Primary special: Markey wins, Trump closes betting gap

Meanwhile, in the overcard, former boxing promoter Donald Trump wants to be reelected in the worst way possible—and it seems to be working. At least in the betting markets. A $100 wager at BetShark that Trump wins in November nets you $105 if he succeeds. Those are Trump’s best odds since June 22, giving him a 45% probability. Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as running mate has backfired with the punters, dropping him from -155 to -135, a decline further exacerbated by the virtual Democratic National Convention (-130) and a subsequent fusillade of incendiary rhetoric from Trump (-120). “We had one player place a $29,000 wager on Trump on the third night of the [DNC], with that same bettor coming back the next night to add another $14,000 on The Donald,” reported BetOnline‘s Dave Mason. Good news for Biden: He holds strong betting leads in four swing states. Bad news: He’s running behind where quintessential loser Hillary Clinton did in 2016. Right now, BetOnline offers a 10-point spread on the race and Betfair gives Biden a 49.5% probability to win, down from 61%. Over the year, Biden’s odds have tended to improve and Trump’s to worsen but it’s looking like a squeaker at the moment.