To say that this election has been vexing is an understatement. Americans from both parties have voted in record amounts, and for some, it seems like their worlds hang on the end of the political string. Both Trump and Biden have electoral college paths to victory, and now all we can do is watch and wait.
Meanwhile, the bettors are showing their mutual anxiety over the presidential election odds. Sportsbooks have extended the betting lines’ deadlines now that America knows that the election won’t be decided rapidly. It may take days to finish counting ballots in the few states that can determine the winner.
Here’s a current snapshot of the odds from two of our top-rated sportsbooks: Mybookie and Bovada.
2020 Us Presidential Election Winner
🇺🇸 Donald Trump +250
🇺🇸 Joe Biden -350
US Presidential Election 2020 Winner
🇺🇸 Joe Biden -460
🇺🇸 Donald Trump +315
Using the PEO odds tracker as a reference, we can see that Joe Biden has never led Donald Trump by this much. Bettors are doubling down on Joe Biden’s recent leads in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada.
There’s still a clear path to 270 for both candidates. Let’s break down what it’s going to take for each to synch the victory.
The current electoral college count is 238 votes for Biden and 213 for Trump. Alaska has not officially been called, but Trump appears to be the firm favorite. Add Alaska’s three electoral college votes, and the count is 238 to 216.
The states yet to be called are Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. Biden leads in Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, while Trump leads in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.
However, those margins are incredibly close, and as absentee ballots from major cities continue to be counted, the candidates’ leads could easily sway.
Trump understandably has a more difficult, but entirely feasible, path to victory. Trump needs 54 electoral college votes. Trump’s most obvious way to succeed would be a win in Pennsylvania, 20 electoral college votes, and wins in three other states. This means that if Trump takes PA, with GA and NC, he will need to flip either WI, MI, or NV.
The problem is that voting in PA is expected to take a few more days; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh still have large numbers of absentee ballots yet to be tallied. These metropolitan centers of PA also historically tend to lean left, meaning it will be an incredibly tight race.
If Trump loses PA, Trump needs to sweep five states, meaning he needs to flip two leads from Biden in either MI, WI, or NV. This is the least likely scenario for a Trump victory.
Meanwhile, Biden has a few more paths to victory. Winning MI, WI, and NV would hand him the necessary votes to reach 270. These races are incredibly tight, with leads of 8,000-30,000 votes. If Biden flips PA, he can get the required votes by taking MI as well.
Moreover, although unlikely, if Biden can flip either Georgia or North Carolina, those electoral college votes would mark a nearing Biden victory.
We here at PEO will give you unbiased coverage and election breakdowns throughout the week. The odds show Biden as a clear favorite, but given the nature of this election, anything can happen. Make sure to go home and hug your loved ones tonight, folks.
Sources:
the Guardian