Gaming Guru

Paddypower caught drinking Obama Kool-Aid

It doesn't happen often, but Irish sportsbook Paddypower got caught with its pants down. The popular online betting site decided Senator Barack Obama was a lock to win the Democratic nomination after winning the Iowa Caucus last week and began paying off bets on him Monday -- the day before Senator Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primary.

Paddypower sheepishly concedes on its election microsite that the decision to pay off Obama bets to win the Democratic nomination was "a little premature." But in an impressive piece of spin control, they're claiming credit for Clinton's victory.

"Hillary Clinton must have taken the brash move to heart," Paddypower said on its Web site. "Much like her husband, who also lost in Iowa, she made a dramatic comeback with victory in the New Hampshire Primary."

Paddypower now lists Clinton as an 8-15 favorite to win the Democratic nomination. The odds for Obama to capture the nomination are 11-8.

On the Republican side, Senator John McCain is an 11-8 favorite to capture his parties nomination. Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the second choice at 2-1.