2008 US Presidential and Congressional Elections Prediction: The Sarah Palin effect has partially evaporated, but its remains point to a close race, come Tuesday, November 4, 2008.

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#1. Explainer On Prediction Markets

Prediction markets produce dynamic, objective probabilistic predictions on the outcomes of future events by aggregating disparate pieces of information that traders bring when they agree on prices. Prediction markets are meta forecasting tools that feed on the advanced indicators (i.e., the primary sources of information). Garbage in, garbage out&#8230- Intelligence in, intelligence out&#8230-

A prediction market is a market for a contract that yields payments based on the outcome of a partially uncertain future event, such as an election. A contract pays $100 only if candidate X wins the election, and $0 otherwise. When the market price of an X contract is $60, the prediction market believes that candidate X has a 60% chance of winning the election. The price of this event derivative can be interpreted as the objective probability of the future outcome (i.e., its most statistically accurate forecast). A 60% probability means that, in a series of events each with a 60% probability, then 6 times out of 10, the favored outcome will occur- and 4 times out of 10, the unfavored outcome will occur.

Each prediction exchange organizes its own set of real-money and/or play-money markets, using either a CDA or a MSR mechanism.

More Info:

– The Best Resources On Prediction Markets = The Best External Web Links + The Best Midas Oracle Posts

– Prediction Market Science

– The Midas Oracle Explainers On Prediction Markets

– All The Midas Oracle Explainers On Prediction Markets

#2. Objective Probabilistic Predictions = Charts Of Prediction Markets

Put your mouse on your selected chart, right-click, and open the link in another browser tab to get directed to the prediction market page of your favorite exchange.

2008 US Elections

InTrade

2008 US Electoral College

2008 Electoral Map Prediction = InTrade – Electoral College Prediction Markets = Probabilistic predictions for the 2008 US presidential elections based on market data from InTrade = electoralmarkets.com

– This is a dynamic chart, which is up to date. Click on the image, and open the website in another browser tab to get the bigger version.

Tim… Who?

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Link to the InTrade prediction market.

Below, I try to hot-link to the chart, I&#8217-m not sure at this point it will work. We will see.

Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty

The New Republic profiles the next Vice President of the United States of America -Jim Webb, maybe.

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Via mister Bo Cowgill

The New Republic

Some British betting bloggers are completely out of the loop. :-D

UPDATE: Andrew Sullivan on Hillary Clinton&#8217-s exit statement. (He liked it.)

UPDATE: InTrade forum thread.

InTrade

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Republican Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

BetFair

Next Vice President:

Democratic Ticket

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Republican Vice President Nominee

NewsFutures

Barack Obama will pick a woman as running mate.

© NewsFutures


Explainer On Prediction Markets

Prediction markets produce dynamic, objective probabilistic predictions on the outcomes of future events by aggregating disparate pieces of information that traders bring when they agree on prices. Prediction markets are meta forecasting tools that feed on the advanced indicators (i.e., the primary sources of information). Garbage in, garbage out&#8230- Intelligence in, intelligence out&#8230-

A prediction market is a market for a contract that yields payments based on the outcome of a partially uncertain future event, such as an election. A contract pays $100 only if candidate X wins the election, and $0 otherwise. When the market price of an X contract is $60, the prediction market believes that candidate X has a 60% chance of winning the election. The price of this event derivative can be interpreted as the objective probability of the future outcome (i.e., its most statistically accurate forecast). A 60% probability means that, in a series of events each with a 60% probability, then 6 times out of 10, the favored outcome will occur- and 4 times out of 10, the unfavored outcome will occur.

Each prediction exchange organizes its own set of real-money and/or play-money markets, using either a CDA or a MSR mechanism.

Who will be the next US Vice President, past January 2009?

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UPDATE:

To be kept updated on the prediction markets, go to the frontpage of Midas Oracle, or click on the InTrade tag.

Here are the expired contracts about the Democratic vice presidential nominee (Joe Biden).

Here is the expired contract about the Repuiblican vice presidential nominee (Sarah Palin).

ORIGINAL POST:

Unlike Bo Cowgill, I have stong reservations about those VP prediction markets. Read this WSJ post, for more.

InTrade

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee (with Field contract)(expired at convention) at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Republican Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Republican VP Nominee (others upon request)(expired at convention) at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

BetFair

Next Vice President:

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Republican Vice President Nominee

NewsFutures

Barack Obama will pick a woman as running mate.

© NewsFutures


Explainer On Prediction Markets

Prediction markets produce dynamic, objective probabilistic predictions on the outcomes of future events by aggregating disparate pieces of information that traders bring when they agree on prices. Prediction markets are meta forecasting tools that feed on the advanced indicators (i.e., the primary sources of information). Garbage in, garbage out&#8230- Intelligence in, intelligence out&#8230-

A prediction market is a market for a contract that yields payments based on the outcome of a partially uncertain future event, such as an election. A contract pays $100 only if candidate X wins the election, and $0 otherwise. When the market price of an X contract is $60, the prediction market believes that candidate X has a 60% chance of winning the election. The price of this event derivative can be interpreted as the objective probability of the future outcome (i.e., its most statistically accurate forecast). A 60% probability means that, in a series of events each with a 60% probability, then 6 times out of 10, the favored outcome will occur- and 4 times out of 10, the unfavored outcome will occur.

Each prediction exchange organizes its own set of real-money and/or play-money markets, using either a CDA or a MSR mechanism.

75,000 people turned out to hear Barack Obama at Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

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Record Obama Crowd, the Size of a City

Oregon&#8217-s Democratic Primary

InTrade

Price for Oregon Democratic Primary. May 20th at intrade.com

BetFair

Kentucky&#8217-s Democratic Primary

InTrade

Price for Kentucky Democratic Primary. May 20th at intrade.com

BetFair

NewsFutures

Some delegates from FL or MI will be seated at the Democratic Convention.

© NewsFutures

First look at individual states for the 2008 US presidential elections

2008 US Presidential Election Winner – Individual

Price for 2008 Presidential Election Winner (Individual) at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Presidential Election Winner (Individual) at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Presidential Election Winner (Individual) at intrade.com

2008 US Presidential Elections

Source: Dynamic, compound prediction market charts from InTrade

Next US President

Next US President

Winning Party

Winning Party

Female President?

Female President?

Democratic Candidate

Democratic Candidate

Republican Candidate

Republican Candidate

Source: BetFair Politics Zone

Barack Obama to win the Democratic nomination


© NewsFutures

Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic nomination


© NewsFutures

Next US President Will Be Democratic.


© NewsFutures

Next US President Will Be Republican.


© NewsFutures

Explainer On Prediction Markets

Prediction markets produce dynamic, objective probabilistic predictions on the outcomes of future events by aggregating disparate pieces of information that traders bring when they agree on prices. Prediction markets are meta forecasting tools that feed on the advanced indicators (i.e., the primary sources of information). Garbage in, garbage out&#8230- Intelligence in, intelligence out&#8230-

A prediction market is a market for a contract that yields payments based on the outcome of a partially uncertain future event, such as an election. A contract pays $100 only if candidate X wins the election, and $0 otherwise. When the market price of an X contract is $60, the prediction market believes that candidate X has a 60% chance of winning the election. The price of this event derivative can be interpreted as the objective probability of the future outcome (i.e., its most statistically accurate forecast). A 60% probability means that, in a series of events each with a 60% probability, then 6 times out of 10, the favored outcome will occur- and 4 times out of 10, the unfavored outcome will occur.

Each prediction exchange organizes its own set of real-money and/or play-money markets, using either a CDA or a MSR mechanism.

More Info:

– The Best Resources On Prediction Markets = The Best External Web Links + The Best Midas Oracle Posts

– Prediction Market Science

– The Midas Oracle Explainers On Prediction Markets

– All The Midas Oracle Explainers On Prediction Markets

STRAIGHT FROM OUR U-TURN DEPARTMENT: Here are the VP prediction markets -all of them.

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Don&#8217-t you love the Web? Within 15 minutes after my posting my absolute and definitive refusal to publish any bits about the VP prediction markets, I received a long rebuttal by Google&#8217-s Bo Cowgill &#8212-whose great prediction market paper is still for you to download (PDF file), by the way.

Okay, Okay, Okay.


InTrade

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Republican Vice President Nominee

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

Price for 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee at intrade.com

BetFair

Next Vice President:

Democratic Vice President Nominee

Republican Vice President Nominee

NewsFutures

Barack Obama will pick a woman as running mate.

© NewsFutures


Explainer On Prediction Markets

Prediction markets produce dynamic, objective probabilistic predictions on the outcomes of future events by aggregating disparate pieces of information that traders bring when they agree on prices. Prediction markets are meta forecasting tools that feed on the advanced indicators (i.e., the primary sources of information). Garbage in, garbage out&#8230- Intelligence in, intelligence out&#8230-

A prediction market is a market for a contract that yields payments based on the outcome of a partially uncertain future event, such as an election. A contract pays $100 only if candidate X wins the election, and $0 otherwise. When the market price of an X contract is $60, the prediction market believes that candidate X has a 60% chance of winning the election. The price of this event derivative can be interpreted as the objective probability of the future outcome (i.e., its most statistically accurate forecast). A 60% probability means that, in a series of events each with a 60% probability, then 6 times out of 10, the favored outcome will occur- and 4 times out of 10, the unfavored outcome will occur.

Each prediction exchange organizes its own set of real-money and/or play-money markets, using either a CDA or a MSR mechanism.

Jason Ruspini was an imprudent and cocky predictor, but, in the end, he is a honest man.

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Jason Ruspini went overboard on BBN TV, claiming his tax futures markets will become InTrade&#8217-s most popular ones in 2009, but he managed to control well his descent to Earth:

[Y]es they have lost a lot of steam and that statement seems overconfident at this point, – or has always [been] for that matter. There was no real follow-through to the apparent trend of the first week or so. Lack of news flow is the main culprit. […]

Have Betfair ever extended a ?1m credit line to Harry Findlay?

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Asked the lawyer representing one of the defendants in the Fallon case. For your information, &#8220-Harry Findlay&#8221- is the name of a &#8220-high-profile, high-staking punter who has never been connected with the case.&#8221- Why is it that his name is brought into the courtroom, then?? Bizarre. There is something they know and we don&#8217-t, obviously.

The link is from Niall O’Connor.

UPDATE: More from the Beeb.

Is it the end for US-based betting exchange HedgeStreet?

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The End

Is HedgeStreet closing shop?

Yesterday, I re-published on Midas Oracle the e-mail sent to the HedgeStreet traders and prospects. (Curiously, this e-mail was not sent to me, even though I am in their listing.) They wrote that their overhauling would lead them to propose soon &#8220-new and exciting products&#8221-. Well, I found that interesting.

However, today, one of my Deep Throats ( :-D ) is telling me that it is all bullshit, actually.

  1. They are packaging HedgeStreet for a closing/fire-sale. Everyone is leaving, and only a skeleton crew is left.
  2. The CFTC has minimum capital requirements, which HedgeStreet is not able to sustain. They were burning $1m a month on 5k-10k of revenue, then tightening and tightening&#8230- There&#8217-s just no money left.
  3. UPDATE: Russell Andersson was laid off about 3 months ago. VP of finance leaving, VP of compliance leaving, etc. It is falling apart.

We will see.

Universal Currency for Prediction Markets

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The Sim Exchange:

What is DKP?

DKP is the common currency among players in Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games like World of Warcraft and Everquest, earned for performance and used for bidding on items. It is also the name of the currency on the simExchange. DKP is a completely virtual currency and is not backed by real money. On the simExchange, 1 DKP of stock price corresponds to 10,000 copies sold worldwide over lifetime for a game.

#1. What does it mean, &#8220-It is also the name of the currency on the simExchange&#8221-?? Is it a distinct currency with the same name, or the same currency with the same name???

#2. Why the hell would Jason Ruspini and the Yahoo! folks (David Pennock and Daniel Reeves) want to create new universal currencies if we have already DKP??? Can&#8217-t the play-money prediction exchanges (betting exchanges) join this group and share this currency?

&#8212-

Boing Boing: MudFlation

Jason Ruspini: Yootle interest rates and inflation