Obama fever has gripped the world - and not only because he is to become the
first Black President of the United States. Each group, nation and population
are hoping that Barack Obama will be good for their own interests and are
keeping a sharp eye on his activities as he rolls up his sleeves and gets down
to work on the day following his spectacular inauguration.
Online gamblers across the United States are wondering whether Mr. President
will finally legalize and regulate this pastime in their country and do away
with the archaic Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
Fellow online gamblers across the ocean in the United Kingdom are also
holding thumbs that this will be the case, with some UK gamblers taking their
show of solidarity one step further and putting a bet on their opinion.
Willim Hill, for example, is offering odds of evens that Barack Obama will
legalize online gambling during his presidency. Odds of 8 - 11 are also being
offered that this will not be the case.
So how does William Hill define the 'legalization of online gambling'? It
seems that the UK system has become a model for the rest of the world, according
to the second largest bookmaker in the country. A William Hill spokesman said
that for a bet to win, a player from the United States would need to be able to
place a bet online in the very way his compatriots from the UK would.
"You would not get paid out if poker was made legal online but sports betting
was not," clarified Graham Sharpe, speaking for William Hill. "We would only say
online gambling was fully legalized if you could bet on sports, bingo, casino
and poker."
Other Obama-related bets are also being taken at William Hill, including the
question of whether he will be impeached during his presidency (50 - 1) and
whether his spouse, Michelle, would become President in her lifetime or not (20
- 1).
