More people are betting on this election than ever before


Will Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump be the next president of the United States? That is the million-dollar question.
Well, answering it correctly could earn you a chunk of change, anyway. As the polls tighten on the eve of Election Day, Reuters reports that the 2016 presidential campaign is on track to be the most wagered-upon political event in history.
Betfair, a U.K.-based online exchange, reports that predicting the "next president" of the U.S. is expected to even surpass Brexit betting. On Sunday, Betfair reported that $130 million had been traded on U.S. presidential predictions, while Brexit topped out at $159 million. "We think it is because [of] how raw the Brexit [vote] is in people's minds — they're not convinced yet that it's a done deal," Betfair spokeswoman Naomi Totten said. (U.S. law significantly limits betting on elections in the United States).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Paddy Power, an Ireland betting site, said that while it mostly makes money off of sports events, the 2016 race looks like it will crack the website's 10-most-traded events ever. Ladbrokes, another U.K. gambling site, said the 2016 race has "at least double[d]" the money wagered in 2012's election.
Who, then, are people putting their money on? All three websites posted an 83 percent chance of a Clinton victory.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
July 21 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump going after the Fed, Superman's immigration papers, and the Colbert canary in the coal mine
-
Thailand's monk sex scandal
In The Spotlight New accusations involving illicit sex and blackmail have shaken the nation and opened a debate on the privileges monks enjoy
-
Who stands to gain – and lose – from 16-year-old voters?
Today's Big Question Many assume Labour will benefit but move could 'backfire' if Greens, a new hard-left party or Reform continue to pick up momentum
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department