Hmmm. A little insane on Paddy's behalf I think but Barack Obama keeps gaining momentum. Today's
Bettingzone Market News:
1230: Paddy Power are now paying out on
Barack Obama being the successful Democratic Presidential nominee for the race to the White House.
The early payout signals a £30,000 payday to punters who backed Obama over recent number weeks at odds ranging from 4/1 to 4/9.
Paddy Power's surprise decision - he's still 8/13 at
Blue Square - comes almost a week after the Iowa primary election and just a day before the New Hampshire primary election where Obama is now a massive odds-on favourite at 1/12 to demolish his Democratic rival
Hillary Clinton.
Paddy Power said: "With each passing day Obama is looking more like a certainty to get the Democratic vote and as far as we're concerned he's already past the post.
"Whilst there is a way to go yet, punters and political observers to a man have been quick to latch on to the significance of Obama winning the Iowa caucus where more than 90% of the population are white."
Obama is now odds-on favourite at 10/11 to become the first African-American President whilst Clinton has drifted to 5/2.
Hills make Obama 5/4 favourite to be named President, with Clinton 15/8 and spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "Obama's surge to the front has stopped dead the betting support for Hillary Clinton which had made her odds-on favourite as the campaign got underway.
"Punters only want to back Obama at the moment and no-one is prepared to back Hillary until she produces evidence at the Primaries that she is still a contender and not already a busted flush."
Hills make John McCain 2/1 to win the Republican nomination and also offer 9/4 Rudolph Giuliani, 10/3 Mike Huckabee, 5/1 Mitt Romney, 12/1 Ron Paul, 16/1 Fred Thompson.
McCain is 13/2 to see off the Democrats and win the race to the White House.