LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s probability of getting re-elected gained slightly on online betting markets following Thursday’s final presidential debate.
Bettors on British exchange Smarkets give Democratic challenger Joe Biden a 66% chance of winning the Nov. 3 election, down from 68% before the the debate. Trump’s chances improved to 34% from 32%.
Betfair also said Trump’s odds improved on the same level following the debate, adding that punters spent over nine million pounds ($12 million) betting on the election over the last 24 hours.
The odds have narrowed since mid-October, but betting trends on gambling websites still predict a win for Biden. The former vice president has a substantial lead in national opinion polls, although the contest is closer in battleground states likely to decide the race.
The majority of big-money political betting occurs outside America as betting on politics is illegal in the United States.
Reporting by Thyagaraju Adinarayan; Editing by Frances Kerry