Bookies.com poll: 54% of Americans interested in betting on elections

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Bookies.com asked 1,429 politically engaged respondents, “If betting on elections was legal and regulated in the United States, would you be interested in placing a wager?”

Of the respondents, who visited at least one political betting page on Bookies.com, 777 (54%) answered “Yes” and 659 (46%) answered “No.”

In the U.K. and Ireland, U.S. election odds are widely available from regulated sportsbooks and American bettors in Indiana and New Jersey can already place wagers on The Oscars, providing a compelling argument in favor of opening up political betting across the U.S.

According to Gambling.com Group’s vice president of U.S. business Max Bichsel, placing a wager on a presidential candidate to win an election is not dissimilar to betting on a baseball team to win the World Series.

“Whether it’s supporting your favorite team or preferred political party, the components of politics and sports betting are effectively the same,” Bichsel said. “The 2020 Presidential Election will be no different. The current political landscape in the U.S. is synonymous to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, a rivalry that drives attention and wagers.”

In the lead-up to this year’s U.S. presidential election, bookmakers have provided accurate predictions, including Kamala Harris to be selected as Joe Biden’s VP. The California Senator was the odds-on favorite with British bookmaker, Ladbrokes, which announced VP odds for the first time on Nov. 1 2019.

The results of the Bookies.com poll highlight an appetite for election betting in America. Combined with the market’s popularity outside of the U.S., there is a strong indication that election odds provided by regulated American sportsbooks would be well received if lawmakers were to grant approval.

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