Betting on elections.

[Jacobtm]

Anyone here have a bet as to the outcome of the elections? I've got a friend who's a Democratic Party activist, and I made a best out of 5 bet with him. He bet in favor of Democrats winning in NJ, MO, OH, RI, but losing in TN. I figure he'll probably win, with MO and NJ going for the dems and TN staying Republican, but our bet is just that the loser has to pay for a breakfast sometime during Thanksgiving break, so it's no big deal.

Anyone got a more interesting bet?

You could make some fun drinking games outta this election. Stay up on election night and make a team for both parties, and each time a Dem wins, the Republican team has to take 1 shot and the opposite. With 535 seats that are probably going to be split about 50/50, should make for a sloshy night...

[Nym90]

Anyone here have a bet as to the outcome of the elections? I've got a friend who's a Democratic Party activist, and I made a best out of 5 bet with him. He bet in favor of Democrats winning in NJ, MO, OH, RI, but losing in TN. I figure he'll probably win, with MO and NJ going for the dems and TN staying Republican, but our bet is just that the loser has to pay for a breakfast sometime during Thanksgiving break, so it's no big deal.

Anyone got a more interesting bet?

You could make some fun drinking games outta this election. Stay up on election night and make a team for both parties, and each time a Dem wins, the Republican team has to take 1 shot and the opposite. With 535 seats that are probably going to be split about 50/50, should make for a sloshy night...

An election drinking game! Haha. Now that would be awesome.

Of course certain cliches repeated by talking heads in their analysis would have to be given weight in the drinking game as well.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

There's tradesports.com, of course you lose a percentage of your money, and I think you have to pay up front, so you lose interest, which can be significant for a who will win the 2008 election bet.

[MissCatholic]

Drinking Game

If the incumbent, say democrat, increases his vote % then the republicans have to drink (standard drink)
If the incumbent,say democrat, is removed from office by a republican then the democrats have to drink something alot stronger (doubles of vodka, tequilla etc)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

People that bet on elections are almost always fools

[Jacobtm]

People that bet on elections are almost always fools

Regardless of how the election turns out, I'm going to eat pancakes with a friend of mine after it. If that's foolish, then you can go be wise on your own man.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I was thinking more of people who bet on elections in the way they bet on sporting events, through bookies and so on.
It's a great idea if you want to lose a lot of money very quickly.

[© tweed]

I was thinking more of people who bet on elections in the way they bet on sporting events, through bookies and so on.
It's a great idea if you want to lose a lot of money very quickly.

I disagree.  I think that if you really know what you're doing, you can make some money.  Just like I probably could with football.  I win about 53% of the time ATS.  Now that's barely enough to cover a vig, but my point is, if you know what your doing you can break 50%.  Also if you take Orrin Hatch on Nov. 1 moneyline, you can't lose, even though the odds suck.  There no such lock in sports.

[afleitch]

While I don't bet myself, sometimes I kick myself when I get things right

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Considering Santorum's TradeSports numbers, the foks predicting a win by him would make a forturne by betting on him. I wonder if they're willing to put their money where their mouth is.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I disagree.  I think that if you really know what you're doing, you can make some money.  Just like I probably could with football.  I win about 53% of the time ATS.  Now that's barely enough to cover a vig, but my point is, if you know what your doing you can break 50%.  Also if you take Orrin Hatch on Nov. 1 moneyline, you can't lose, even though the odds suck.  There no such lock in sports.

I understand that, but the problem is most people don't really know what they're doing; even most of those that like to think that they do, don't.
Partisanship obviously plays a big role in this (people don't like betting against their side), but the real problem is the tendency to groupthink... and the willingness to believe misinformation, sadly.