First Blood to Barack as European Betting Frenzy Begins

DUBLIN, January 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Senator Barack Obama has blasted the ball into the back of the net with an emphatic victory in the Iowa Democratic Caucus. While Hillary Clinton remains the Bookies favourite to become next President, the gap is beginning to narrow between the two front runners. European bookmaking firm paddypower.com have slashed the odds on Obama to become Next President from 3/1 to 2/1 while Hillary Clinton has eased in the betting from odds-on 10/11 to odds-against 11/8.

All eyes now turn to New Hampshire next Tuesday for the first of the Primaries where Hillary Clinton remains the narrow favourite at odds of 4/5 ahead of Barack Ohama at 10/11 to top the Democratic vote. In the Republican camp Senator John McCain is the man the beat in New Hampshire and has been installed as paddypower.com's red hot 8/11 favourite.

Ken Robertson, Communications Manager for paddypower.com said "We have been astounded with the volume of traffic already through our new website http://www.electionbetting.com. If betting around the Iowa caucuses is anything to go by we predict the 2008 US Presidential Election will be the biggest non-sporting betting event of all time."

    
    LATEST 2008 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BETTING
    
    New Hampshire Democratic Primary

    4/5 Hillary Clinton
    10/11 Barack Obama
    16/1 John Edwards
    33/1 Any Other Democratic candidate

    New Hampshire Republican Primary

    8/11 John McCain
    5/4 Mitt Romney
    8/1 Any Other

    Michigan Democratic Primary

    1/4 Hillary Clinton
    5/2 Barack Obama
    12/1 John Edwards
    33/1 Any other Democratic candidate

    Michigan Republican Primary

    6/4 John McCain
    15/8 Mitt Romney
    2/1 Rudy Giuliani
    9/2 Mike Huckabee
    50/1 Any other Republican candidate

    Democratic Nominee for President 2008

    4/6 Hillary Clinton
    5/4 Barack Obama
    14/1 John Edwards
    25/1 Al Gore
    100/1 Evan Bayh
    100/1 Bill Richardson
    100/1 Tom Daschle

    Republican Nominee for President 2008

    9/4 Rudolph Giuliani
    5/2 John McCain
    10/3 Mitt Romney
    7/2 Mike Huckabee
    10/1 Ron Paul
    20/1 Fred Thompson
    100/1 Sam Brownback

    Next President?

    11/8 Hillary Clinton
    2/1 Barack Obama
    6/1 Rudolph Giuliani
    13/2 John McCain
    10/1 Mitt Romney
    11/1 Mike Huckabee
    16/1 John Edwards
     22/1 Ron Pau
    331 Al Gore
    40/1 Fred Thompson
    125/1 Evan Bayh
    125/1 Bill Richardson
    125/1 Tom Daschle

    Winning Party

    2/5 Democrats
    7/4 Republicans

For all the latest in US Politics visit our dedicated microsite - http://www.electionbetting.com

For more information;

Ken Robertson, Communication Manager, Paddy Power plc

Phone : +353-1-4045-915 or +353-87-852-8718. E-mail : krobertson@paddypower.com

Paddy Power, Head of Communications, Paddy Power plc

Phone : +353-1-4049-620 or +353-87-825-0893. E-mail : ppower@paddypower.com