Betfair figures on their biggest political markets

The betting exchange, Betfair, has just sent me some information on their top poloitical markets and, perhaps surprisingly, the most activity during 2006 was on the Italian election when Romano Prodi beat Silvano Berlusconi by the narrowest of margins.

The total amount traded on the exchange on this election was £1,790,547. In second place was the election for the Liberal Democrat leadership which saw £1,000,382 being traded.

All this is small beer compared with the biggest ever political betting event – the 2004 White House Race which on that famous November night saw huge amounts of money go first on Kerry, as the exit polls looked good and then back to Bush. The total amount traded on Betfair was £17,849,232

Looking back I think that the night of the Italian election was the best we have ever had on PBC. There was no better place in the UK to follow the event. These were the threads – one, two and three

Mike Smithson