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2024 Electoral College Betting Guide

Last Updated September 28, 2024 12:57 pm PDT
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Betting on the Electoral College offers a smarter way to lock in profit from your 2024 US election bets this fall

Electoral College betting is attracting thousands of players as we move toward the 2024 US election – and the best political betting sites are throwing out some big odds right now.

Votes from the Electoral College will decide who wins the presidency this fall. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are running around the country in a desperate attempt to win over every last voter.

If you want the inside track on how to bet on this year’s election – and where – read on.

Best Electoral College Betting Site for 2024

If you want to get started with Electoral College betting immediately, and simply aren’t sure where to start, then Bovada is the best online option.

We’ve looked over the top political betting sites for 2024 and Bovada consistently comes out ahead of the rest for odds value and range. The site houses scores of politics bets – so many, in fact, that it built a new section just for 2024 election odds.

Bovada Best Site for Electoral College Betting

Bovada has it all for this year’s US Presidential Election, with Electoral College betting just being the cherry on top.

Bet on the winning party in the election, the popular vote, and the balance of power in the House and Senate. Get politics betting tips and blogs from the Bovada Hub, and look out for existing player promos including the Parlay Booster and Bovada Rewards club.

New players get a 50% welcome bonus when joining Bovada up to $250. Deposit with crypto and you earn a 75% match up to $750. The sportsbook has a super slick mobile site too that you access through the browser. There’s no need to download an app here – just head to Bovada on mobile and sign up to get playing.

How the Electoral College System Works

Before betting on the Electoral College it’s important to know what it is and how it works. Don’t worry, we’ll be quick. The Electoral College houses 538 electors from all 50 states. Each elector has a vote. When a presidential candidate wins the most votes in a state, they get all that state’s votes.

The aim for a candidate is to make the magic 270 votes, which means they cannot be beaten and they’ll be the next president.

Now, each state has a different number of votes depending on its population size. California has 54 votes and almost always leans Democrat. Texas has 40 votes and is a Republican stronghold.

The 2024 US election could be decided by seven swing states. These are states that flip blue or red easily, meaning politicians focus on them a lot more than their ‘safe’ states. 

Best Electoral College Bets for 2024

Now you know how the Electoral College system works, we can start to look at relevant political bets. Below are four Electoral College bets available at top sites Bovada and BetOnline.

State Electoral College Betting

Bovada offers Electoral College betting on every single state in the presidential election. These are moneyline bets, where you wager on either the Dems or the GOP to win each territory.

Some are predictable. Illinois is -4000 to again vote Democrat. Kentucky is -20000 to back Trump. However, swing states are less predictable. Nevada is almost a toss-up, with the Dems at -120 and GOP at -110. Wisconsin has Harris at -170 and Trump at +130.

Tip: If you’re betting on Electoral College state votes, then consider your attitude to risk. You could create a large parlay with dead-cert GOP bets and win a small profit. Or you could play on the swing states and chase bigger rewards, but with higher risk.

Electoral College Winning Margin

A great politics bet this fall focuses on the Electoral College winning margin. At Bovada, you can back Harris or Trump to win and by how many Electoral College votes. Trump won in 2016 by 77 votes, and Biden in 2020 by 74. The 2024 US election is tipped to be even closer.

Bovada’s shortest odds is a Democrat win at 65-104, priced at +315. The sportsbook then carries Trump to win in the same band at +550.

Before betting on the Electoral College winning margin, make sure you run a simulation and predict the swing states. This will give you an idea of how election night plays out.

Tip: The winning margin has been beyond 74 for each of the past four elections. However, the 2024 race is tipped to be close, so a 35-64 win either way is a smart option.

The winning candidate doesn’t always win the popular vote. Hillary Clinton won three million more votes than Trump in 2016 and still lost because of the Electoral College math.

If you think it’s going to be a tight race then you could be on the popular vote instead. Harris is -400 to claim more votes across the country, but Bovada thinks Trump could come close at +275.

The sportsbook also offers a double on the Electoral College and popular vote. Harris + Dem Popular Vote is the favorite at -125, but perhaps a smarter option is Trump + Dem Popular Vote at +260.

Tip: Trump won the election despite losing the popular vote in 2016. He could easily do the same again this year.

Democrat and Republican Electoral College Lines

Sportsbetting.ag offers Electoral College lines for Trump this fall – and they’re definitely worth looking at. You can bet specifically on how well Trump does. He is +110 to get above 269.5 votes and be the next president.

Interestingly, Trump’s odds to get below 311.5 votes (roughly what he got in 2016) are ultra slim at -800. Clearly the country’s best betting sites don’t think he will crush Harris.

If you think Trump will lose the election then this is a good place to bet. Sportsbetting.ag has six different bands for Trump, ranging from Under 210 votes (+500) to 330 or Higher (+1600).

Tip: We think Trump will get between 240 and 300 votes. It’s going to be a narrow race, so there’s no value in looking at the extreme lines.

Electoral College Betting Tips

If you’re betting on politics for the first time this fall then the Electoral College is a good place to start. However, it’s important you take your time when betting, and follow these three tips:

Do Your Research

Always research before you bet. This is an ultra-tight race, so be sure to read the news, listen to debates and speeches, and follow the odds closely. Look back at historic data. Read why Biden reclaimed Arizona for the Dems in 2020 after the state backed the GOP for two decades. Learn about Trump’s rhetoric and why he appeals to voters across the country.

If you want to bet on politics and succeed, then you have to be a political nerd. It’s the same with pro football or NBA betting, right? 

Simulate the Electoral College First

We recommend using an Electoral College math simulator to figure out the election results. You can predict the outcome of the big swing states, and understand how the numbers stack up. For example, it’s hard to see how Harris wins in 2024 if she loses Pennsylvania.

Likewise, if Trump loses Georgia then that could spell disaster.

Track Odds Movement

The Electoral College odds are moving all the time. Each state has its own political dramas unfolding as we inch toward the election, while Trump and Harris are campaigning hard too.

We recommend tracking the odds before you bet. See if the Electoral College vote bands are moving in Harris’ or Trump’s favor. Keep an eye on whether swing states are trending toward a candidate or away.

Finally, compare odds movement to the polls and see if they match up. If trends are emerging then it’s time to jump on the odds fast!

Betting on the Electoral College in 2024

You should now have plenty of information to formulate some winning Electoral College bets. You know about the best wagers available currently, how the Electoral College works, and I even gave you some helpful tips.

There are a number of ways to bet on what comes next, and several sites are currently hosting odds. I’d argue there are two preferred destinations, though, with one really standing out above the rest.

BetOnline is a really strong option, but Bovada goes deeper, with Electoral College bets on every state, Harris and Trump props, and much more.

So, what are you waiting for? Now you know how to bet on the Electoral College, it’s time to get started on your political betting journey today!

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Kevin
Roberts
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Kevin Roberts, previously published under the pseudonym Noah Davis, is one of the more diverse writers at GamblingSites.com. Like many of his colleagues, he's a huge fan of both football and basketball. But he also writes about box office records, TV show prop bets, DFS, and all kinds of other subjects. When it comes to the NFL, Kevin's favorite team is the Green Bay Packers. He enjoys cheering them on with his wife and daughter.
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