- Betting odds narrowly favor former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris heading into their first debate
- Trump retook the betting lead this week, pulling ahead of Harris for the first time since mid-August
- The presidential debate could swing the odds significantly, similar to how the first 2024 debate impacted the odds after President Biden’s performance
The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is set for Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Betting odds narrowly favor Trump going into the debate after he retook the lead this week.
Current Betting Odds
Trump leads Harris at UK oddsmaker Betfair Exchange, standing at -108 to Harris’ +114 as of Tuesday morning. Harris previously held a narrow lead over Trump, which was the smallest lead for a Democratic nominee in recent history.
Swings After Previous First Debates
The first debates have significantly impacted betting odds in recent elections. After the first Trump-Biden debate in 2024, Biden’s odds ballooned from +200 before to +420 the next day. In 2020, Biden extended his pre-debate lead over Trump after their first debate.
Odds Timeline and Current Odds
Here is a timeline of odds for context. As of Tuesday morning, Bet365 has Trump at -138 and Harris at +110. Bovada has Trump at -115 and Harris at -105. BetOnline has Trump at -125 and Harris at +105.
Accuracy of Betting Odds
The betting favorite has only lost twice since 1866. Hillary Clinton was the favorite in 2016 but lost in one of those two upsets.
How to Watch the Debate
The first Trump-Harris debate will be broadcast on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. EDT. It can be streamed on the USA Today channel.
