Biden wins debate, according to poll, but Trump’s odds improve

Former Vice President Joe Biden won the final presidential debate Thursday night, according to an instant poll of debate watchers on CNN.

But President Donald Trump’s odds to win re-election improved at offshore sportsbooks during the debate in Nashville, Tennessee.

Trump’s odds to win the Nov. 3 election improved from +176 to +165 during the debate at offshore book Pinnacle and to +163 shortly after the debate. Biden remains an almost 2-1 favorite to win the election, but his odds dropped from -205 to -191 during the debate at Pinnacle and to -189 after the debate.

Betting favorites are expressed with a minus sign, while underdogs are expressed with a plus sign. Betting on Biden at -189 means a bettor has to wager $189 to win $100. At +163, a Trump bettor would wager $100 to win $163.

Biden was -500 to be declared the winner of the debate at London’s Betfair Exchange, and Trump was +300. The winner was determined by the post-debate CNN snap poll, in which 53 percent of debate watchers said Biden won and 39 percent said Trump won.

Bettors who wagered on the candidates to wear the same color tie as their party won. Trump, a Republican, was -333 to wear a red tie, and he did. Biden, a Democrat, was -200 to wear a blue tie, and he did.

Bettors who wagered on Trump and Biden to walk off the stage during the debate and not return lost their wagers. Trump was 4-1 at Betfair to do so, and Biden was 33-1. Both candidates stayed on the stage for the entire debate.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.