Brexit backers bet on Trump

While most people around the world are nervous, to say the least, at the prospect of a Trump presidency, some Brits are jubilant.

Bookies say that they took several massive bets on the Republican candidate, with punters now set to net tens of thousands of pounds - if not more.

Property tycoon Vincent Tchenguiz, 60, will be collecting £1.2 million, says Metro, after betting £350,000 with Betfair and Spreadex.

And according to online news site TheNominant.com, one Brit placed a £20,000 bet on Trump becoming the next US president - after clearing up on the Brexit referendum result this summer. Both the Brexit and election bets were placed at odds of 9/2.

Meanwhile, William Hill says it had £37,000 placed on Trump at a Nottingham branch - believed to be the punter's first ever bet.

"He came into the branch last evening, bet £15,000, then returned a little later to bet another £22,000," a spokesperson tells the Nottingham Post. "Both bets were at 7/4, for a possible profit of £64,750."

Partly because of these bets, William Hill changed its odds to 13/8. They are the biggest bets the firm has had on a Trump win, although not the biggest of the election: it's had two bets on Hillary Clinton of £488,000 and £183,200. Most bets, it says, were on Trump.

And according to Betfair, many of these Trump bets came from Brexit backers.

"Brexit is still firmly in bettors' minds and those who made a killing from the result in June are backing Trump to come through for them again, with over 67% of Brexit backers putting their faith in Trump," says spokesperson Barry Orr.

On the day of the election, Betfair was giving Clinton a 73% chance of winning, with Trump on just 23%. But it was still a big improvement in his fortunes, with bookies offering odds of 100/1 just 18 months ago.

"The antics around this US election has just been something else and as a result of the Hillary Clinton email scandal, the money is pouring in for Trump to win on the 8th November, with one brave punter putting a £20k bet on it," said Alexander Kostin of TheNominant.com ahead of the result.

"And with millions of pounds matched already, this US election is well on course to become the biggest political betting event of all-time; and rather frightening for the betting industry as should Trump win, they're facing the biggest political payout ever."