The election is just a few short days away, and there is more confusion than ever among the American public and bettors alike on who will take the Presidency. Here at PAB, we break down what happened this week in the wild world of politics and take a look at the political betting lines that every bettor worth their marbles are keenly watching for movement.
We left off the last article with the final Presidential debate results between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. There was some concurrent action on the Presidential election odds. Donald Trump managed to move the line 10 points in his favor across the books, but the net results show Biden still held a considerable lead.
Before we move into the current line movements, let’s see what happened since the final debate.
First, a full Senate hearing voted to induct Judge Amy Coney Barrett into the Supreme Court. Protest from the DNC did not prove to stall the induction, and the GOP’s 53-senate majority allowed them to move the process along swiftly. Lower court judges used to need a 60-seat supermajority vote, but those rules changed to a simple majority during the Obama administration. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell applied the ruling to the Supreme Court, much at Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s dismay.
Although Barrett can change the country long-term, her induction was overshadowed by the Presidential campaigns. The final week of campaigning illuminated how the respective candidates feel about their election odds.
In just a few short days, Donald Trump moved across over 12 states, attempting to staunch Democratic support in crucial swing states that solidified his electoral college victory in 2016. Meanwhile, Joe Biden homed in on just a handful of states. Instead of defending states from flipping, Joe Biden sought after historically red states that could act as insurance electoral college votes.
Today, Biden and Trump set their sights on Florida. Biden leads Florida by merely 1.7%, and its 29 electoral college votes could handedly decide the next POTUS. Some expect Florida and other swing states to have contested legal battles over the voting process and how long it takes. Despite the polls, the odds for Florida’s electoral college favor Trump.
Florida (Fl) – Electoral College (MyBookie)
Republican Candidate -160
Democratic Candidate +120
Florida (FL) – Electoral College (Bovada)
Republican Candidate -145
Democratic Candidate +110
If you are a political bettor or only a concerned citizen, it’s essential to compare the different political betting lines a sportsbook offers. Take extra care to see where the line is on those key swing states that could decide the Presidency. Compare those lines to the odds on the winner of the election.
Winner 2020 Presidential Election (Bovada)
Joe Biden -175
Donald Trump +145
Winner 2020 Presidential Election (MyBookie)
Joe Biden -175
Donald Trump +135
Compared to last week, Biden’s strong favor continues to shrink. When placing bets, consider this trend and expect the line to continue to shift away from Biden. Take this in hand with Florida’s odds on the electoral college winner, and you begin to see that Joe Biden has a genuine chance of losing the election.
If you’re going to bet, do it now before the gap closes, and payouts become too small. If you’re confident on some of those swing state odds, then you may have an exciting parlay set up.