The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-03
BETTING ON ELECTIONS
The Man who 1ysE-rs Repa~diess Of HIS
Political lenninrs May wis Surely.

This Is a bad year for the cautious man
who always makes money by betting on cleo
tons. Tho harder tho cam paign is the moro
his winnings are. and as there Inns been little
excitement and only conservative betting on
either side this fall the man who makes his
money by fluctuatinG odds will DO deprived OF
u source Of considerable income.
Elections are something like college sport
ing events: tho men bet moro according to
their feelings than their beliefs. 1t is rare.
for instance. that before a Yale Harvard boat
race the odds are tho same in New Haven and
in Cambridge. 1t may be that the Yale men
are betting three to two on :heir crew in Now
Haven. while the Harvard men are betting
five to four on tho Harvard crew in Cambridge.
Naturally. in New Haven there Is more iale
money. as the students OF the college rarely
bet against their own college. and tho supply
OF Harvard money in New Haven comes from
townsrcople. local sports. or outside sources.
Tho conditions arc similar at Harvard. with
the position reversed. A few bookmakers
have been in tho habit OF taking advantage Of
this situation annually to acquire u few thou
sand dollars by hettng on Yale in Cambridge
and Harvard in New Haven. They are able to
makca sure book no matter VII" wins. ,o..
ting men. who do not allow their political ieel-
ing TO Interfere with their desire to make
| money. have been steadily picking up inir
| income every fall through the iiuctuatnG odds
| gained on tho election bets Any man who
early in a Presidential campaign can get odds
of three to two or two to one is snfe in taking
| them irrespective Of the way he thinks tho
election will result. for he vii bo almost Ger.
| tain to hav" an Opportunity to cover ms bets
| adynntageously some time or other In the
Tihr HOFFMAN House. the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
and ali the clubs. especially the political clubs
ike Tho Manhattan and the Union League. ars
doing anything which they thought would
% sons lie
Tnion ssEEas: covering n4s their bets in such
some Of these men 90 so far as to incite po-
litical discussion so as to get better odds, IN
ways a good deal oitalk about betting: usually
| in .he form OF some statement about the ma
odds on IT,. The speaker may have no real in-
tention Of betting when ne makes me B. sta w.
ment hut Goof number o. t rnsd ns o W E b.
ID besides the recoe nzed election odds. fuetn.
At odds varying from even money to 70 to u
has also So been bet even and odds on n SAM.
day that he would carry Indiana. while nj, 1T
haS ah1 sn%S woms 5. dave
who would take the short end of all these bets;
and always take and never give odds: w9ulu
several years interest on the capital he tied
| ND for u low days in hotel safes. In TACT; 1t Is
by men who keep track OF the odds that
good part OF tho election bets are taken. ANY
Lookmaker will take odds both ways as u
matter Of business.
| insist on which is that tho oney shall be nut
M and deposited in some sta keholder hands.
There is n greater popular laNity about pny-
ing election bets than about paying poker bets
OF markers on tho horses. After the excite
ment Of tho discussion is over good many
bettors regret what they have done and try to
get out even ny the paying Of q forfeit Any
man who would sit in tn; Hoft man House a
! month before elec ion AMI had an extensive
| person al acquaintance with tho many betting
men and politicians. could get comtorta lie
living for a your by TAX ing all tie rash oilers
| promising with them when they have cooled
| down and thought it over.