Usually, our coverage involves the launch of new US-based sportsbooks and how they stack up to their more refined competitors overseas.
After all, offshore betting sites have been taking US customers for almost 30 years, long before the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned by the Supreme Court in May 2018.
But one thing we haven’t discussed about the differences between US-based betting venues and offshore betting sites are the expanded markets that these latter operations offer – and never has this distinction been more pronounced than in 2020.
But before we get into those reasons, for those of you not in the know, sportsbooks that legally operate outside of US legal jurisdiction (i.e. famous outlets like Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, and others) offer all the same sports betting you’re used to while also having plenty of wagering fare for non sports bettors.
And no, we’re not talking about the fact that you can play digital slots and other online casino games at these venues, nor that you can join real-money poker tournaments and bet on the ponies. We’re talking about legitimate betting markets that fall under the auspices of these sites’ sportsbooks.
The most popular of these are political betting markets, entertainment betting markets, and current events betting markets.
Domestically licensed and regulated sportsbooks in America cannot offer action in any of these popular departments, as by long-standing gambling law and convention, US books are limited to offering odds on things that happen “between the lines” – that is, on outcomes of action that takes place on the sporting surfaces in question.
While some exceptions are made for the biggest events (i.e. the Super Bowl, where broadcast props are sometimes offered), no state book currently offers comprehensive betting lines on politics, entertainment, or the various items of interest that hit the daily news wire.
If you want to bet on these markets – which are described below – you can do so at any legal international sportsbook that accepts US members.
Political Odds
Betting on politics has taken off in recent election cycles, with 2016 setting the high-water mark for obvious reasons. However, thanks to the media’s seething hatred of Donald Trump, the 1619 Riots, and the endless coronavirus lockdowns, political betting has taken off in a big way in 2020.
Indeed, to that last issue, political betting lines – for about four months earlier this year – were the only odds that sportsbooks could offer for daily action as leagues all over the world shuttered themselves against the Chinese flu.
US sportsbooks sorely wished they could have offered lines on politics during that time, because though sports were nowhere to be found, Trump and Co. were on TV generating waves – and new betting lines – on a daily basis.
Right now, if you want to bet on the Presidential election, here are a few of the typical lines you’ll find at the best international sports betting sites (via BetOnline):
Odds to Win the Presidential Election
- Joe Biden -135
- Donald Trump +105
- Kamala Harris +5000
- Hillary Clinton +10000
- Michelle Obama +10000
- Mike Pence +10000
- Elizabeth Warren +15000
- Nikki Haley +25000
Next person to be added to Mount Rushmore:
- Martin Luther King Jr. +2000
- John F. Kennedy +2500
- Franklin D. Roosevelt +3300
- Ben Franklin +4000
- Frederick Douglass +4000
- Alexander Hamilton +5000
- Barack Obama +5000
- Harriet Tubman +6600
- Rosa Parks +6600
- Andrew Jackson +8000
- Donald Trump +10000
Will Donald Trump be added to Mount Rushmore?
- No -10000
- Yes +2000
Will President Trump be banned from Twitter before 2021?
- No -2000
- Yes +700
Entertainment Odds
Betting isn’t just for sports fans. Far from it, in fact!
Over the last decade or so, entertainment betting has become a huge segment of the industry, as it’s accessible to an entire demographic of gamblers that has no interest in sports but still wishes to wager on the outcomes of the competitive and popular events they follow.
And as with political betting, entertainment odds were posted and active while sports wagers were nowhere to be found during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020.
Entertainment odds are offered on just about every major reality show currently on television, from American Idol and Dancing With The Stars to Big Brother, Survivor, and more.
You can also get entertainment odds on things like awards shows, with the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and Golden Globes getting top billing. Even popular fiction shows see plenty of sportsbook action, with last year’s Game of Thrones finale generating a massive array of props.
And, naturally, you can always bet on celebrity death pools.
The following selection of entertainment betting lines are indicative of what you can expect whenever you wager at reputable sportsbooks that operate outside of US borders (Via MyBookie):
Host For First Episode Of The 20/21 Season Of Ellen
- Ellen Degeneres -400
- James Cordon +500
- Tiffany Haddish +600
- Dakota Johnson +800
- Michelle Obama +1000
- Ru Paul +2000
2020 Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Winner
- Schitt’s Creek -140
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel +125
- Curb Your Enthusiasm +800
- The Good Place +1000
- Dead to Me +1200
- The Kominsky Method +1600
- Insecure +2000
- What We Do In The Shadows +3500
Who Will Die First?
- Charlie Sheen -200
- Magic Johnson +160
Will Bill Cosby Die In Prison?
- Hey, hey, hey! -250
- No +165
Current Events Odds
Betting on current events is often offered at online sportsbooks operating overseas. These are typically betting lines on interesting tidbits that fall outside the general “Entertainment” or “Political” categories, even though both of those do technically represent current events in and of themselves.
Most current events betting is predicated on newsworthy items that come out of the worlds of retail sales, manufacturing benchmarks, global commerce, cryptocurrency performances, and other similar markets.
Controversial billionaire Elon Musk’s various ventures – particularly his purported SapceX Mars mission – often get plenty of action on these betting boards.
The following are some common current events odds that are currently live online (via Bovada):
Who Will Be The Next Major Car Manufacturer To Accept Bitcoin?
- Ferrari -300
- Honda +550
- Nissan +550
- GM +1100
- Ford +1200
Will Ghislaine Maxwell’s Trial Take Place On July 12 2021?
- No -165
- Yes +125
Who Will Play Prince Charles In The New Princess Diana Movie “Spencer”?
- Benedict Cumberbatch -160
- Tom Hiddleston +350
- Tom Holland +675
- Tom Hardy +1600
- Timothee Chamalet +2000
- Zac Efron +2000
- Robert Pattinson +2500
As you can see, while there are numerous reasons to place all your wagers and do all your online gambling at overseas sportsbooks and casinos, these three popular, amusing markets are more than just icing on the cake.
Instead, these are rapidly growing betting categories that you just can’t find at domestic books.
If you want the biggest variety and the most convenience when it comes to betting and gambling, no matter what your game is, international betting sites that serve US customers should always be first on your odds boards.