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Bettors confident of Gonzales confirmation to Supreme Court

60% of total dollars wagered on Gonzales and Edith Brown Clement, says Sportsbook.com

Thursday 14th July 2005



Newly released numbers from Sportsbook.com reveal that bettors still see Alberto Gonzales as the overwhelming favorite to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. The increase in betting activity on potential nominees, such as Gonzales and Justice Edith Brown Clement, has also caused a shift in the posted odds for all suspected candidates.

Odds for Gonzales have shifted from 6-5 a week ago to 5-8 on July 13, while those for Edith Brown Clement have doubled from 8-1 to 4-1 over the same time period. More than 40 per cent of total dollars wagered have been on Gonzales since the odds were first posted on July 5. This figure is nearly double that of his closest challenger, Appellate Justice Edith Jones who is currently holding at 20.2 per cent.

This is a particularly significant betting trend given the recent barrage of public criticism Gonzales has faced from conservative lobby groups. Bettors still think the smart money is on Bush to nominate Gonzales despite vocal opposition from the President’s right-of-centre political base.

With Gonzales and Jones garnering the most wagers, bettors also seem fairly confident that President Bush will look to preserve the top court’s diversity by nominating a Hispanic or female justice. The top three is rounded out by another female, Justice Edith Brown Clement at 16.4 per cent of total dollars wagered.

Washington insiders generally echo these trends, with many observers agreeing that Bush is not apt to nominate someone who would spark a political war with the Democrats during the Senate’s confirmation hearings. Gonzales, Jones and Clement are all considered to be more moderate in their application of the law than several other conservative candidates said to be in the running. J. Michael Luttig, James Harvie Wilkinson III and Emilio Garza have each gained, at most, only 6.5 per cent of all bets made on Sportsbook.com.

Sportsbook.com will continue to offer odds on the Supreme Court nominee until the President announces O’Connor’s replacement.

“Betting on this nomination has continued to evolve since O’Connor announced her retirement. It is fascinating to see the betting trends reflect both public opinion and the media coverage on this issue,” says Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. “This story is becoming as mainstream as a Presidential election and it makes sense to offer our many fans the opportunity to participate in this exciting event.'

For a full list of odds and additional information please visit www.sportsbook.com.




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