A few short weeks ago, the name Vivek Ramaswamy wasn’t on the tip of too many tongues when it came to betting on the next President of the United States of America. But after his impressive showing in the recent live TV debate between potential Republican Presidential nominations, Ramaswamy has been a big mover in the latest political betting futures markets.
It’s said that a week is a long time in politics. This is because a lot can change over a few days, and in politics, it generally does. But one person who completely busts that theory is Donald Trump.
It doesn’t seem to matter what happens to him, his popularity with his followers shows no sign of slowing down. In the latest betting to be the Republican nomination for the 2024 US Election, Trump is now -300 to get the approval of the GOP. And this is on the back of even more controversy and indictments.
Ron DeSantis is still the second favorite. But he is now out at +550. This after a poor showing in the TV debate.
The star of the show, if you can call it that, was Vivek Ramaswamy. In the days since the debate, Ramaswamy has seen his odds cut to +900. This makes him third favorite, putting him ahead of Nikki Haley, who is +1000.
| Republican Nominees |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump Snr | -300 | -300 | -300 |
| Ron DeSantis | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Vivek Ramaswamy | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Nikki Haley | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Glenn Youngkin | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Tim Scott | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Mike Pence | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Chris Christie | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
| Brian Kemp | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
As well as being a fan of Eminem, Vivek Ramaswamy is an American businessman who founded the pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences. Ramaswamy was born to immigrant Indian parents, and his net worth is estimated to be in the region of $950.
That’s not the sort of language we usually go into on a sports betting website, but when it comes to betting on politics, ethnicity, age, and background all become relevant.
As – in the case of Ramaswamy – does the reference to Eminem.
It might sound trivial to say he is a fan of the American rapper, but he is also happy to rap to Eminem’s songs. At least, he was until the rapper banned him.
But the rapping shows that Ramaswamy has character and personality, Which is exactly what Ron DeSantis has been lacking in recent weeks.
This could also make Ramaswamy more of a threat to Trump. And it could also open the door to some good long-term political betting opportunities.
In the latest betting odds to win the 2024 Presidential Election, Joe Biden is now +150 to serve a second term. Trump is at +215, and Ron DeSantis is at +900. Outside of the leading three candidates, Gavin Newsome is +1000, and there is a new name on the betting line, with Vivek Ramaswamy at +1400.
At the start of July, Biden was +170, Trump +210, and DeSantis was +600. So it appears that punters are deserting DeSantis, with Biden and Trump slightly trimmed.
But Joe Biden has a poor approval rating. So seeing his odds shorten seems strange. Okay, a cut from +170 to +150 isn’t huge, but if he’s that bad a President, why is he not drifting?
The answer to this could be, because of Donald Trump. You may need to whisper this if you’re reading out loud near a Trump rally, but not everybody likes the Don. He may be popular with his heartland, but that’s not an endorsement to be the next President.
Trump polarizes opinion, and plenty in America hate him. There’s now even a growing movement in sections of the Republican Party that want to see the back of him. And it’s not just the likes of Liz Cheney, Chris Christie, and Mike Pence that are critical.
One thing that Vivek Ramaswamy’s appearance on the TV debate has done is raise his profile. He’s confident, brash, and a good speaker, and he also has age on his side. In other words, he’s more likely to be a candidate in the longer-term future.
But if he carries on like this, he could be worth a bet in the betting to win the Republican Nomination without Trump. Here, DeSantis is the favorite at +135, with Ramasawamy at +250 and Nikki Halley at +450.
Bizarrely, Ramasawamy is also the third favorite to be the next candidate to pull out. Asa Hutchinson is the favorite at -150, with Doug Burgum at +235 and then Ramaswamy at +700.
We don’t see him pulling out anytime soon. And if he carries on making waves like this, he could be a good bet in the market to win the Republican nomination without Trump.
Check out our partner table below, where you will find the best online Las Vegas sportsbooks for political betting:
