Royally Flushed

Professional political commentators have weighed in and according to The Washington Post, only two out of fourteen pundits see John McCain in the White House next January.   While you can put your stock into what people like Ed Rollins, Eleanor Clift and Bill Maher say, Keith Thomson, in an article appearing on the website The Huffington Post, argues  that professional gamblers or, to be more specific, bookmakers are the true political soothsayers.

In his article “The Most Accurate Election Forecast?  Hardcore Gamblers,” Thomson gives some great information on the history of betting on political outcomes – which was legal for many years — here in the United States.  He also gives reasons in the article as to why bookmakers have to be on the money – pun intended – when setting odds.

For the post, Thomson interviewed professional gambling experts and a University of Kansas economics professor, Koleman Strumpf, who “believes wagering is an incomparable barometer of an election.”

If you are interested in seeing the current odds on the presidential and other races, check out internet site Betfair.com.  Keep in mind that it is for information and entertainment purposes only since both betting on political races and internet gambling are prohibited for United States citizens.

Related posts:

1. Gambling and The Election, Part 2: Gaming Issues in Ohio and Missouri Will Be Decided
2. Election Results on State Gambling Questions
3. Las Vegas, Atlantic City Gambling Revenues Show Continued Downward Trend
4. Busted — Nevada Posts Big Drop in October Gambling Revenue
5. We Need to Talk — Check Out These Forums for Slots and Video Poker Players

Tags: 2008 election, betfair, betting, election results, gambling, internet gambling, obama wins, political, The Huffington Post, Washington Post