Keller @ Massive: May politics be the following frontier for legalized playing in Massachusetts?

BOSTON – Betting on most sports activities occasions is now authorized in Massachusetts. However what about wagering on one among our state’s hottest spectator sports activities — politics? May that be the following frontier for legalized playing?

Technically it is nonetheless not authorized within the US. However you possibly can already wager on politics in Canada and thru abroad markets, so it is possible only a matter of time earlier than we will do it right here. And think about the abundance of fabric we now have to work with.

Normal elections in Massachusetts politics lately aren’t very aggressive. Selecting the Republican nominee to win is like betting on a 16-seed to beat a high seed within the NCAA basketball match. However social gathering primaries typically provide a aggressive discipline and wagering on these might draw considerably extra consideration to them than they’re already getting.
      
You’ve got received the New Hampshire main to work with each 4 years. Regardless of a latest push by President Biden to strip the Granite State of its first-in-the-nation place, New Hampshire state regulation says they should go first, even when which means transferring it as much as subsequent summer time. I’d set the chances at two-to-one that the media will nonetheless present up in droves; in spite of everything, they achieve this for the Iowa State Honest straw ballot. However make that three-to-one in opposition to a media turnout if NH Gov. Chris Sununu runs and renders the first meaningless due to his favorite-son standing.

Think about wagering on whether or not or not the Massachusetts Legislature can cross a funds by the constitutionally mandated June thirtieth deadline. That hasn’t occurred for the final eight years in a row, so I would set the early line at ten-to-one in opposition to.

And this is a enjoyable prop guess for you involving Gov. Maura Healey, who you would possibly know by now’s a former level guard. What number of occasions in any given speech by Healey will she draw analogies between her work and basketball? I’d set the over/underneath at three for now, however possibly she’ll get uninterested in it.
      
What are the possibilities of this fantasy turning into actuality? There was greater than $300 million wagered on the 2020 Biden-Trump showdown at only one British sportsbook, so there’s clearly plenty of cash to be made on political betting. And you understand what they are saying about cash in American politics – it talks, and all the things else walks.
      
However one query about political wagering integrity (if that is not an oxymoron) must be answered: how are you going to forestall politicians from shaving factors or outright throwing an election by doing or saying dumb issues? 

Jon Keller

Jon Keller is Political Analyst for WBZ-TV Information, and his “Keller @ Massive” stories on a variety of subjects are commonly featured throughout WBZ-TV Information at 5 and 6 p.m. Keller’s commentaries are additionally seen weekday mornings at 5:30 a.m. on WBZ This Morning.