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Where and How to Bet on the Presidential Election

  • Government

More money will be wagered on the 2024 Presidential election than the Super Bowl. But just where and how do you bet on the US Presidential election today?

There are currently 4 sites that offer legal, regulated online election betting in the United States: Kalshi, Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, and PredictIt. You can wager cash or crypto to bet on the Presidential election in all 50 US states. 

In this post, we'll tell you where to bet on the election, how to sign up, what you can bet on, and why Presidential election betting is legal this year.

Sign up for Kalshi here to get started betting on the election.


Best US Presidential Election Betting Sites

Here are the 4 sites where you can legally bet on the 2024 Presidential election:

  • Kalshi -- BET HERE
  • Robinhood 
  • Interactive Brokers
  • PredictIt


Betting on politics dates back centuries, but Americans can do so legally for the first time in 100 years.



There are a few different sites where you can make election bets - including now Robinhood -  but one stands above the rest for betting on the Presidential election this year: Kalshi (sign up and get a $20 bonus here).


Kalshi

Why do we like Kalshi? In short, it is our choice for:

  • Best election betting app
  • Best election betting markets
  • Best elections odds


UPDATE: Kalshi is the number one app in the iOS App Store on Election Day:


Sign up for Kalshi here to get started betting on the election.

Launching in July 2021, Kalshi is the first regulated prediction market exchange in the United States, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) providing regulatory oversight. 

Thanks to a federal appeals court decision, the company launched its first presidential election market on Oct. 2, 2024 — the first of its kind in nearly a century. 

The company has quickly established itself as a hegemon in the nascent prediction market industry, having already facilitated more than $100 million in election bets as it sprints to Election Day. 

Is Kalshi legit? Yes, Kalshi is legit

The company has clear rules for every market, explaining what source they use to determine the outcome. 

For example, the presidential winner will be determined by which party “is inaugurated as President for the term beginning January 20, 2025,” verifying the outcome by the Office of the Presidency.

Easy enough.

I prefer making my election bets on desktop, but if you’re a mobile user, Kalshi is by far the best election betting app. 

It’s easy to download, use, and navigate, creating an all-around excellent user experience. The Kalshi app makes it easy to trade on the go, especially if you’re trying to react quickly to any news.

Two more things to touch on as it relates to betting on the presidential election with Kalshi:


1) They have the best odds and payouts. Unlike other sites, Kalshi doesn’t charge fees for their presidential winner market, so you get the best available odds.

2) Kalshi provides a signup bonus to new users — $20 when you deposit $100.

For those reasons, we think Kalshi is the best election betting site.


Robinhood

The financial trading giant announced this week that it would accept wagers on the 2024 election. But they only offer a one-way market, meaning the contact won't resolve until January 7. This means you may have difficult trading out of your position leading up to or during vote counting (if there is a contested election). 

Kalshi offers more liquidity, and of course many more real-world betting markets besides the Presidential election than Robinhood.


Interactive Brokers

While you can bet on the election with Interactive Brokers, they don't feature other markets, signing up can throw you into a complex KYC process, and they don't have a user-friendly interface.


PredictIt

We find PredictIt to be similar to Kalshi, but with a less clean and friendly user interface. However, you can legally bet on Presidential election markets with PredictIt.


How To Sign Up

Those looking to bet on the Presidential election can do so quickly and safely. It only takes a few simple steps:

    •    Create an account with Kalshi by clicking here. No promo is necessary.

    •    Click the green “Sign up” button in the top right corner.

    •    Complete the sign-up instructions.

    •    Make your first deposit via your bank account or wire transfer.


Important note: To get the $20 bonus, you have to make a first-time deposit of $100 or more


Other requirements:


    •    Must be 18 years or older

    •    Must have a legal, U.S residential address

    •    Must have a bank account that can be linked to Kalshi


States Where You Can Bet on the Presidential Election 

As we mentioned earlier, you can bet on the US presidential election anywhere in the US: 

    •    Alabama

    •    Alaska

    •    Arizona

    •    Arkansas

    •    California

    •    Colorado

    •    Connecticut

    •    Delaware

    •    Florida

    •    Georgia

    •    Hawaii

    •    Idaho

    •    Illinois

    •    Indiana

    •    Iowa

    •    Kansas

    •    Kentucky

    •    Louisiana

    •    Maine

    •    Maryland

    •    Massachusetts

    •    Michigan

    •    Minnesota

    •    Mississippi

    •    Missouri

    •    Montana

    •    Nebraska

    •    Nevada

    •    New Hampshire

    •    New Jersey

    •    New Mexico

    •    New York

    •    North Carolina

    •    North Dakota

    •    Ohio

    •    Oklahoma

    •    Oregon

    •    Pennsylvania

    •    Rhode Island

    •    South Carolina

    •    South Dakota

    •    Tennessee

    •    Texas

    •    Utah

    •    Vermont

    •    Virginia

    •    Washington

    •    West Virginia

    •    Wisconsin

    •    Wyoming

    •    District of Columbia


Types of Bets You Can Place on the Presidential Election

kalshi screenshot election bettingKalshi election betting odds 

 

The upcoming presidential election is turning into a betting extravaganza.

Wou can wager on far more than simply the winner, though. 

For example, you can bet on who will win the popular vote, the winner of specific states, Electoral College margins, swing state props, and more.


The screenshot above is merely a snippet of the many Presidential election bets you can make. There are too many markets to list here. And new markets are being added every day.

In addition to wagering on the presidential election, you can bet on other political events, such as senate races (like PA senate race odds), cabinet nominations, policy matters, and beyond — the options are endless. 


How to Read Election Betting Odds

Now, let’s look at the Trump vs. Harris odds and prediction market prices. 

If you're a sports bettor, you're used to reading American moneyline odds (e.g., +110), spreads, and totals. 

But betting on elections in prediction markets is a bit different.

In these markets, “election odds” are represented as prices. Users can bet ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ on a candidate’s chance of winning, similar to buying or shorting a stock. 

In this case, the "stock" is a candidate or outcome, like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

To explain this further, let’s look at recent prediction market prices for both 2024 presidential candidates:


    •    Donald Trump: 60¢ 

    •    Kamala Harris: 40¢

What do these prices mean, and how do they compare to betting odds?



It’s simple: The candidate’s price indicates the cost of a “contract” and the candidate’s implied probability of winning. 

For example, if you want to bet on Trump, you will buy contracts at 60¢ each, potentially returning $1.00 each. Remember that the price implies that Trump has a 60% chance of winning, according to the market. 

If you buy 100 Trump contracts at 60¢, you'll invest $60, with a potential payout of $100—netting a $40 profit.

Converted to betting odds, Trump’s 60¢ price equals a -150 moneyline favorite.

If you want to bet on Harris, contracts cost 40¢. Betting $40 on her could win you $100, giving you a $60 profit if she wins. This translates to +150 moneyline odds.

One significant advantage of prediction markets is the ability to sell your position before the event resolves. In other words, you can cash out early. 

Say you invest $40 on Harris at 40¢, and her price surges to 60¢ by Election Day; you can sell for $60—earning a $20 profit (+50% ROI) before the winner is officially determined. 

Similarly, if you bet on Trump at 60¢ but want to reduce your risk, you can sell your position anytime.



Prediction markets offer flexibility similar to a stock market, giving you more control over your bets than ever before. 

Related: Robinhood vs. Kalshi


Current 2024 US Presidential Election Odds

While we can’t cover everything, here are some notable 2024 presidential election odds, alongside their current prices as of 2:00 p.m. on November 5 on prediction markets:


Who Will Win the Presidential Election?

    •    Donald Trump: 57% 

    •    Kamala Harris: 43% 


Who Will Win the Popular Vote?

    •    Kamala Harris: 76%

    •    Donald Trump: 24% 


Who Will Win Pennsylvania in the Presidential Election?

    •    Donald Trump: 61¢ (-156)

    •    Kamala Harris: 39¢ (+156)


Sign up for Kalshi and start betting on the election with a $20 bonus by clicking here.

author

Kyle Scott

Kyle Scott runs OnPattison.com and is also the President of parent company Access Global Media, which reaches more than half a million readers through its network of sites across the Philly area, South Jersey, and the Jersey Shore. Scott founded and ran CrossingBroad.com before selling it to publicly-traded XLMedia in 2020, where he served as SVP of North America Sports for two years. He has more than 15 years experience in sports and digital media, and online marketing. In addition, he has also written for CBS Philly and Philly Voice, and been a panelist or contributor on NBC Sports Philly, FOX 29, and SNY TV, as well as a recurring guest on 97.5 The Fanatic, 94 WIP, 106.7 The Fan and other sports talk stations.