “futures” category. These are merely wagers that will be decided on a specific date in the future. They’ll often include a field of participants from which the bettor may choose. The 2020 presidential election (example displayed below) is considered a futures bet, for which you can pick Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and several others.

Odds to Win the 2020 Presidential Election

Politician	Betting Odds
Joe Biden	-135
Donald Trump	+105
Mike Pence	+10000
Hillary Clinton	+10000
Michelle Obama	+10000
Elizabeth Warren	+15000
Nikki Haley	+25000
Mark Cuban	+50000
Kanye West	+50000

Props

The “proposition” label covers a wide variety of bets. Any odds dealing with political outcomes beyond the usual electoral contests are considered a prop. For example, some online sportsbooks allow you to wager on current events like, “Will Donald Trump complete his first term in office as President of the US?” All of the political betting odds and lines dealing with Trump’s tweets and foreign policy decisions fit under the “prop bet” title as well.

Totals (Over-Unders)

Totals bets are when the oddsmakers set a line, dealing with how many times a specific occurrence will take place.

Betting Presidential and General Elections

The most popular way to bet politics is by placing a few dollars on whichever candidate you predict will win an upcoming election. Since 2016, interest in the United States general election has skyrocketed around the globe.

If a long-shot reality TV host like Donald Trump could find his way into the White House, in the future, anything could happen! Expectations are that America’s 2020 presidential election will attract the most action globally of any political betting market in history.

The UK’s general elections to decide their Prime Minister is probably the second-most-significant event for wagering on politics. In 2019, Boris Johnson was the favorite when he defeated the Labour Party’s, Jeremy Corbin. Some of the more prominent European sportsbooks also cover elections in Ireland, France, and throughout the EU.

Party Primaries

While the general election in US politics is the “championship game,” the party primaries are akin to the regular season. Heading into 2020, Donald Trump is the incumbent on the Republican side, without a significant primary challenger. However, the Democrats have a very competitive race for the party’s nomination on their side of the aisle, with four or five viable candidates.

Not only can you wager on the eventual DNC nominee, but the best online political betting sites are also posting lines on each individual state. For example, the Iowa caucuses were the first statewide contest for pledged delegates. Pete Buttigieg ultimately won the most delegates and was thus awarded the victory as a slight underdog to Bernie Sanders.

The primaries offer the most valuable betting odds to handicappers due to the high variance in results and the volume of contests. They present 50 unique political wagering opportunities in the lead-up to the presidential elections. In years without an incumbent, that means 100 chances to bet on politics.

Congressional Elections

In the United States, the president serves a four-year term. Senators serve six-year terms, and members of the House of Representatives are given two-year terms, so there are significant electoral contests on which to wager every two years, minimum. Midterm elections are a crucial opportunity for political bettors, as they offer dozens of additional high-variance betting markets from which to profit.

Beyond the individual Senate and House races, the makeup of the two chambers of Congress will greatly influence other political odds. For example, if you had bet that Trump would be impeached and removed from office during his first term, you were closely following the 2018 midterms.

When enough House seats were flipped to Democrat to give them the majority, it was nearly guaranteed that the sitting president would eventually be impeached. However, they weren’t able to win a majority in the Senate, which is the chamber responsible for holding the impeachment trial and acting as jurors. As a result, Donald Trump was impeached but acquitted.

Betting on Current Events

Thankfully, the growth of betting on politics odds has encouraged online sportsbooks to post new lines in the periods between elections. Oddsmakers have been known to set political odds on almost anything.

Sometimes, you can bet on whether or not a specific piece of legislation will pass. In other cases, you may see lines and odds on the next Supreme Court Justice appointed or how the United States will respond to recent foreign policy situations.

What’s important is that the top political betting sites keep handicappers that like to wager on politics busy during downtime.

Donald Trump Prop Bets

Nobody is more singularly responsible for the explosion of betting on politics than Donald Trump. Hate him or love him, he’s been the focus of everyone’s attention since his historic 2016 campaign that culminated with a monumental upset over Hillary Clinton at roughly 4-1 odds.

Since the current president is continually the most talked about man in America, the top online sportsbooks usually post an entire slate of Donald Trump propositions. This is where you’ll see the over/unders on his Twitter activities, odds on whether he’ll meet with different world leaders like Russia’s Putin or China’s Xi, and betting lines about impeachment.

Criteria for the Best Political Betting Sites

At TheSportsGeek, our team of internet gaming experts is continually reviewing new political betting sites to ensure our lists are always stocked with the best names in the business. We can’t promise that every recommendation will fit your unique preferences, but we can guarantee that any online sportsbook on our pages is safe, offers a variety of politics betting markets, and accepts a range of banking options.

That way, even if you decide a different online sportsbook might be a better fit, it won’t be because you were scammed or treated unfairly. Our reviewers make sure to protect our readers from fraudulent operators, so you can focus on the specific website details or, better yet, winning your election bets. Learn more about how we review and rank these websites by clicking on any of the criteria below.

Variety of Wagering OpportunitiesUnlike sports betting, political events don’t come around as often. Most major elections around the world take place in four- or five-year cycles. That’s why the best political betting sites get creative with odds, covering a wide variety of situations and outcomes beyond the most prominent electoral contests.

For example, some websites set weekly proposition political odds dealing explicitly with Donald Trump. Here is an example of a Donald Trump prop bet:

You can wager on his volume of tweets, which renowned international terrorist he’ll capture or kill next, whether he’ll declare war, be impeached, and so much more. The more options they provide to handicappers, the better.

Betting on politics should be a year-round activity, just like handicapping sports. The only way to accomplish this is to find online oddsmakers known to post an extensive selection of political betting odds.

Online Banking Options

The importance of variety extends beyond the political gambling markets to a website's banking options as well. These days, there are lots of different ways to move money in and out of your online gaming account. Finding the best method for you depends on your location, regional regulations, and personal preferences.

For example, in the United States, banks are required by federal law to block transactions between their account holders’ checking accounts and known gaming operations. While it’s not illegal for you to bet at an offshore site, banking institutions cannot assist you in financing your activities.

Credit card companies, however, often have no issue with you using their services to fund your betting account. The same goes for numerous e-wallets, online payment processors, and cryptocurrencies. Of course, different banking methods each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

A credit card is excellent for fast deposits and provides an additional layer of consumer protections, but it cannot be used to accept withdrawals. Cryptocurrencies are anonymous and perfect for instant transactions but can be complicated to purchase and may fluctuate wildly in value.

Depositing and withdrawing directly from your debit card or checking account is the height of convenience, but only available in select regions, and requires you to share sensitive banking information with the website operators.

That’s why accepting a variety of banking methods is so essential to creating a top-tier political betting site. You need a range of options to find what works best for your specific situation.

Responsive and Helpful Customer ServiceNow, obviously, we don’t anticipate you needing to connect with the customer service team at any of our recommended political gambling sites. Still, it’s vital that the best online sportsbooks provide excellent support, just in case something unexpected happens or an error occurs. Even the top websites experience random issues from time to time.

Political Betting Odds 2016

What matters most is that any problems you encounter or questions you may have are tended to in a timely and respectful manner. When executing our review process, we research the different ways to contact each political betting site’s customer support team and verify that they’re active and supervised by responsive help desk agents.

Most online sportsbooks have three methods of communication: email, telephone, and a live chat window. Our reviewers test each option and record how quickly they receive a response. We encourage you to do the same before depositing money. That way, you can feel assured that while you bet politics, there’s a responsive and helpful customer service team standing by, should you ever need them.

Website Safety and SecurityFor most people, the scariest thing about online political betting is transferring their hard-earned money to a website hosted offshore and/or in a foreign jurisdiction. The internet is littered with scammers and their fraudulent gambling websites, so the fear is warranted. That’s why vetting web-based sportsbooks for safety and security make up the foundation of our review process; there’s nothing more important.

Any political betting website that qualifies for our lists of recommendations has been intensively researched and tested to ensure they’re legitimate, trustworthy businesses. Our reviewers also pay close attention to site security, so we can be certain that all of your data and financial information is protected with state-of-the-art encryption.

Political Betting Odds Vegas

Positive History and ReputationAnother element of our website reviews is digging into each political betting site owner’s history and reputation in the online gaming industry. Just because a sportsbook is operating with integrity at the moment, doesn’t mean you can trust them long term. There have been oddsmakers who behaved themselves long enough to gain a regulatory license, only to go rogue after the fact.

We prefer providers with a proven track record in the gaming industry. Our team analyzes the business dealings of the owners behind our recommendations and their previous domains to verify there’s no history of unethical behavior. They also study reviews and speak to top handicappers to be sure that any political betting website we share with our readers has an excellent reputation among the experts who know best.

Types of Political Betting Websites

Earlier, we mentioned how subjective it could be to determine which factors make one online sportsbook “better” than another. Once you have the fundamental criteria covered, finding the ideal political betting website is mostly a matter of personal preference. We believe that all of our recommendations are the top providers in the industry; some just have different specialties.

For example, you may be looking to bet politics right from your mobile phone. In that case, you’ll be interested in visiting our page at ranks to best mobile betting options.

Now, just because a betting website isn’t shared on that page doesn’t mean it won’t work on your phone or tablet. It may just not be compatible with as many different mobile devices as the other options that are listed. The online sportsbooks recommended on out real money page are safe and likely available on any mobile device you could have.

The same goes for fast payout betting sites. None of our recommendations offer slow payouts. That’s one of the variables we screen during our review process. The providers listed on the “fast payout” page specialize in completing monetary transactions swiftly.

Political Betting Odds 2020

Why Bet Politics Online

Political betting is still relatively new to the world of handicapping. Sure, it’s existed as a kind of novelty market in UK bookmaking shops for years, but it’s only been since 2016 that elections and politics have grown as legitimate competitions worth handicapping. With the world changing, polls and media personalities no longer exert enough influence to control the outcomes of races, meaning there’s now more value in betting politics than ever before.

For many of us, turning to online sportsbooks for our political betting is the only option, as land-based providers are barred from covering anything other than sports. Fortunately, in today’s interconnected world, that’s barely an inconvenience. As you’ve seen on this page, there are plenty of incredible top-notch political betting sites out there, just waiting for you to put your money where your mouth is!

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