The State of the Union (SOTU) is a Presidential address or speech which lays out the current administration’s plans for legislation and views of the current state of the nation. President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on March 1, 2022.
Betting on the State of the Union, like betting on the Presidential election, has become an active category for political wagering, as the event is typically an annual affair. As broadcast technology has improved, the SOTU has become increasingly more watched by the populace at large.
The SOTU always invites a host of fun betting lines. These are going to be over/unders and yes/no wagers for the most part, though there are a few “multiple choice” bets mixed in as well. The following State of the Union prop bets are currently posted at BetOnline and will be up until just before President Biden’s 9:00 PM address.
BetOnline SOTU Prop Bets
Biden Approval Rating on 3/6/2022
Over 41 % -115
Under 41 % -115
Joe Biden SOTU Address 2022 Designated Survivor?
Merrick Garland +700
Tom Vilsack +700
Alejandro Mayorkas +1000
Avril Haines +1000
Gina Raimondo +1000
Lloyd Austin +1000
Cecilia Rouse +1200
Denis McDonough +1200
Marty Walsh +1200
Deb Haaland +1400
Janet Yellen +1400
Jennifer Granholm +1600
Michael Regan +1600
Xavier Becerra +1600
Miguel Cardona +2000
Anthony Blinken +2500
Isabel Guzman +2500
Katherine Tai +2500
Marcia Fudge +2500
Pete Buttigieg +2500
Ron Klain +2500
Kamala Harris +5000
Nancy Pelosi +5000
First to be Mentioned?
Speaker of the House -1000
Members of Congress +900
Fellow Americans +1000
Vice President +1200
First Lady +2500
Senate Majority Leader +2500
Length of SOTU Address
Under 65 minutes -120
Over 65 minutes -110
To Say First – CDC or Mask?
CDC -140
Mask +100
To Say First – Coronavirus or Pandemic?
Pandemic -300
Coronavirus +200
To Say First – Economy or Inflation?
Economy -600
Inflation +375
To Say First – Europe or EU/European Union?
Europe -300
European Union +200
To Say First – NATO or Nuclear?
NATO -200
Nuclear +150
To Say First – Primary or Mid-Term
Primary/Primaries -135
Mid-Term/Mid-Terms -105
To Say First – Putin or Zelensky?
Putin -250
Zelensky +170
To Say First – Russia or Ukraine?
Ukraine -200
Russia +160
Total Viewers
Under 35 million -150
Over 35 million +110
Word Bingo – To Say Anytime
Democracy -1200
Infrastructure -1200
Allies -350
Jill -250
Virus -250
Universal Pre-K -225
Build Back Better -200
Georgia -200
Pennsylvania -180
Estonia -130
Michigan -130
Scranton -130
Wisconsin -130
Baltic -110
Finland -110
Florida -110
Obama -110
Ohio -110
Cold War +100
Ireland +100
Navalny +100
Sweden +100
Insurrection +120
Latvia +120
Lithuania +120
Poison +140
Predecessor +150
Scandinavia +150
Thug +160
Propaganda +175
AUKUS +200
Trump +200
Tyrant +200
Fascist/Fascism +250
Nazi +250
Boris +300
Politovskaya +300
Sedition +300
Former guy +400
Stalin +500
Fox News +700
Antifa +1000
Brandon +1000
Mayor Pete +1000
Bovada Props
How Long will it take Joe Biden to Deliver the State of the Union Address?
Over 64 Minutes 30 Seconds -115
Under 64 Minutes 30 Seconds -115
Designated Survivor During State Of The Union
Merrick Garland+700
Gina Raimondo+1000
Tom Vilsack+700
Avril Haines+1000
Alejandro Mayorkas+1000
Lloyd Austin+1000
Marty Walsh+1200
Cecilia Rouse+1200
Denis McDonough+1200
Janet Yellen+1400
Deb Haaland+1400
Xavier Becerra+1600
Jennifer Granholm+1600
Michael Regan+1600
Miguel Cardona+2000
Anthony Blinken+2500
Pete Buttigieg+2500
Marcia Fudge+2500
Ron Klain+2500
Isabel Guzman+2500
Katherine Tai+2500
Kamala Harris+5000
Nancy Pelosi+5000
MyBookie Props
N/A
2021 State Of The Union Address
On February 4, 2020, former President Donald Trump delivered the fourth and final State of the Union address of his first term as POTUS. The speech was given while he was the subject of an impeachment trial in the US Senate, making him the first President to address the nation under such conditions.
How To Watch The 2022 State Of The Union
Date: March 1, 2022
Time: 9:00 PM EST
Location: Washington DC, USA
Venue: United States Capitol
Broadcast: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, FOX News
Is It Legal To Bet On The State Of The Union Address?
Political betting is legal in the US if done through licensed and regulated offshore sportsbooks. Domestic sportsbooks currently do not offer political odds, which include SOTU odds.
However, licensed and regulated offshore books almost always provide political betting odds for SOTU prop bets, Political futures, and more. Keep in mind that sportsbooks may only put these odds up one or two days before a scheduled address, updating their boards with new odds and lines every few hours.
A Brief History Of The State Of The Union
Historically, Presidents were never required to deliver SOTU addresses in person. In fact, many simply wrote their addresses and did not make the trek to the Capitol to give their speeches. Such Presidents employing this tack included:
The typical procedure for the State of the Union address consists of the speaker of the House of Representatives inviting the President to appear before the two Congressional Houses to give his/her speech.
State of The Union: Interesting Facts
During the start of our nation’s development, our first president, George Washington, became the first to fulfill this Constitutional tradition in 1790 with an in-person address to Congress in the Senate Chamber of Federal Hall in the old U.S. Capital (New York City). The SOTU address was known only as the Annual Message in 1790 and kept that moniker until 1946. Thomas Jefferson, our nation’s third president, broke the mold and was the first to deliver his Annual Message to Congress in writing.
Written Annual Messages became more commonplace after that. Woodrow Wilson altered that tradition after reigniting the in-person delivery mode in 1913. The Annual Message would later be called the State of the Union under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration.
Naturally, technological developments have played a big role in how SOTU addresses were/are pushed out to the public at large.
In 1922, at the height of radio’s popularity, Warren Harding gave his SOTU address to a limited US domestic radio audience.
In 1923, Calvin Coolidge was able to radio broadcast his State of the Union address across the nation.
Harry Truman turned to television broadcast for his SOTU address in 1947.
In 1965, Lyndon Johnson gave his televised State of the Union address in the later evening.
In 1997, Bill Clinton’s SOTU address was carried live on the Internet.
In 2004, George W. Bush gave his State of the Union message through a high-definition television broadcast.
In 2021, President Joe Biden did not deliver a SOTU address, as new Presidents typically give a speech to a joint session of Congress instead of a State of the Union address. Biden’s first SOTU was delivered on March 1, 2022 during the Russia-Ukraine skirmish.
What Can I Typically Bet On During a State Of The Union Address?
Typical State of the Union bets made available through licensed sportsbooks include prop bets such as the following:
“What will the President wear during the SOTU?”
“How long will the State of the Union address be?”
“What topic will the President discuss first during the SOTU?”
“How will those in Congress react to the SOTU?”
“What will the rebuttal to the SOTU be based on?”
Though these topics might seem broad, offshore political betting sites will always post specific guidelines to help inform your wagers.
State Of The Union FAQs
If a President serves more than one term, do they deliver the SOTU every year?
Historically, Presidents tend to deliver their State of the Union addresses every year. However, there are Presidents are who have delivered two SOTU addresses in a single year, like George Washington in 1790 on January 8 and then again on December 8.
Are US Presidents required to give a State of the Union address?
No, Presidents are not required to deliver the State of the Union address in person, though a written SOTU is a Constitutional mandate. However, both William Henry Harrison and James A. Garfield did not deliver or write any State of the Union addresses, so this is not a hard and fast rule.
Does Congress affect the SOTU?
The House Speaker has the ability to directly affect the scheduling of the annual State of the Union address. This effect was recently seen during the 2019 government shutdown where the President’s SOTU address had to be rescheduled from January 29 to February 5.
Do State of the Union addresses really affect anything?
While some SOTU addresses typically provide the public with a viewpoint of the nation’s current status and future, SOTU addresses made by the President have been used to rally the public to the President’s agenda. This could be seen during Bush’s SOTU address convincing America of the need to invade Iraq, for example. The import of the State of the Union all depends on the motives and political realities in place at the time of the speech.