Gamblers can make all kinds of bets during tonight’s debate

Which presidential candidate will have the longest response to the first question? Which of the candidates’ wives will be mentioned first and who will take the first sip of water on CNN’s debate stage?

These are just some of the prop bets offered by entrepreneurial oddsmakers ahead of tonight’s long-awaited showdown between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

The site BetOnline is accepting wagers on everything from the number of times Russian President Vladimir Putin gets mentioned to whether anyone — candidates or moderators — brings up Taylor Swift.

FILE - This combination of photos taken in Columbia, S.C. shows former President Donald Trump, left, on Feb. 24, 2024, and President Joe Biden on Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP

Other prop bets include the number of times Biden says “folks” and the number of times Trump uses the words “stolen” or “rigged.”

Wagers are also being placed on the number of “non-facts” uttered by either candidate in the televised debate.

Similar prop bets were offered by the website last year when Trump turned himself into the Fulton County Jail on charges stemming from his alleged attempts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.

At the time, wagers were placed on things such as whether the former president would be wearing a “MAGA” hat in his mugshot or whether he would smile for the booking photo.

For tonight’s debate, bettors can place money on which candidate they think will win, according to polls. They can also wager on the number of people expected to tune in, according to Nielsen Ratings. The over/under for that bet is 80.5 million viewers.