Speculation about President Joe Biden’s future as the Democratic nominee for U.S. president is seemingly everywhere: cable television, podcasts, social media, and – perhaps unexpectedly – overseas sports betting websites.
After the first 2024 presidential debate, many of these websites offered wagers about whether Biden would stay in the race.
As scholars of political communication and sports media, we study how online betting platforms usually associated with sports frame U.S. presidential elections.
In our study of the 2020 and 2024 elections, we have found that the bets are more than just ways for people to play with or profit from politics. The bets also highlight distinct aspects of the electoral process and reflect people’s understanding of those elections.
