The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-03
BETTING ON OTHER ELECTIONS.
New York Worldly


The present political campaign has not
been marked by the heavy betting which
has been IL feature of the fights for Presi-
dent in years past. This may be account
ed for in the fact that opinion rs to which
candidate will be elected is not so divided
as before.
a glance ut the betting of former years
shows that the favorite of those who had
money to back their opinions was not al
ways the winner. In 1881 Mr.. Blaine was
the favoritc among those who had money
to put up.
There were three candidates, and one of
them, the late General Benjamin f. But
Ter, did not appear in the betting ut all.
The other candidate was Mr. Cleveland.
In that campaign some heavy betting
was done in Wall street. Many bets were
made of $4,000 to So, 900 that Blaine
would he elected; 81 900 to 81, 800 was bet
the same way. Smaller bets of 800 to
$50 and 800 to $40 that Blaine would get
Il majority Of the votes in the electoral
college were made on all sides.
There was some side betting, such us
500 to 800 that Cleveland would carry
New York State, and 800 to 800 that
Blaine would carry Indiana. Indiana
was considered doubtful at the time.
Other bets were made of 500 to $50 that
Blaine would carry Connecticut, and 500
to so that Cleveland would carry New
Jersey.
The campaign of 1884 was IL hot one so
far as the betting was concerned Mr.
Cleveland was elected President.
In 1883 when Cleveland and Harrison
were the candidates, Cleveland was the
favoritc, though rot to such an extent as
| was Mr.. Blaine four years before Many
bets were made OF 50, 600 to $4,000 that
| Cleveland would be elected. Stock bro
| kers took an active interest, and many
| bets of $1,000 to 81 900 on Cleveland were
! made by members of the stock exchange.
Several bets of Sc, 600 to 50, 400 Oh Cleve.
| land were recorded.
OF the side bets there was one Of 81, 800
! to 81 200 that Indiana and New Jersey
| would go for Cleveland, and 81, 500-ey Ell
| that Harrison would carry Indiana, and II
| few smaller bets of $500 even that Cleve-
| land would carry Buffalo. In that cam
| paiGn the Democratic managers did not
| think that Cleveland would carry Eric
| county. Mr. Harrison was elected Pres
| ident
| The last Presidential campaign-that
of 1S92-was the hottest known so far ms
regards the betting. The candidates were
| Harrison and Cleveland, and Mr.. Cleve-
| land had the better of it in this section
| The majority of bets were for even
amounts, and ranged from $1,000 up tc
| $4,000. Many thousands of dollars were
| placed in even bets on the Stock En-
| change.
| About the best odds that could he had
| on Cleveland in the early part of il were
| $4,000 to $4,000 on the general result
Other bets of 81 $50 to 81 800 on Cleve
land We're recorded. Late in the cam
paign and on the eve of the election bets
of $40, 900 to 5000 and of 800 to $50 Oh
! Cleveland were offered with no takers.
| Billy Edwards, famous as II stake
holder, held more than 100000 Then
the management of the Hoffman Hous,
ordered him to hold no more bets. Tn,
vigor to which the betting was gone into
may be Judged from the fact that one mar
placed with Il. w. Myers & Co. so, O0(
| to be bet on Harrison.
| AS concluding bet, and Il suuclcher
Pat Duffy, of New Orleans, offered to bet
| $50, 900 to $50, 900 that Cleveland would
be elected. At the same time there were
small bets of 800 to 800 on Harrison.
| OF the side bets there were many OF
81 600 to $500 and 81 900 to 800 that
| Cleveland would carry this State.
The largest bet offered was that made
by representative of Mike Dwyer III,
| offered to bet $4,000 even that Cleveland
would be elected He could find NJ
| takers