2024 is a pivotal year in the political sphere, and not just for the Presidential election. While that gets the most press, there are also 34 US Senate seats up for grabs. While the DNC has the current majority, plenty of political prop bets are available about whether or not the Democrats will maintain control of the upper chamber, and you can wager on many of these at offshore political betting sites.
Of course, to make sound bets and boost your bankroll before Uncle Sam takes his cut, you'll need to be as informed as possible about the current US Senate betting odds and the political climate and contested seats that are most likely to flip. Not every sportsbook will have lines on all the Senate races, but the closest contests should all get attention, and our short guide to betting on Senate elections will give you everything you need to make safe, legal wagers in the political betting market.
Best Sportsbook Sites With Senate Betting Odds
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Is Betting On Senate Races Legal In The USA?
USA political gambling is legal, but only at the best betting sites located offshore. No domestic sportsbook in any state that has legalized sports wagering offers political betting, and it is unlikely that the majority ever will.
Some states specifically ban the practice, while others are content to follow the "Las Vegas tradition" and simply don't support the election odds market. There are no federal laws barring political betting in the United States.
When Is The Next Senate Election?
The next Senate elections will occur on November 5, 2024. 34 of the 100 total Senate seats will be up for grabs. Odds for elections are often available even before candidates are known, with probabilities for party wins instead.
Current US Senate Leadership
- Majority Leader: Chuck Schumer (D)
- Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R)
2024 Senate Election Landscape
Currently, there are 48 Democrats, 3 Independents, and 49 Republicans in the US Senate. To take the controlling majority, the Republican Party would need to gain two seats and defend all its current seats.
Key factors to consider when evaluating the likelihood of a Democrat or Republican winning a particular state include the following:
- 2024 Senate election polls
- The incumbent Senator and any associated scandals
- Incumbent reelection rates
- Support for the sitting President
- The constituencies in each state
- The rural/urban makeup of each state
- The issues important to each state
The President's public opinion is one of the best gauges to determine whether or not a state will vote for Democratic or Republican Senators. Polling is also less helpful than it used to be. In a happy coincidence, some of the best Senate election polls are the betting odds you'll find online.
The reason why is simple: With political betting, US residents are putting their money on the line. They're "voting" with their heads, not their hearts. And that means you can – as they often say in politics – follow the money.
Another thing to consider is the incumbent rate of reelection in the Senate. Historically, this hovers around 85%, and that's the chief reason that sportsbooks won't offer Senate 2024 odds for every race on the docket. Some are foregone conclusions, and books aren't trying to lose money on Senator bets (and neither should you!).
US Senate Betting Apps
Each of the sites we link to here is not limited to activity on personal computers. Wagers can be placed on Senate odds using any modern Apple smartphone or Android device with a cell or Wi-Fi connection.
Just click any link here using a mobile browser, and you can bet on Senate races or elections that are happening around the country. No domestic books offer election odds of any kind so be sure to source your Senate bets using the gambling apps that are listed in this guide.
Senate Seats Up For Election In 2024
Democrats
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
- Laphonza Butler (D-CA)
- Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
- Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
- Thomas Carper (D-DE)
- Robert Casey (D-PA)
- Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
- Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
- Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
- Tim Kaine (D-VA)
- Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Chstiropher Murphy (D-CT)
- Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
- Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
- Jon Tester (D-MT)
- Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Republicans
- John Barrasso (R-WY)
- Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
- Mike Braun (R-IN)
- Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
- Ted Cruz (R-TX)
- Deb Fischer (R-NE)
- Josh Hawley (R-MO)
- Mitt Romney (R-UT)
- Rick Scott (R-FL)
- Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Independents
- Angus King (I-ME)
- Joe Manchin (I-WV)
- Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
- Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
Current Senate Odds For 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the function of the Senate?
The function of the Senate is to write and vote on new bills that could potentially turn into laws. The Senate, along with the House of Representatives, acts as part of the "checks and balances" system to ensure that no branch of the federal government overpowers another.
The Senate also serves as the court in any Presidential impeachment trial, as we saw in 2019-2020 during Trump's impeachment proceedings.
2. How are Senators elected?
When it comes to who elects Senators, the answer is simple: the people! The voters in each state elect their Senate representatives, and they have been doing so since 1913 when the direct election of Senators was established in its current format.
These are popular votes not bound by districts, which is how Senate elections differ from House elections. For bettors, this makes picking the winning Senator a tricky proposition, as it's harder to meter statewide support than it is to limit your research to districts as when betting on the US House.
3. How many Senators are elected from each state?
Two Senators are elected from each state, for a total of 100 sitting Senators in Washington, DC.
4. How often are Senators elected?
When are Senate elections held? Every two years. But since each Senator serves a six-year term, these Senate elections are staggered. Typically, when there are no vacancies or special elections, you can expect 33-34 seats to be contested during each Senate election cycle.
There are 35 Senators up for election in 2020, though you're only likely to find comprehensive odds on about a third of these races.
5. How long do we elect each Senator?
Each Senator holds office for six years.
6. How many times may a Senator be re-elected?
There are no Senate term limits, so a US Senator can hold office for as long as the voters put them there. This is probably the chief thing to consider when betting on Senate elections. When it comes to election odds, Senate seats are almost always a tough sell for sportsbooks, as they are often uncontested or viewed as safe and secure.
The Senate retention rate for incumbents hovers around 85%, which means that oddsmakers are only going to be interested in the handful of particularly close races in battleground states.
7. Why is placing bets on offshore sportsbooks legal?
Betting at licensed offshore sportsbooks is legal because there are no federal laws prohibiting access, and unless a state specifically has laws prohibiting domestic access (like Connecticut and Washington), you can safely sign up and wager at any of the top election betting sites listed here.