Joe began writing for Basketball Insiders at the start of 2023. A keen sports fanatic ever since his first days playing football in junior school, he has developed a flair for writing over the coming years, and graduated with a BA in English Literature. His professional background in the gambling and sports industries now extends to five years, mostly covering horse racing and US sports. He has previously written for sites such as gg.co.uk and cheltenhamfestival.net on the horse racing side, having grown passionate about the sport by visiting his local tracks on a regular basis. As well as this, he has the honor of being published in the Royal Ascot magazine in 2019.
All posts by Joe NapierFollowing his graduation with an Honors in Business Administration, Nick redirected his focus from conventional stocks and bonds to the world of sports team performance investments. He employs a unique blend of advanced statistics and historical data to construct intricate sports investment models, pinpointing value opportunities and consistently yielding profits. Nick's contributions extend beyond a single platform, as his work can be discovered on outlets such as Pistons Powered, Winners And Whiners, and numerous other publications.
All posts by Nick RaffoulPolitics is an incredibly controversial topic, with people holding various views on who should be in power. Betting on politics in the US has been illegal for many years due to the absence of regulation, enforced by a federal law. However, there are legal avenues for US citizens to engage in political betting, such as accessing offshore betting sites. In this article, we’ll spotlight the best political betting sites for you to sign up with and provide an in-depth guide on all things related to political betting.
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Best Political Betting Sites
The table below shows who we think is the best political betting site on the market right now. We’ve ranked them one through ten, but to be honest, you could argue that any and all are deserving of the top spot.
Best Political Betting Sites
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Play Now The Best Political Betting Sites
The following are our favourite sites for politics betting in the US. Each is slightly different, with our list featuring the main selling point of each operator:
- BetOnline – Best Political Betting Site with a High Max Bet Limit of $2,000
- BetNow – Markets on US & International Elections
- Bovada – Best for US Presidential and Local Election Markets
- MyBookie – Best Politics-Related Blog of All Political Betting Sites
- XBet – Best International Political Betting Site
- Everygame – In-depth coverage of US Presidential elections
- BUSR – Variety of US political betting markets
- BetUS – Top site for Donald Trump Futures
- Sportsbetting.ag – Politics futures from around the world
- Mega Dice – Crypto-betting site with politics markets
Top 5 Political Betting Sites Reviewed
Politics might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to betting, but most of the major sportsbooks have created massive platforms for exactly this. Below we’ve included what we think are the best political betting sites and highlighted why they are at the top of the tree.
1. BetOnline – Best Political Betting Site with a High Max Bet Limit of $2,000
BetOnline is an absolute standout when it comes to betting on politics. The brand is one of the most reputable in the country and we’d go as far as saying that they lead the line for political betting.
The range of markets that you can access is staggering. It’s not just US-based politics that they work with, but also on an international stage. The sportsbook allows you to open the “Politics” tab and then you see a huge list of bets to choose from.
These include elections from Brazil, the Philippines, Australia, France, the UK, the US, and Germany. On top of this, you get bets that are linked to governor races, indictments, mayoral races, the Royal Family, house representatives, and senate elections.
BetOnline also manages to include betting surrounding high-profile political figures. Two of the biggest right now are Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which includes markets like approvals, exit dates, leaving office via impeachments if Biden will complete a full term if Trump is re-elected, and even – hilariously – who would win in a boxing match between the pair.
They go in heavy when it comes to UK and US politics. Both countries have a lot of moving parts and a lot of red tape involved, which makes for great betting markets. The UK allows you to bet on party leaders, upcoming election dates, the timing of exits for leaders, and things like majority wins for the General Election as well.
All markets are money line bets and classed as futures up until the day of the deadline for that market. The minimum bet is just $1, and the max is $2,000. However, the upper limit might be capped on some markets that have little to no action.
New accounts to BetOnline are going to enjoy a welcome offer worth up to $1,000 which is a 50% match of your opening deposit. You need to wager the bonus 10x and you can use political betting markets to clear the bonus.
What we like:
- Huge range of markets to bet on
- Massive coverage of both UK and US politics
- All bets are classed as future bets
- High max bet limits of $2,000 for most political betting markets
What we don’t:
- Limited range of withdrawal methods
2. BetNow – Markets on US & International Elections
Political betting is also available at BetNow, a gambling site that dates back to 2015. While greater emphasis is placed on sports, including the NBA and NFL, politics markets are available on a regular basis. Options include everything from the US Presidential Election to the next country to leave the EU.
Odds are competitive throughout, with BetNow’s sportsbook being easy to use on desktop and mobile. BetNow is also home to many promotions, some of which cater for those placing politics bets. This list includes the 100% deposit bonus.
Licensed and regulated by Gaming Curacao, BetNow has proven itself to be nothing but reliable and safe. You can use Bitcoin, along with more traditional payment methods.
What we like:
- Good range of political markets
- Competitive odds
- Fast payouts
- Range of bonuses & promotions
What we don’t:
- Outdated sportsbook
3. Bovada – Best for US Presidential and Local Election Markets
Bovada is one of the most iconic sportsbooks in the world. Its politics betting markets have improved considerably over the years and the work that they’ve done now sees them as one of the best options to bet on politics that we’ve tested.US politics dominates Bovada and if we had a criticism, it would be that it lacks the depth from the likes of Europe that both BetOnline and BetUS have.
Bovada tends to split their bets into three sections: Political Specials, the upcoming Presidential Election, and a Miscellaneous section, which includes everything else.
The specials section includes markets such as which party will control the Senate after a midterm, which part will win the house, and even state Gubernation elections. As you move into the Presidential elections section, you get access to the next Democratic candidate, next Republican candidate, winning party, and winning president.
For the final section, miscellaneous, this will depend on the time of year and what’s happening in global politics. It’s usually made up of election winners from countries such as the UK, Philippines, Brazil, and anywhere that’s running an election at that time.
No sportsbook has a better design than Bovada. It’s clean, modern, incredibly easy to navigate, and very easy to use.
The welcome bonus is a $1,000 bonus that is a 100% match on your opening deposit. It carries a 30x clearing rate that needs to be wagered within 30 days before it expires.
What we like:
- Best looking sportsbook and easiest to use for new players
- Concentrates on US politics, with a splash of world politics attached
- Great betting odds US politics
- User-friendly $1,000 welcome bonus up for grabs
What we don’t:
- Not as strong a range of “rest of the world” political markets
4. MyBookie – Best Politics-Related Blog of All Political Betting Sites
MyBookie is one of the best political betting sites. The platform has only been online since 2017 but they’ve made massive strides in that time to get to where they are today.
You’re going to notice that MyBookie and XBet are very similar in terms of political betting coverage. They use the same platform which means that bets and markets sometimes crossover between the two.
One area in which they do differ is the pricing and MyBookie has taken the route of making sure they are as strong as can be for odds. An example of this would be a market on Liz Cheney to be re-elected to the house where MyBookie has “yes” priced at -500 and XBet at -600. This is quite common throughout the sportsbook.
MyBookie does have a dedicated politics blog that is the only one we’ve come across. What’s great about this is that the blog posts all link to the betting markets, highlighting where they think the value lies with each bet.
New accounts to MyBookie are going to enjoy a welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. The bonus is a 100% match of your first deposit and comes with an extremely friendly 10x turnover for the whole bonus.
What we like:
- Dedicated politics betting blog
- Strong odds throughout the politics betting section
- The low turnover rate for the $1,000 welcome bonus
What we don’t:
- Almost identical to XBet and other sportsbooks in terms of coverage
5. XBet – Best International Political Betting Site
XBet has been online since 2007 and in that time has been able to create a strong range of betting markets. Politics isn’t their strongest inclusion, but it’s still one of the best in the business.
What you get from XBet is a bit more of a scattergun approach than the three we’ve already mentioned. The politics section doesn’t have a great deal of structure, but it does include a lot of markets to bet on.
There are two main sections: International Politics and Midterm Elections. We would assume that the latter will change as different votes and elections take place, but this was all that was apparent at the time of testing.
XBet includes a lot of Yes/No markets and includes bets like someone to be re-elected to a house seat and people to run for president.
The strength of the politics section for XBet lies in the international section and it’s here that you get the most markets to choose from. Standout bets include the winner of the next Australian Federal Election if Prince Charles will become King by a certain year, the winner of the UK General Election, the next country to leave the EU, and the French Presidential election.
As we mentioned it’s all a little bit random, to be honest, but there are markets here that none of the sportsbooks include, so it’s diverse enough to be included on our list of best political betting sites.
The welcome offer at XBet allows new users to get up to $500 in bonus money from a 100% deposit match. The bonus comes with just a 7x rollover, which is the lowest of its kind, making it highly lucrative.
What we like:
- Very low turnover of just 7x for the welcome bonus
- Lots of random political bets that make it a fun betting environment
- Strong coverage of EU politics
What we don’t:
- A lack of structure can make it hard to see what is on offer regarding political betting
Explore Our Expert-Written Sports Betting Guides
What is Political Betting?
Politics betting allows you to bet on events that happen in the political world. The limitations around what you can bet are only with the sportsbook in question but can range massively from site to site.
As we’ve already stated, political betting can be highly controversial. We’ve all been there talking with friends, disagreeing with certain standpoints or arguments they have for laws and legislations that have been put into place in the US.
Often, it’s hard to convince people to change their minds about political decisions that have been made. Lots are loyal to certain parties, such as Democratic or Republican in the United States.
Betting on politics allows you to use your knowledge of certain aspects of politics to bet for or against something happening in the political spectrum. We talk more about the different markets later in the piece, but things like the next president of the United States or the winning majority in a general election.
One of the best things about politics betting is that you’re not trying to convince your friend in the pub to change their mind. Instead, you simply talk with your cash and if you’re right, then you win.
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How to Bet on Politics with the Best Political Betting Sites
The first thing that you need to do is access an offshore betting site. All the political betting sites that we’ve included on this page are based outside of the United States.
They all legally accept players from every state in the US.
We’re going to use BetOnline to give a step-by-step guide on how to bet on politics. It’s a very simple process and once you’ve done it for the first time, you will be away.
Step 1 – Register a New Account
To bet on politics you first need to register a new account. With BetOnline, this will take just a couple of minutes to complete.
You will also get access to a welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. The bonus is for new accounts only and is a 100% match on your first deposit. Click this link to open a BetOnline account.
Step 2 – Log in and Find “Politics”
Once your account has been set up you need to log in and make sure you’ve got funds in your account ready to bet.
With BetOnline, you need to click the menu button in the top left corner, then click “Other Sports” and then find “Politics” in the list.
Step 3 – Choose Your Market
You now need to choose the market that you want to bet on. As you can see, BetOnline has a wide range to choose from, so we suggest that you start by sticking with something you are familiar with. Something related to US politics is likely going to work well.
For this example, we’ve picked “US 2024 Presidential Election”.
Step 4 – Place Your Bets
To place a bet with BetOnline you need to click on the odds to add that to your bet slip. In this example, we’re going to bet on the “Winner of the 2024 Presidential Election” market and choose Joe Biden at odds of +400.
Once you click on the odds the bet will be added to your bet slip and you now simply choose your stake and then press “Place Bet”.
Politics Betting Markets
One of the best and most surprising things about politics betting is the wide range of markets that you can bet on. Just spending a little time looking through sites like BetOnline will highlight just how many bets there are and the types of bets that you can place.
Before we jump into specifics, we wanted to highlight that politics betting is not like most sports betting markets. For example, if you’re betting on football then all sportsbooks are going to have a money line, spread, and Over/Under market for every game.
When it comes to politics, it’s a lot more erratic. If there was a comparison, it would be that most sites allow you to bet on Presidential winners or General Election winners. But after that, the markets are random and a bit of a free-for-all.
This is not a negative though, as it makes it incredibly exciting.
US Politics Betting Markets
Most people reading this are going to be betting on US politics, so this is where we will start.
Generally, bets for this include things like the next President, Democrat and Republican nominees, and then betting on the winning party. These are some of the most interesting bets as they include a vast number of people to choose from.
BetOnline currently has 20+ picks for the next 2021 Democratic nominee, to give you an idea of the size.
These four markets are going to get the most coverage and the highest volume of bets. The latter is incredibly important as it means that the more money is wagered, the higher the maximum bet sportsbooks are (generally) willing to accept.
Senate elections are another incredibly popular bet. These are state-specific, and you can choose between Republicans and Democrats for most states in the US.
Betting on Mayoral races is another market that gets a lot of traction in the run-up to votes. The likes of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix are five of the biggest Mayoral races in the US and often drive the most traffic when it comes to betting.
Then finally you have prop bets that are linked to things like which politician is going to run deeper in primaries and party leader doubles where you pick one person from each party to lead them for the year stated.
Political Prop Bets
Political prop bets are some of the best in this sector. The main bets like the winner of political races are going to get the most coverage, but in terms of the entertainment factor, the prop bets are where it’s at.
The bets you can place will range based on your sportsbook and, to be honest, you need to be flexible about where you bet to get access to the best. It’s not necessarily that one sportsbook is better than the other here, as it’s the randomness about prop bets that make them work.
Prop bets can include markets like politicians getting re-elected and election races. The races are great as they include some amazing curveballs. For example, Tom Hanks is priced at +12500 to run for President in 2024, along with Henry Winkler at +15000. You’d need some serious inside info to make either of these bets stick!
But that’s the beauty of prop bets, there are no limits as to what you can bet on. Sure, some offer better value than others, but in terms of fun factor, no betting market politics compare.
General Elections
General Elections are common outside of the US and work in much the same way that a Presidential election would. Countries such as the UK, Brazil, Philippines, Australia, and many others all host them, with politics betting sites in the US providing coverage on a betting platform.
You often find a string of prop bets attached to these as well. Bets include party leaders, majority decisions, hung parliaments, and if the leader of the opposition will resign when they fail to win the election.
Indictments
Indictment betting is relatively new, and it’s only been over the last couple of years or so that we’ve seen markets developed for them. But this is possible as they’ve become a lot more common than they once were.
You’re basically choosing which person from the list will be the next to be indicted. Some bookmakers will also allow you to bet if they will be indicted within a set period as well.
Politician Specials
Politician specials can tie in with the prop bet section, but some of them are so brilliantly hilarious that we wanted to include them in their own section.
No sportsbooks do this better than those in the US and where they get the ideas for these bets, we don’t know but are very thankful for.
BetOnline is a great example of what you can get and at the time of writing just so happens to host markets on Donald Trump and Joe Biden. To give you an idea of just some of the brilliant specials you can bet on, we’ve included a list below. We must add that these are real betting markets, as some of them you may question.
- The winner of Donald Trump v Joe Biden in a boxing match (absolute favorite betting market of all time!!)
- Trump to be elected at the midterm
- Trump to Become Speaker
- Any Trump win in 2024
- Biden’s approval on December 1st
- Joe Biden’s exit date
- Joe Biden leaves office after impeachment
- Will Joe Biden complete his full first term?
How to Interpret Politics Betting Odds
Politics betting odds work in much the same way that you would bet on sports. Each market comes with a set of odds attached.
In the US, the most common way to display the odds is in what’s referred to as an “American” style. The number will be a positive or a negative number. A positive number will be the amount you win for every $100 wagered. The negative number is the amount you need to stake to win $100.
Above we’ve included an example of a typical political betting market taken from the UK over who will be the next Conservative party leader. As you can see, next to each candidate is a number and this represents the odds for that bet.
In this example all odds are positive, meaning they show you how much you would win if you wagered $100. If we took the favorite from this list, Rishi Sunak, and placed a $100 bet, we would make a $200 profit.
You’re able to change the way odds are displayed if you choose. Most sportsbooks allow you to change between decimal and fractional odds. They all mean the same thing in terms of how much money you will win, with the only difference being how they are shown.
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Can You Bet on Politics in the US?
As of 2023, federal law prohibits political betting in America. Laws state that any sportsbook that is in the US is not able to provide odds for betting on politics.
One of the main issues that the governing bodies have is that the political market is not regulated, meaning that it’s hard for them to control where the money is going. This also makes it tough for markets like this to avoid manipulation, which is essentially fraud.
However, there is a massive loophole here and you can bet on politics in the US without facing prosecution. Laws in the US do not cover sportsbooks that are located outside of the country, often referred to as offshore betting sites.
Federal law also does not state that players are not allowed to bet on politics, but more than sportsbooks in the country aren’t able to host these types of markets.
So, to answer the question of whether can you bet on politics in America, the answer would be yes.
Politics Betting in Different Countries
Politics betting is a truly global marketplace. You can bet on political events that take place all over the world and the best thing about it is that there’s always something going on somewhere to get stuck into.
There’s no limit as to the different countries you can access. Some of the most popular include Australia, Brazil, Denmark, France, the Philippines, the UK, and Germany, to name just a few.
Market coverage won’t be as strong as the US for most of these countries, simply because outside of these countries, it doesn’t get the same interest. Bets like the next prime minister, winner of general elections, next governor, and vote shares amongst political parties make up the bulk of betting in these countries.
You can also bet on things like the EU, as they are very much a political force. Markets for this include the likes of whether a country will leave the EU before a certain date and a choice from a list of countries that might be the next to leave the EU.
UK Politics Betting
After US politics betting, UK political betting is the most popular that you’re going to find. Like the US, the UK political scene has a huge following and there is always something going on, be it planned General Elections or Brexit.
Coverage in US sportsbooks is, for the most part, excellent. All the top political betting sites include some sort of market attention, which makes it incredibly accessible.
The General Election is the most popular political race to bet on. You will get markets such as the overall winner and next part leaders following the election. Sometimes elections are sprung at seemingly random times, so even though they are planned for every 5 years, they can be a lot more frequent than that.
Party leaders are another popular market, and this can change more often than general elections are run. The UK has the Conservative and the Labour parties as the two main ones, but also include the Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, DUP, and many smaller parties as well.
The UK’s recent exile from the European Union has created a wealth of UK political betting opportunities. Recent bets have included trade deals being struck and if the UK will enter back into the EU within a certain timeframe.
Biggest Upcoming Events in Politics Betting
Over the next couple of years, there are a plethora of political events that are upcoming. Market coverage will range based on where they are located.
The list below includes some of the biggest upcoming political events and the markets that you’ll be able to get access to with each.
2022
- Kenyan General Election
- Costa Rica General Election
- Philippines General Election
- French Presidential Election
- Austrian Presidential Election
- Australian Federal Election
2023
- United States Gubernatorial Elections
- Turkey General Elections
- Danish General Election
- Italian General Election
- Polish Parliamentary Election
2024
- US Presidential Election
- Indian General Election
- UK General Election
- EU Parliamentary Election
- Belgium General Election
When Will the US Legalize Politics Betting?
Betting in the US is never as straightforward as it appears to be in countries around the world. Betting on politics in the US seems to follow the same sort of path, albeit frustratingly.
Politics has been legal in the US at one point, albeit for just one hour. West Virginia legalized it back in 2020 when they allowed sports betting, which covered political betting as well.
FanDuel jumped all over this, providing a range of betting markets politics on the Presidential Election between Trump and Biden. The state, once realizing its mistake, asked Fanduel to remove the betting markets and promptly removed political betting from their gambling bill.
The situation regarding gambling in the US is still not great overall. Sports are only just starting to get passed and it’s likely going to be a good few years before most states are on board with that.
Political betting is a little more unstable and many worry about votes and results being manipulated as betting markets open. Of course, many countries around the world, such as the UK, have proved that it can be done if it’s regulated.
For now, offshore betting is the only legal route for US bettors to place bets on politics. Never say never, but the road for opening political betting for sites based in the US seems a long way off.
Conclusion on Best Political Betting Sites
Politics betting has a massive following. You only need to look at the coverage that markets such as Presidential Elections and Mayoral races get to see how many people bet on politics.
If you’re in the US, you need to bet with sites that are based offshore as betting on sites that are in the country is illegal. Our number one pick for a political betting site is that of BetOnline. New accounts to BetOnline can grab a $1,000 welcome bonus which can be used to bet on politics, along with all other sports within the sportsbook.
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Play Now Politics Betting FAQ
Is it possible to bet on politics?
Yes, you can bet on politics. You need to access an offshore betting site that is not located in the US. All of the sportsbooks on this page are legal and fully licensed to accept US-based players and offer political betting markets.
How can I bet on politics?
You need to have an account with an offshore sportsbook. Once registered, you can navigate to the political betting section and choose the markets that you want to bet on.
Where can I bet on politics?
If you’re based in the US, then you need to access sportsbooks that are located offshore. Sportsbooks such as BetOnline and BetUS are ranked as the best betting sites for politics and our top picks for political betting.
Joe began writing for Basketball Insiders at the start of 2023. A keen sports fanatic ever since his first days playing football in junior school, he has developed a flair for writing over the coming years, and graduated with a BA in English Literature. His professional background in the gambling and sports industries now extends to five years, mostly covering horse racing and US sports. He has previously written for sites such as gg.co.uk and cheltenhamfestival.net on the horse racing side, having grown passionate about the sport by visiting his local tracks on a regular basis. As well as this, he has the honor of being published in the Royal Ascot magazine in 2019.
All posts by Joe NapierJoe began writing for Basketball Insiders at the start of 2023. A keen sports fanatic ever since his first days playing football in junior school, he has developed a flair for writing over the coming years, and graduated with a BA in English Literature. His professional background in the gambling and sports industries now extends to five years, mostly covering horse racing and US sports. He has previously written for sites such as gg.co.uk and cheltenhamfestival.net on the horse racing side, having grown passionate about the sport by visiting his local tracks on a regular basis. As well as this, he has the honor of being published in the Royal Ascot magazine in 2019.
All posts by Joe Napier