Aussie bets $50,000 on Obama win

AN Australian punter has bet $50,000 on Barack Obama winning the November US presidential election, Sportingbet Australia said.

Mr Obama's odds have shortened as polls put him further in front and big money continues to come in support of the Democratic candidate, the bookmaker said.

"We have taken a number of big bets for Obama in recent weeks, including a bet of $50,000 at $1.45 this morning,'' Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan said.

Mr Obama's odds have narrowed from $1.50 to $1.40 in the past week.

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's odds have drifted out from $2.75 to $2.90.

"Until the last week, the money was fairly evenly split between McCain and Obama, but it has been all one-way traffic this week, with punters jumping off the McCain train,'' Mr Sullivan said.

From The Australian