Trump’s COVID Diagnosis Leads to Reelection Odds Vanishing
- US President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 in the wee hours of Friday morning
- Since that announcement, sportsbooks have taken the 2020 election odds off the board
- Trump was a +129 underdog to win a second term in the White House prior to odds being taken down
Earlier this week, Donald Trump’s odds to win reelection as US President cratered. Now they’ve completely vanished.
Following the announcement Thursday that Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, every top online sportsbook has taken their 2020 election odds off the board.
In the most recent betting line, which immediately followed his disastrous performance in Tuesday’s first Presidential debate, Trump was a +129 underdog to win a second term in the Oval Office. Those were his longest odds since early in 2019.
2020 US Presidential Election Odds
| Candidate | Sept. 30 Odds | Oct. 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | +129 | OFF |
| Joe Biden | -148 | OFF |
Odds taken September 30th.
Democrat challenger Joe Biden was a -148 favorite to win the Presidency.
More Upheaval for USA
A divided country already in turmoil, COVID-19 became a political football to the nation. Trump downplayed and ignored the dangers of the virus from the outset.
He suggested it was the latest Democrat hoax. He vowed that it would just go away, insisted that it would vanish by Easter once the weather turned warmer.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Trump mocked mask wearing. He refused to do it in public and didn’t mandate it at any of his campaign events. He ignored the pleas of the country’s top health experts regarding the serious of this pandemic.
Today, over 208,000 Americans are dead. Now, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are among the 7.31 million Americans who’ve contracted the virus.
What Happens Next?
Already, the stock market has taken a nosedive since word spread that Trump was positive for COVID-19. There were reports of panic inside the White House, as staffers worried about how many others in the Trump administration would also fall ill from the virus.
A spokesperson for Vice-President Mike Pence confirmed Friday that both he and his wife had tested negative for COVID-19. If both Trump and Pence were to become incapacitated, under the Presidential Succession Act designates that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, would take over as President.
JUST IN: VP Pence and the Second Lady have tested negative for Covid-19 this morning, a spokesperson says.
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2020
Under COVID-19 guidelines, Trump must quarantine for 14 days. With a month to go in an election race where he was trailing badly in both the odds and the polls, that’s two weeks where Trump can’t campaign.
Trump was given a 47% probability of winning reelection prior to the odds being taken down.
Trump, 74, falls into the high-risk category among COVID-19 patients. White House physician Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley issued a statement that Trump was doing well, but did not indicate whether the President was exhibiting any symptoms of the virus.
The Final Dagger for Trump’s Reelection?
The White House sought to keep its COVID-19 outbreak under wraps. Hope Hicks, a member of Trump’s staff, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The only reason this diagnosis came to light was through media reports.
As someone who was hospitalised twice for COVID. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
But this must be highlighted.
Just two nights ago, Trump mocking Joe Biden for wearing a mask. He has now tested positive for COVID.
Wear your masks people!#TrumpHasCovid pic.twitter.com/NbGDMVBTjY
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) October 2, 2020
Biden, who debated against Trump in close quarters on Tuesday, was to be tested for COVID-19 early Friday. Several of Trump’s staff and family, including his wife, attended the debate and refused to wear masks.
Is there any chance that his diagnosis may gain Trump some sympathy votes? It’s more likely that people will view it as just desserts for his recklessness.
A bigger deal needs to be made about the fact Trump’s family violated the protocol for Tuesday’s debate & didn’t wear masks potentially exposing everyone in attendance to Covid
Their recklessness & selfishness is inexcusable
Who DID wear a mask?
Jill Biden #TrumpHasCovid pic.twitter.com/6sfRS8CbZH— JAM (@Eviljohna) October 2, 2020
His flagrant disregard for the greatest threat to America of this generation has come knocking at his own front door, emphasizing how poorly he’s protected the people he’s supposed to be leading.
His chances for reelection were sinking. Today, much like the betting odds, they’ve probably disappeared.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
