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Bookmakers’ Odds on Ireland’s Next President

In many cases, with a new presidential election on the horizon, talk during conversations quickly turns to who the next president will be. It’s only natural. After all, we’re all curious who the next president will end up being – and this decision can have massive implications – good and bad – for the future of the country. Still, no amount of opinion polls and estimates can ever make a definitive statement about who’ll win on polling day. That doesn’t stop us speculating, though, and looking at the bookies’ odds on Ireland’s next president is one of the simplest ways to understand general perceptions.

Who Do Irish Bookmakers Predict for the Next President?

At the moment, things are looking pretty close when it comes to presidential candidates. Therein, many of the bookies’ odds are falling pretty close to one another – however, there is still a consensus on who the next president will likely be: Mairead McGuinness.

Mairead McGuinness

With odds of 5 at 888Sport and 7/2 with BoyleSports, Mairead McGuiness certainly isn’t a sure bet, and there’s plenty of room for other candidates to overtake her in the runnings. Still, as the European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and the Capital Markets Union, it’s safe to say that Mairead has a wealth of expertise to draw on. This is backed up by current polls, which have made it clear that she’s still the favourite among Irish voters for now.

Fergus Finlay

However, there’s still everything to play for, and McGuiness’ lead certainly isn’t a strong one just yet. Indeed, another incredibly strong candidate is Fergus Finlay, someone who has had his eyes on the Presidential position for quite some time now. Indeed, Finlay even considered going for the role all the way back in 2011 before deciding not to proceed, and in 2018, he once again hinted that he might be interested in trying. Given this, there’s quite a bit of interest at present to see whether he might make a political return as president. This is something the bookies are definitely looking at as a possibility, with both 888Sport and BoyleSports awarding him odds of 6/1.

Bertie Ahern

What about other possibles, though? Well, Bertie Ahern is another name in the runnings, and whether he’s more or less favoured than Finlay really depends on which bookie you’re looking at. For example, 888 Sport and BoyleSports both rank him lower than Fergus with odds of 8/1. However, PaddyPower – another major Irish betting name – has actuary ranked Ahern at 11/2, lower odds than Finlay’s 6/1 offer.

Of course, perhaps it’s nor much of a surprise that Ahern is considered to be in the running, as he has served as president prior. However, he left the Fianna Fáil party in 2012, so whether his return will be met with open arms is yet to be seen.

Final Thoughts

Altogether, there’s a lot still to play for in terms of the Irish Presidential Elections, and for now, things are really based on guesswork and a lot of predictions. So, it will undoubtedly prove exciting and interesting to see where the election goes and who eventually comes out on top. Will it be a returning president or a new name? Only time will tell.