Best Political Betting Sites & Election Betting Apps in April 2024

Top political betting betting sites in Canada

How to choose the right political betting site

Not all election betting sites are created equal. Some have more markets than others, and you'll find slightly varied odds at all the books on our list. When it comes to picking your favourite political betting site, here are the most important factors to consider:

Reputation and trustworthiness

You’re putting your hard-earned money and personal information on the line when using any betting site, so you need to have complete trust in the one you’ve chosen. The best political betting sites have built up and, more importantly, maintained a stellar reputation with their customers.

Licensing and regulation

We only use and recommend political betting sites that are fully licensed and regulated by a reputable regulatory body. Before depositing any money into a betting site, ensure they are properly licensed and regulated so you know they are safe, legitimate, and have some regulatory oversight.

Variety of betting options

Not all political betting sites offer the same markets. The betting options offered from site to site can vary considerably. The best political betting sites offer several betting options. Be sure to review what bets they have available when choosing your preferred betting site.

Competitive odds

Finding competitive odds can dramatically impact how much money ends up in your bankroll when you make winning bets. Creating accounts at multiple political betting sites can be advantageous, as it helps you shop around to find the best and most profitable odds for a wider range of markets.

User-friendly interface

Using a political betting site should be easy. It should take only a few minutes (at most) to make a deposit, place a bet, and request a withdrawal if it wins. A difficult-to-navigate interface or painfully slow withdrawal time can quickly ruin your betting experience.

Payment options and security

The best political betting sites offer several safe and quick deposit and withdrawal options. Those options should be quick whether you’re moving money in or out of your account. Security should also be a top priority for the best political betting sites. Your data and funds should be safe and protected by the top security measures available.

Obviously, fastest payout sportsbooks get our best ratings in this category. 

Customer support

If you run into any issues with your account or have a question about using a political betting site, customer support should be easy to access and provide timely assistance. The best election betting sites have several ways to access customer support, such as live chat, phone, and email. On top of that, some of these methods are available 24/7.

Bonuses and promotions

Generous welcome or sign-up bonuses from political betting sites can get you started with a nice bankroll boost. However, the total dollar amount isn’t the only thing to look at when grading bonuses. Playthrough requirements and other terms and conditions are also important to research. You should also look for ongoing bonuses and promotions for existing customers to see how well loyal players are rewarded.

How to sign up for a political betting site

After you’ve read through our list of the best political betting sites and narrowed down which is the right one for you, registering and making your first deposit is easy. Just follow this simple step-by-step guide to get started.

1. Choose a political betting site

Any of the sites we recommended above are great choices. If you want to go with a different site, just make sure you've carefully evaluated it using the same factors we do.

2. Register your account

To begin the registration process, you’ll need to provide some standard personal information such as full name, date of birth, mailing address, and email address. 

This personal information may need to be verified to authenticate your identity, your age and where you live. This verification process can usually be completed with a government-issued identification. 

3. Deposit

After your information has been verified, you can make your first deposit into your account. Choose your preferred deposit option and enter the necessary financial information. Most deposit methods take only a few seconds to complete. Once the money is in your account, you can place your first bet.

4. Collect your welcome bonus

When registering and making your first deposit, make sure you accept any welcome bonuses that you are eligible for. Some political betting sites make their bonuses available during registration (before you deposit). Make sure you watch for them throughout the process.

5. Make your first bet and cash out

Now that your account is created and properly funded, navigate to the political betting market section. Find the election race you want to wager on, confirm the odds, and add it to your bet slip. Then, confirm your bet to make it official.

If you're right, you'll be able to cash out your winnings immediately. Navigate back to the 'Banking' or 'Cashier' section of your betting site to find the 'Withdraw' option. Follow the steps to send your profits back to yourself. 

How we rate and review political betting sites

At SBR, we rate and rank political betting sites by reviewing many factors that are important to bettors. We only recommend political betting sites that live up to our high standards and offer a safe and enjoyable betting experience. Before assigning a political betting site a rating of any kind, we thoroughly review bonuses and promotions, banking options and payout speeds, security and trust, customer support, and website or app ease of use.

We put every political betting site to the test by experiencing first-hand what they have to offer by creating an account, making a deposit, placing bets, and requesting a withdrawal. We're not going to recommend any site to our readers unless we're willing to use it ourselves first so we can judge how good (or bad) the experience is.

Legal aspects of political betting in the U.S. and Canada

The best political betting sites offer odds on elections and political events from around the world. However, is it actually legal to bet on politics and election results in the United States or Canada?

In the U.S., the answer is no. Under current laws in every state with a form of legalized betting, wagering on politics and election outcomes is prohibited. If you want to bet on who will be the next U.S. President, you will not be able to place that bet at legal sportsbooks anywhere in the U.S.

Things are a bit different North of the border. Political betting is perfectly legal in Canada.

We didn't see any markets on who might eventually replace Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister, but only because the next Canadian election is still more than a year away. We did, however, find lots of international political markets in Canada, including many options for the U.S. and U.K. political spheres.

U.S. political betting events

It’s an election year in the United States. Americans will go to the polls in November to choose the next President of the United States. Bettors will also be placing wagers on this important election, which appears to be another showdown between incumbent Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. 

The American Presidential Election may be the most popular wager on election betting sites, but it’s far from the only one. Bettors can also regularly bet on the primaries leading up to the election, as well as elections in Congress and the Senate and elections from around the world.

2024 Primary Election betting 

This year, Presidential primaries began on January 15 and will run into the summer before each party’s National Convention. With Donald Trump easily winning most of the primaries so far, his Republican challengers all dropping out of the race, and incumbent Joe Biden looking like the Democratic candidate, your chances of betting on these primaries are likely gone. 

2024 Presidential Election betting

The 2024 U.S. Presidential election will take place on November 5. It will most likely be a rematch between Biden and Trump. 

Biden took the first round in 2020 to win his first term in the White House, but the current odds are not in his favour. There is still plenty of time for campaigning and debates before election day. (Not to mention Trump's ongoing criminal trials and lawsuits.) So don’t be surprised if the odds swing left and right before the ballots are cast. Remember that Hillary Clinton was an overwhelming betting favourite in 2016 before Trump ended up in the Oval Office. 

2024 Congressional Election betting

On November 5, Americans will also go to the polls to elect members of Congress. Four years ago, in 2020, the Republicans took control of the House, winning 222 seats for a slim majority. Not only can you vote on who will control Congress, but many political betting sites will also offer up odds on several high-profile congressional races. 

Canada political betting events

Oh, Canada! Canadian elections look much different than those in the U.S., both provincially and federally. However, they still receive plenty of attention from bettors and political betting sites. The last Canadian federal election was in 2021, so unless the Liberals lose a non-confidence vote or decide to head to the polls early, the next federal election will likely be in 2025. 

2025 Canada Election betting 

During the last Canadian election in 2021, the Liberals held onto power. Still, they failed to gain enough seats to claim a majority in Parliament, resulting in a somewhat-less-effective minority government. 

The latest the next Canadian election could be held is in the Fall of 2025. According to recent polls and sportsbook odds, Trudeau and the Liberal Party’s days of governing in Canada could be numbered if nothing changes before the next election. 

Provincial Election betting

Provincial elections in Canada have begun drawing considerable interest from bettors and political betting sites in recent years. The most recent provincial election in Manitoba had a somewhat surprising outcome that could have been profitable for bettors picking the underdog. 

Saskatchewan is the next province expected to have an election sometime later in 2024. Watch for odds when the writ is officially dropped. Typical betting markets are about which party will form the provincial government or who will take over as Premier (if party leadership is unclear or in a state of transition).

U.K. political betting events

Not long ago, it seemed like there was a new Prime Minister every few minutes in the U.K. Betting on British general elections remains popular at political betting sites, as do referendum votes, like the Brexit and Scottish independence votes, for example.

The British Royal Family may not exactly fall into the political realm anymore, but they do enter the betting sphere from time to time. 

Types of political bets

The most popular type of political bet is simply wagering on the outcome of an election. However, there are several different types of bets offered by political betting sites. Here is a rundown of the most popular and how they work.

Moneyline

Once the candidates in an election are determined, political betting sites will often set moneyline odds for who will win. These odds could be for something as lofty as the White House or lesser (but still important) positions like Congress, the Senate, or a mayoral race. For example, current President Joe Biden has roughly -110 moneyline odds of winning a second term.

Over/under (totals)

Total bets allow a bettor to wager on the over/under of a number set by a political betting site. For example, you may see odds on the number of seats a party gets in Parliament or Congress for example. A political betting site could set the Republican total at 221, and you decide whether to bet on the outcome being over or under that number. 

Prop bets

There are often several prop bets that are connected to an election result, or they could even be unrelated to the actual election. A few prop bet examples include the Vice President running mate, the next leader of a party, or how much the stock market will rise or fall on election day.

Futures bets

If you’re betting on who will win the next presidential election, you’re making a futures bet. As the name suggests, a futures bet is when you wager on a future outcome. Typically, the more choices that are available, the better the odds listed for the futures bet. These bets could take weeks, months, or even years to settle. 

Exotic bets

Exotic bets often focus on a candidate’s behaviour during an election. There have been many exotic bets offered by political betting sites on Donald Trump, due to his reputation for erratic behaviour. For example, you may find over/under odds on how many times Trump will use the phrase “fake news” at a specific campaign rally or debate. 

Political betting tips

Unlike sports betting, political betting doesn't usually have a long list of trends or analytical data to study. There's certainly no such thing as an injury report or weather scouting. 

However, there are a few things you can study and pay attention to that can improve your chances of making successful political bets.

Know the numbers

First, before you place any bets, make sure you have a good understanding of how odds work. If you’re a sports bettor, you’re likely already familiar with how odds are written out and what they mean. If you’re more of a beginner bettor, here’s how decimal and American odds work at political betting sites:

Decimal odds

High decimal odds mean the outcome of that bet is less likely to happen. Lower decimal odds indicate a greater chance of it happening. To calculate decimal odds, simply multiply your wager by the decimal odds. For example, if you were to wager $100 on 1.50 odds the potential payout is $150.

American odds

American odds follow roughly the same rules. Positive odds (i.e., +200) are considered underdogs, while negative odds (i.e., -175) are considered favourites. The number you see equates to $100 bet amounts, so if you bet $100 at +200 and win, you get back $300 total (your original stake plus your winnings).

For favourites, you need to bet the odds number to win $100, so if you wagered $175 at -175, you'd see a total return of $275. These numbers scale up and down based on the amount of your bet, so even a $5 bet returns the same ratio of winnings. 

Shop around for the best price

It’s often more lucrative to use multiple political betting sites. That’s why we’ve listed our top five choices. By having accounts at multiple sites, you can shop around for the best odds on your preferred bet. 

Different sites may also give you access to more betting markets. One political betting site may only post odds on presidential elections, for example, while others may offer odds on additional elections or a larger selection of props and futures.

Stay current

If you’re making frequent political bets, it pays to keep up on the news. Keep an eye on what’s happening in Washington D.C., Ottawa, or London, England, if you’re betting on Presidential and Prime Minister elections. 

How will the economy factor into an election? What are the most recent polls saying? Also, don’t get all your political news from one source. Reading or watching the news from different media outlets will give you a better view of what’s happening on both sides of the political spectrum.

Don’t forget about political biases, and don’t let them impact your betting habits. You shouldn't let your sporting allegiances affect your sports betting picks, so don't let your political biases sway your election picks, either. 

Bet with your head and not your political heart. The squares you check at the ballot box don't always have to match the box you check on your bet slip.

Latest odds on election betting

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election will attract the most betting attention, even though it's unavailable to American bettors entirely. Interested Canadians (and bettors in various other countries) will be watching the Biden vs. Trump II showdown carefully. 

Odds for 2024 Presidential candidates

At Betway, Donald Trump is currently the favorite to win the 2024 Presidential election with 1.80 odds (-125). That’s slightly ahead of incumbent President Joe Biden, who’s listed at 2.35 (+135). Here is the full list of odds for the 2024 Presidential candidates at Betway.

Political betting sites quick facts

Here's a quick breakdown of the important details you need to know when it comes to the best political betting sites:

Political betting sites and responsible gambling

No matter what you’re betting on, whether it’s sports, politics, or casino games, it’s important to play responsibly. Risk is always present in all forms of gambling. Even something that looks like a guaranteed win could turn out to be a loss. 

Some of the signs of problem gambling include being unable to stop gambling, chasing wins to overcome past losses, neglecting your responsibilities in favour of gambling, mood swings, and constantly claiming you can stop anytime. 

If you (or a loved one) are showing signs of problem gambling, there are many resources available to you that can help. Speak to your doctor or health care provider, or check out any of these free resources:

• ResponsibleGambling.Org - A resource to connect you with various counsellors and tools to help.
• CAMH - The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Canada's largest mental health and addiction organization.