Those with a deep interest in politics are probably enjoying this time of year, while others of us could do without all the bickering, name calling and half-truths and distortions that are out there. While some people look to the latest polls to see what the majority of Americans are thinking, others will look to the odds posted at online sportsbooks to get a feel of the political landscape.

While betting on political elections isn't allowed in the United States, meaning you can't walk into a Las Vegas sportsbook and plop down $100 on "The Donald" to become next president, nearly every online sportsbook accepts political wagers, including those involving countries other than the United States when applicable.


At Bovada, for example, you can bet on the next Prime Minister of Canada, where Thomas Mulcair and Stephen Harper are both +140 and Justin Trudeau is +250.

Odds will vary between different sportsbooks, so it's important to shop around for the best price that you can find before placing your wager. Also, be sure to check the various proposition bets, as you can find better value there than you can with a straight bet in many cases.

Sticking with Bovada, the odds on Hilary Clinton winning the presidential election as of Sept. 21 are +150. But Bovada also has a proposition bet on the gender of the next president where you can bet on a female and get +160. Not only would you get better odds on the female wager than by placing a bet on Clinton, you'd essentially get a free wager on Carly Fiorina in the unlikely event that she wins.

The Democrats are -150 to win the 2016 presidential election at Bovada, while the Republicans are +125 at Bookmaker.

Clinton is a good-sized favorite to win the Democratic nomination, as the lowest odds you will find on her is -210 at 5Dimes.

Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are both +450 at 5Dimes and then there's a huge drop to Martin O' Malley and Elizabeth Warren.

Things are more wide-open on the Republican side, as Jeb Bush is +200 at Bovada and Marco Rubio is +500. You can find +505 on Donald Trump at Bookmaker and Fiorina has made a bit of a charge and is now +850 at 5Dimes.

As we get closer to the election more bets will start to pop-up, such as odds on popular votes and electoral votes, the percentage of registered voters to partake in the election process and more.

On the Democratic side, Sanders is a bit of a wild card, as he has a loyal support base and it's a bit surprising to see Biden doing so well considering he hasn't even thrown his hat into the ring as of yet. If Sanders does well in Iowa and New Hampshire it's possible that his campaign will pick-up momentum in a hurry.

On the Republican side, Trump appears to be falling out of favor slightly, which could leave the door open for one of the other candidates, with Rubio and Bush the two most likely, but both seem to be having problems garnering support in their home state of Florida, which would definitely hurt in a national election, as the Republicans pretty much have to carry Florida and Texas to have a chance at getting their person in the White House.

Let's face it - we're going to be bombarded with political ads for the next 14 months, so we might as well find a way to make the whole process a little more interesting with a vested interest in the outcome.