You can't predict an absolute future so when you vote -- just like in poker -- you're taking in all the information you can and deciding to shove all your chips in on a certain hand slash candidate. The passive equivalent is putting all of your chips on red or black and hoping the roulette spin pays off.
Most of the sports books I looked at like Bodog have Barrack Obama favored over John McCain. The moneyline is -200 for Obama and +140 McCain. So if you subscribe to "change you can believe in," you'll need to wager $200 to win $100. If you're voting McCain, you'll win $140 on a $100 bet.
According to Internet reports, betting on the 2008 White House race is up considerably up over the 2004 Prez election and according to the same reports, that election was the most wagered non-sports event in history. I'm not sure the last fact can be supported since Presidential betting used to be a big deal in the 1800s and into the 20th century, but it shows that you can actually vote with your wallet.
Most of the other political wagering like party V.P. picks is closed, but the odds are still up for the GOP could-be vice-prez candidates. Bodog has former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney at 5/2 as the clear favorite and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is next at 3/1. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Florida Governor Charlie Crist tied for bronze at 7/1.
Just like when I hit the tracks, I always put some money down on the long shot just in case it's their day. If I wanted to do that here, I could drop some change on Florida Senator Mel Martinez at 75/1 or on man-about-globe Colin Powell at 70/1. I'm surprised Hillary Clinton isn't at least up on the boards at 1000/1 or something long shot for a GOP V.P. spot.
Stranger things have happened.
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1. Despite the Dems and the allied main stream media’s desperation to see Romney as McCain’s Veep, Mitt is clearly out, with (1) Obama doubling down on the class warfare theme (McCain’s 7 houses) and (2) McCain doubling down with ads showing the hypocrisy of Biden attacking Obama in the primaries — Romney did way more than that contra McCain.
This leaves only Govs Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty. Pro-abortion Ridge and Dem-Lieberman were never real considerations, despite relentless media goading. Pawlenty’s lackluster TV performances, coupled with Palin pizzazz, the primacy of oil drilling and the ticked off women/Hillary voters, does now portend a McCain/Palin checkmate on the Dems. This is so albeit the Dems and liberal media dare not mention Palin’s name, that is, everyone but…..
And if there’s any question as to Palin being uniquely positioned and able to more than nullify Biden in debate, see the excellent discussion at palinforvp.blogspot.com
Team McCain, well done!!!
Ted at 6:01PM on Aug 25th 2008