Joe Biden heavily favored to win debate over Donald Trump
Former Vice President Joe Biden is a -500 favorite to be declared the winner of Thursday’s final debate with President Donald Trump, according to London’s Betfair Exchange.
The winner will be determined by a CNN snap poll after the debate, set for 6 p.m. Pacific time in Nashville, Tennessee. Trump, the Republican incumbent, is +300 to be declared the winner.
Betting favorites are expressed with a minus sign, while underdogs are expressed with a plus sign. Betting on Biden, the Democratic candidate, at -500 means a bettor has to wager $500 to win $100. A Trump bettor would wager $100 to win $300.
Biden’s odds on Betfair to win the election improved slightly overnight from -175 to -188. Trump dropped from +175 to +188.
After the first debate was filled with interruptions, mostly by Trump, while the other candidate was speaking, microphones will be muted at times during Thursday’s debate to allow the candidates to speak undisturbed.
Trump is +400 on Betfair to walk off the stage during the debate and not return. Biden is 33-1 (+3,300).
Betfair election expert Paul Krishnamurty said in a release that the microphone rules might actually help Trump.
“On the plus side for Trump, whilst he’s really angry about having his microphone muted for two minutes, that’s probably to his advantage because he doesn’t understand how unpopular the interrupting makes him,” Krishnamurty said. “If he wants Biden to screw up somehow and make a mistake, then it’s much better that he has the stage to himself and doesn’t get interrupted.”
Both candidates are strongly favored to wear the same color tie as their party. Trump is -333 to wear a red tie, and Biden is -200 to wear a blue tie.
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.
