57°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Trump widens gap in ’24 election odds despite DeSantis’ launch

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday, but it didn’t help his betting odds to win the election.

Former U.S. president Donald Trump widened the gap in the odds to be the Republican nominee over DeSantis, who saw his odds to win the presidency worsen from 5-1 to +560 at London-based Betfair Exchange.

Trump is the odds-on -185 favorite at Betfair to win the Republican nomination over DeSantis, whose odds have lengthened to +330. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the 25-1 third choice.

A positive number represents how much a bettor would profit on a $100 wager. A negative number represents how much a person would need to bet to profit $100. In this case, a bettor would have to wager $185 to win $100 on Trump to be the nominee.

Earlier this week, Betfair political betting analyst Paul Krishnamurty offered reasons why DeSantis’ odds continue to drift.

“The logical explanation is that, since declaring himself and turning his guns on DeSantis, Trump has opened up a vast gap in the polls,” he wrote in a post on betfair.com. “In the last week, we’ve seen nationwide surveys from YouGov and Harris record leads in excess of 30 percent. On that basis, a matchup that once had potential to produce a betting classic seems over already.

“However, my long experience of U.S. elections urges caution, as does the unique context of this one. Eighteen months before the election, polls mean virtually nothing. So much can change. … I am not ruling DeSantis out yet.”

President Joe Biden remains the +172 favorite to be re-elected. Trump is +270 to win a second term in office. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the 19-1 fourth pick.

At London-based Ladbrokes sportsbook, Biden is the +150 favorite to win the 2024 election, Trump is +250 and DeSantis +450.

Betting on politics isn’t permitted at U.S. sportsbooks.

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

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST