Election betting odds against voters who like to gamble

It’s hard to beat the bookies, but if you have megabucks to put on a dead cert, or like a little flutter on an outsider, Election 2016 presents a few opportunities in the Cork constituencies.

Unless they control a small fortune, most punters will not be putting their hard-earned euro on some politicians offered at very unsporting odds, for it’s the bookies who would be the winners.

For example, if a person on the average industrial weekly wage gambled their entire €820 pay packet with Paddy Power on Sinn Féin’s Jonathan O’Brien, in Cork North Central, their return would be the price of about two pints. Sure-bet O’Brien is being quoted at 80/1 on — in other words, a one euro win for every €80 bet. The odds on O’Brien, however, are slightly better with Boyle Sports, at 1/33, or 33-1 on.