There is so much to recap in the short time since our last article. Here at PoliticsandBetting.com, we breakdown the hot topics without the fluff.
Sorting through the slew of biased news and picking out the fundamental morsels of truth feels like swatting a fly with a sledgehammer. Luckily, here at PAB, we’re ripped.
Let’s go step by step and take a look at the election odds along the way.
Just a few weeks ago, shortly after President Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis, Joe Biden held a significant ten-point lead over the incumbent. As the election day draws near, the Trump administration managed to narrow that margin to around five points.
In terms of spending, the Biden campaign has roughly $160 million in funds compared with Trump’s estimated $68 million in the last leg of the race.
In place of a second debate, the Biden and Trump campaigns held separate town hall meetings. They competed for ratings and fielded questions from undecided voters.
Trump stumbled through questions on his handling of the pandemic, his meekly alarming tax returns, and his lack of healthcare plans. Biden similarly side-stepped inquiries into court-packing and his climate change goals.
Meanwhile, in Congress, hearings for conservative Supreme Court nominee for Amy Coney Barrett were underway. Democrats pressed Barrett on her views on abortion, Obamacare, and gay marriage.
Republicans defended Barrett and today voted 12-0 to induct the judge despite Democratic boycotts. On Monday, a full Senate confirmation will take place. Adding Barrett to the Supreme Court will sway the highest court to a 6-3 conservative edge.
Additionally, US House and Senate races tighten. States like Maine and Colorado are set to unseat incumbent Republican Senators. In general, the Democrats are experiencing higher leads and opportunities to regain control of the legislature.
Trump and Biden both take on key swing states, predominantly Florida and Pennsylvania, who offer 29 and 20 electoral college votes, respectively. Biden leads the polls in both states, yet the Trump administration expects a similar 2016 situation to flip the electoral college.
Early voting is also underway, with a record 40 million Americans voting early, signaling a Biden lead. Officials expect vote counting to take a long time, with a few states experiencing their hanging chad moments reminiscent of the Florida 2000 election count.
Biden and Trump both gear up, mobilizing hundreds of lawyers to prepare for a contested election result. If this is the case, many expect the Election Recount Act, a 133-year old US Code, to come into play.
The highly ambiguous Act states that if, after 41 days, a state has not finished counting votes, that state’s legislature can forgo the process and establish its own elector list.
Today, Obama spoke in Philadelphia, slamming President Trump for, well, basically everything. On the day of the final debate, many say the timing of this speech was an attempt to ruffle Trump’s feathers and affect his debate performance.
Finally, the last debate is set to take place tonight at 9:00 PM in Nashville, Tennessee. The topics covered will be COVID-19, American Families, race, leadership, national security, and climate change.
The debate is one of the last opportunities for both candidates to sway undecided voters.
One of our favorite sportsbooks, MyBookie, dropped new props from the last debate in which we take an interest.
Final Presidential Debate Props
What Style Will Joe Biden’s Tie Be?
- Striped Or Spotted -190
- Solid Color +145
Will Joe Biden Have A Pocket Square Showing?
- Yes -400
- No +250
J Biden Wears Mask On Stage At Any Point-Broadcast
- Yes -105
- No -135
These odds shifted from a +120 Yes and -160 No since they were posted. Biden may wear the mask to try to visibly upset the President. Trump dipped in the polls after a similarly animated first debate performance.
What Color Will Donald Trump’s Tie Be?
- Red/Purple -220
- Blue/Light Blue/Navy Blue +250
- Black/White/Grey +400
What Style Will Donald Trump’s Tie Be?
- Striped Or Spotted +145
- Solid Color -190
Trump – Biden Tie Style Parlay
- Trump Striped Tie – Biden Striped Tie +250
- Trump Solid Tie – Biden Striped Tie +125
- Trump Striped Tie – Biden Solid Tie +450
- Trump Solid Tie – Biden Solid Tie +350
What Will Be Said First By Joe Biden?
- Thanks +100
- Hello +150
- Thank You +200
- Hi +300
What Will Be Said First By Donald Trump?
- Thank You +100
- Hello +150
- Thanks +200
- Hi +300
Which Topic Will Be Debated First?
- Fighting Covid-19 +200
- American Families +400
- Race In America +400
- Climate Change +400
- National Security +400
- Leadership +400
Although the pandemic was listed #1, the candidates are experts at redirecting debate subjects back to their talking points
What Will Be Said First By Trump Or Biden?
- Pandemic +175
- Mask +200
- Recovered +175
- Who/World Health Organization +500
- Cdc/Center For Disease Control +500
- Fauci +700
What Will Be Said First By Trump Or Biden?
- Class +175
- Struggle/Struggling +200
- Healthy +225
- Breakdown +400
- Traditional +400
Which State Will Be Mentioned First?
- Tennessee -165
- Ohio +250
- Florida +250
- Michigan +500
- New York +600
Min. Into The Debate For Trump To Say Hunter
- Over 15 Minutes 30 Seconds -120
- Under 15 Minutes 30 Seconds -120
How Many Times Will Trump Say “Corrupt/Corruption”?
- Over 3.5 -120
- Under 3.5 -120
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say “Ukraine”?
- Over 3.5 +120
- Under 3.5 -160
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say “Burisma”?
- Over 1.5 +155
- Under 1.5 -220
How Many Times Will Joe Biden Say Covid?
- Over 8.5 -120
- Under 8.5 -120
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say Covid?
- Over 4.5 +100
- Under 4.5 -140
How Many Times Will Joe Biden Say “Coronavirus”?
- Over 1.5 +120
- Under 1.5 -160
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say “Coronavirus”?
- Over 2.5 +155
- Under 2.5 -220
The odds shifted in favor of the Under. Trump may stay away from the subject in general because Biden will most likely try to press the topic.
Which Candidate Will Say “Black People/Americans”?
- Joe Biden – First -150
- Donald Trump – First +110
Will Joe Biden Say “Racist”?
- Yes -400
- No +250
Which Candidate Will Say “Racism” First?
- Joe Biden -400
- Donald Trump +250
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say “Isis”?
- Over 2.5 -120
- Under 2.5 -120
How Many Times Will Donald Trump Say “Antifa”?
- Over 3.5 +120
- Under 3.5 -160
Times “Russia” Will Be Said By Either Candidate
- Over 3.5 -140
- Under 3.5 +100
How Many Times Will “Email” Be Said By Trump?
- Over 2.5 -150
- Under 2.5 +110
How Many Times Will “Laptop” Be Said By Trump?
- Over 1.5 -130
- Under 1.5 -110
What Will Be Said First By Either Candidate?
- Fraud +165
- Liar +165
- Corrupt +165
These are just a snippet of all the 2020 political props that the books have to offer. The final debate may pivot the nature of the election. We hope that it doesn’t crumble into another screaming match.