The midterm elections are right around the corner and the polls tell us that the Republicans are likely to win a majority of seats in the House of Representatives. However, the Democrats are slight favorites to remain in control of the Senate, according to the latest odds at different betting sites.
As voters get ready for November 8th, a number of issues like abortion, the economy and immigration could determine several races around the country, including in Pennsylvania.
One of the leading betting sites, Heritage Sports, is offering odds on both the House and Senate majorities. They join a handful of companies that are offering political props, with some dealing odds on the individual House, Senate, and gubernatorial races.
Currently, Republicans are heavy favorites to win control of the House of Representatives, while the Democrats are barely ahead when it comes to the Senate. The current odds are:
- House Majority in 2022: Republicans (-585) / Democrats (+435)
- Senate Majority in 2022: Democrats (-120) / Republicans (+100)
Below we will highlight the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania. We will examine the best sportsbooks for politics and their odds on the senatorial and gubernatorial races in the Keystone State. We will also point out how to read the odds, who the candidates are, and what the differences are between the Senate and the House.
Who Will Win the Pennsylvania Midterm Elections?
Gubernatorial Election Betting Odds
The gubernatorial race is leaning heavily towards Democratic candidate, Josh Shapiro, hoping to succeed Governor Tom Wolf (D) who is restricted to run again due to term limits in the state.
Josh Shapiro is Pennsylvania’s Attorney General and was also a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2012 through 2017. His Republican opponent, Doug Mastriano, is a retired U.S. Army colonel and is looking to upset the balance of power in the state’s corner office.
The odds on the gubernatorial race at BetOnline are as follows:
- Josh Shapiro (D) -550
- Doug Mastriano (R) +325
It would be a stunning upset if a political outsider like Mastriano could gather enough support to upset the political apple cart.
Senate Election Betting Odds
The election forecast in the Keystone State’s senate race is expected to be very tight. Democrat John Fetterman is a narrow favorite over Republican challenger Mehmet Oz. The election outcome is unclear at this time but the result could have national implications and swing the Senate’s majority one way or the other.
Fetterman is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and served as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania for 13 years. Mehmet Oz gained fame as a medical expert for five years on The Oprah Winfrey Show and subsequently got his own television series.
The odds on the senatorial race at BetOnline are as follows:
- John Fetterman (D) -180
- Mehmet Oz (R) +140
Like Josh Shapiro, John Fetterman is deeply ensconced in Pennsylvania’s political landscape. However, Mehmet Oz’s tough-on-crime message has been working as polls show he is closing the gap on Fetterman and is within striking distance of pulling what was once considered an upset.
Best Sportsbooks for the Midterm Elections 2022
We have explored the online betting industry to bring comprehensive analysis of the best sportsbooks to bet on politics. It is critical to do business with a reputable sportsbook that pays all wagers, offers great customer service and has a user-friendly website.
After vetting all the sportsbooks available, the four betting sites below have come out on top.
BetOnline Election Betting Odds
BetOnline is an industry titan with over 25 years of experience and has developed a reputation for impressive sign-up and loyalty bonuses while offering not only a state-of-the-art sportsbook but poker rooms, a racebook, and even an online casino.
BetOnline has an extensive political betting menu. When it comes to the Keystone State they offer a prop bet for the 7th Congressional District election between incumbent Susan Wild (D) and Lisa Scheller (R), with Scheller currently the favorite at -140. Learn more about this sportsbook in this BetOnline review.
Bookmaker Election Bets
Bookmaker.eu is another respected sportsbook known for allowing big bets on a variety of sports. Although their political market is not as extensive as others on this list, they do have the basics and Bookmaker’s lines are often attractive as they are not necessarily in lockstep with the other major books.
What they may lack in political props they more than compensate with a vast menu of betting markets for less popular sports that allow higher betting limits. Their dashboard is easy to navigate and Bookmaker is also a trendsetter in sports betting odds, releasing their lines earlier than any other book in the industry.
Bookmaker’s odds have been quoted by the New York Times, Forbes, and several other mainstream media outlets. Many seasoned sports bettors make Bookmaker one of their foremost resources as their limits are large and they welcome recreational and professional bettors alike. Find out more in this Bookmaker.eu review.
Heritage Sports Election Betting Lines
Heritage Sports was once an invitation-only betting site but there was enough demand from recreational bettors and management decided to open its betting site to everyone.
Although the politics section of their menu for the American midterm elections is limited, we should note that they do have an excellent variety of international political props on their betting menu.
If your betting interests extend beyond politics, Heritage Sports is an excellent option to have if you want to save a few bucks on the vig you will pay on your wagers. Read more in the Heritage Sports review.
Bovada Midterm Election Betting
Bovada is unique in that it caters exclusively to the U.S. market and has one of the most popular poker rooms in the industry for American customers. As for the U.S. midterm elections, Bovada has a vast assortment of political props. If we take a look at just a few of them currently available we can see the following:
The 2022 Midterm Elections Turnout:
- To Exceed 2018 Midterm Elections: -800
- To Exceed 2020 Presidential election Turnout: +460
Bovada is equipped with a dashboard that is easy to use and navigate throughout the system. Their loyalty programs are enticing and the rollover requirements are easy to complete. Read more in this Bovada review.
Reading Midterm Election Odds
If you are unfamiliar with betting odds, you should know that they will be displayed in American format. That means one side will begin with a minus sign (favorite) and a plus sign (underdog).
For example, if we look at Bovada’s political props we can see the following:
Which Party Will Win the Pennsylvania Senate Race?
- Democrat -350
- Republican +245
If you want to bet on the Democrat party, you would have to risk $350 to win $100. For the Republican party, you could risk $100 to win $245.
Senate vs. House: What’s the difference?
There are two chambers of legislative bodies in the United States. The Senate is comprised of two senators from each state while the House of Representatives holds 435 congressmen and women. The larger the state, the more representatives it will have in the House. In Pennsylvania, voters will be deciding on a total of 17 seats for the House.
Democrats and Republicans dominate both chambers but any party can be represented as long as they are lawfully elected. The latter is nicknamed the GOP (Grand Old Party) while Democrats do not have a nickname. Senators who are elected receive six-year terms while congressional races are for House members and they serve two-year terms.
Laws are created and voted on by both chambers but the final versions must be agreed upon and will then be signed into law by the President or vetoed.
HB 271: Legal Sports Betting in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed a gaming expansion bill, HB 271, on October 30, 2017, and Hollywood Casino in Grantville took the first legal bet on sports in 2018.
There are two Native American tribes that operate online gambling facilities in the Keystone State but tribal casinos and Indian tribes are not a major part of the sports betting landscape in Pennsylvania. There are currently 16 retail and mobile operators offering sports betting apps in Pennsylvania.
Where can I find the 2022 elections odds?
The 2022 election odds can be found at offshore sites like BetOnline, Bookmaker, Bovada, and Heritage Sports. Unlike the U.S. licensed sportsbooks, offshore sportsbooks offer an entire betting menu of political proposition bets.
Do sportsbooks offer presidential election betting odds?
Yes, offshore sportsbooks like those mentioned above readily take those bets and have offerings on U.S. elections and international races.
Can U.S. Licensed Sportsbooks Offer odds on Political Events?
No. American licensed sportsbooks are limited primarily to sports. However, offshore sportsbooks can take wagers on a variety of props ranging from politics to less popular sports like rugby, table tennis and cricket.
Members of the editorial and news staff of the Daily Caller were not involved in the creation of this content.