The White House Is Obama's to Lose Say Bookmakers

Now that he has officially clinched the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama is a -260 favorite to be next President of the United States according to the offshore odds, often referred to as the Vegas odds for US President. Republican nominee John McCain is +175.

Intrade gives Obama a 58.8 percent chance at the White House, while McCain's fading chances are at 35.3.

RealClearPolitics.com gives Obama a slimmer edge in their consensus poll as he's up by 1.4 percentage points to McCain.

Who will get the Vice Presidential nods according to the sportsbooks? Hillary Clinton is still the favorite for the Dems at 5/2, with Jim Webb a close second at 3/1. Will John Edwards get the second fiddle again? He's surprisingly just 5/1.

While Edwards isn't likely to help Democrats win over the undecided, the bipartisan Bill Richardson would. He's 8/1 while Kathleen Sebulius and Wesley Clark 10/1. The most interesting possibility Al Gore comes in at 20/1.

Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal is the unanticipated favorite for the Republican nominee at 7/2. Tim Pawlenty is 9/2. Mitt Romney, considered by many media talking heads as the likely choice, is a relative long shot at 8/1 tying him with Lindsey Graham at 8/1.

Joe Duffy, the world's top sports handicapper, but also a political handicapping guru believes Fred Thompson at 40/1 is a great long shot. "He is popular among the group McCain alienated: conservatives."