Political betting is one of the fastest-growing markets in the betting world as it combines fun and high profitability. Players can wager from the winner of general or presidential elections to what will be Joe Biden’s tie color or the size of Donald Trump’s bodyguards. Betting on politics has significant differences compared to sports betting, as players’ focus is mainly on long term bets. By choosing the best political betting sites, they can apply a highly profitable strategy by backing the underdogs.
Best political betting sites in 2023
Right below, you can view a list of the top-rated political betting sites. The selection is based on high odds, variety of markets and the number of political events these bookmakers offer.
How to choose the top political betting sites
Some essential factors separate a good from a bad political betting site and we gathered them for you:
Number of events: Top sportsbooks offer at least the four most dominant upcoming political events. US, UK, Australian elections and major European political events are subsumed in the best bookies, like Betfair and Bet365.
Variety of markets: Punters can back every candidate or even which party will win in every State. Premier bookmakers offer a minimum of 30 candidates for the UK, 5 candidates for the US Presidential Elections, and 25 selections in other European political events.
Props: The range of political props is endless and it is the funniest type of political betting. Punters can bet on how many sips of water will a candidate drink or how much time debate will last.
Live political betting: Political betting expands beyond measure and the high profile bookmakers provide in-play wagering and minute per minute statistics.
Early prices: The leading sportsbooks offer prices at least 12 months before the election dates. This is a risky decision but an excellent opportunity for the sharp players to shop increased prices.
Odds: The payout in political betting might be lower in comparison with sports betting. That happens because of the majority of the candidates. The more the markets, the lower the payout. Top sportsbooks offer a 75-80% payout in the US and UK election markets.
Sports vs. political betting: Main differences
In many political betting markets, prices can be low compared to sports betting, especially in many of the Presidential markets or in elections where the polls strongly favor one party. These low prices may seem unappealing to sports bettors. Players must have in mind that betting on politics is a medium or long-term process, not a short-term one. The phrase ‘a week is a long time in politics’ is pertinent to political betting. When elections approach, the most popular markets orbit around the country's leader, like the next Prime Minister in the UK or the US' equivalent, the next President.
These are the main differences between sports and political betting:
- Most candidates are at low prices and that happens for two reasons: Either public consensus causes a fail-safe result or there aren’t many possible candidates for that specific post.
- Political betting can be risky if you bet on the elections’ runner because contenders’ credibility can rapidly change. This way, a promising bet may easily be left without hope.
- The majority knows the winner of an election before he/she has been announced and the bookmakers rearrange the markets accordingly.
What are the major upcoming political events
Most bookmakers offer at least a few political betting markets. These are the most significant forthcoming events for betting on politics:
Events | Date | Markets |
02/05/2024 |
Most Seats, Overall Majority, Total Seats, Local Seat, Turnout Percentage, Special Bets, Next Party Leader, Over/Under (2-way) |
|
05/11/2024 |
US Presidential Election 2020 Winner, Democratic / Republican Candidates, Winning Party, Winning Party in every State, Prop bets |
|
2027 |
French Presidential Election Winner |
|
26/10/2025 |
|
|
Irish Elections |
20/02/2025 |
Presidential Elections |
Australian Elections |
2025 |
Australian Prime Minister |
What are the main betting types on politics
Players can bet on the winners of primaries in each State, victory margins and even if one of the candidates may face federal charges. International sportsbooks have more extensive offerings in political markets.
Let’s see what the main betting types for betting on politics are:
- Moneyline. A bet that is on a specific outcome, such as will Trump win the 2020 presidential election.
- Props. These are the funniest bets someone can make. Players can bet on the size of Trump’s privates or how often a candidate will drink a sip from the glass of water they have in front of them. It’s not easy to gain profit because there’s not much information or trends around them.
- Over/Under. Someone can bet on whether the Republican or the Democrat nominee will get more or less than 270 electoral votes.
- Point spread. This bet is about the range. As long as you’re in the range, you’ll win the bet. Betting on a winning party in a specific State can earn you winnings.
- Handicap Bet. Players can bet on how much will be the difference between a winning and a losing party or a candidate.
- Winning Margin. Punters can bet on how big the winning margin will be between the winner and the runner up candidate or party.
Betting on politics: What are the most popular events
Punters have a wide range of events that can bet on and some are a bit more popular than others. Τhese are the most significant upcoming events:
- Next President / US
- Next Prime Minister / UK
- Winning Political Party / US - the UK
- Government After Next Election
- Senate Election / US - UK
Yes, it is allowed, regulated and offered in many countries. Depending on your location, you may not have the ability to place a bet on websites owned and operated by land-based bookmakers, as the legalization of sports betting is state-based.
Political betting nowadays is a frequent type of wagering and punters can find a wide variety of events. Almost every website has political betting in its platform, but brands like 22Bet, Bwin, 888sport, Betfair, Unibet and Bet365 offer a wide range of events and markets to their members.
The criteria for someone to choose wisely a bookmaker for political betting are the following: number of events, variety of markets, props, live betting, early prices and enhanced odds.
By following the same process with a sports betting site. Reliability is a steady process for a betting website. The factors that determine it are universal: International license, fast withdrawals, transparent terms and conditions, round the clock customer support, fair transaction policies, user-friendly mobile app, good reputation.
Props are bets that aren't based on a straight result and apply to fun betting, such as ties colors, number of bodyguards and debate time duration.
There are plenty of events on which you can bet on politics. These include elections, referendums, resignations, tv debate outcomes, or the passing of specific policies.
It is risky to advise on a strategy. It is essential to know the subject you’re wagering on, never underestimate the public’s mood when it comes to political outcomes, and keep up to date.
You can find the best betting odds by taking your time looking across different bookmakers. This depends on the market you are looking at and the political event you’re betting on. Take a look for yourself to find the best possible odds. Betfred, Unibet, Betfair and Bet365 are some bookmakers that offer the highest odds at the moment.