When’s Trump going to condemn Putin?

When’s Trump going to condemn Putin?

Describing Putin as a “genius” last week might not have been smart We are just seven months away from the US midterms when the Republicans were expected to win back control of the House and the Senate – a political situation that would make life politically difficult for the Democrats and Biden. The campaign looks as though it will be set against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s previous very vocal support for Putin could harm…

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Petrol to rise to £2 a litre this year?

Petrol to rise to £2 a litre this year?

Smarkets have a betting market One of the smarkets betting markets that has seen a fair amount of interest this week is the above one on whether petrol will move to £2 a litre in the UK at some stage during 2020. Things seem to have shot up quite sharply over the past week probably in a reaction to the events in Ukraine and levels appear to be the highest ever. But the price of a litre is still a…

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Punters give LAB a 94% chance of winning Erdington by-election

Punters give LAB a 94% chance of winning Erdington by-election

We have given hardly any coverage to today’s Westminster by-election in Erdington simply because this appears to be an almost certain LAB hold. The GE2019 outcome featured in the Wikipedia panel above came on a day when nationally the Tories had a 12% vote lead over LAB. Things are very different nationally today and on the face of it, there appears no reason to assume anything other than a LAB hold. I have two caveats. The Tories are trying to…

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Once again Johnson surviving till 2024 is the betting favourite

Once again Johnson surviving till 2024 is the betting favourite

The anti-BoJo plotters should have moved 2 months ago For months the busiest UK political betting market has been the one above on when Johnson is going to be replaced. The Betdata.io chart tells the story of the past two months and as can be seen it was in mid-January that things looked very dark for the current occupant of number 10. All the talk then was of letters going to the chairman of the 1922 committee seeking a confidence…

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Three PB faces from tonight’s 18th birthday party

Three PB faces from tonight’s 18th birthday party

Above in the pic are Anthony Daly, Peter the Punter and Stodge -just three of the 40+ attendees at PB’s 18th birthday party. The event was hosted by Smarkets at their dockside offices and provided excellent food and drink. These events which happen so infrequently give me and all who work on the site a great boost because it is great to hear at first-hand time and time again how people love PB and the very different perspective it can…

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Off to PB’s 18th birthday party

Off to PB’s 18th birthday party

I’m just leaving to get the train to London for this evening’s 18th Birthday party which is being held at the Smarkets offices, 1 Commodity Quay, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1AZ. Really looking forward to the first PB gathering for several years. Will post later.

A poll lead for the Tories in March?

A poll lead for the Tories in March?

A new month and a new Smarkets polling bet Tonight in London at the headquarters of the Smarkets betting exchange there will be the PB 18th birthday party – the first gathering for several years. It is being hosted by Smarkets as part of a big effort by the firm to establish itself as a leading political bookmaker alongside all its other activities. What has distinguished the firm in recent months is a range of political betting markets where we…

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