Trump for president? Ladbrokes odds improve after New Hampshire

By Anjali Athavaley NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's odds at winning the White House improved significantly after his decisive victory in Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire, online betting site Ladbrokes PLC said on Wednesday. Trump's odds for winning the presidency in the November election are now 9/2, compared to 7/1 following the Iowa caucuses last week. Iowa kicked off the parties' process of nominating their presidential candidates and in the Republican race, the real estate tycoon placed second. His chances of victory in November are now 18 percent, up from 13 percent, putting him second to Democrat Hillary Clinton, whose odds of winning the presidency were even, or 50/50, on Wednesday. Clinton was roundly beaten by Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, in New Hampshire. Her odds of winning the presidency slipped from 4/5, or a 56 percent chance at the White House, seen immediately after the Iowa caucuses. Clinton, a former secretary of state, has for long been the front-runner to win the Democratic nomination but has been challenged by a surge of support for Sanders. "New Hampshire couldn't have worked out much better for Trump," said Matthew Shaddick, head of political odds at Ladbrokes. "This might be bad news for the Republican Party, but it's not much better for us bookmakers, who are facing some huge payouts on the one-time 100/1 no-hoper." He was referring to Trump's 100/1 odds, giving him a 1 percent chance, when he declared his candidacy last June. Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida whose chances for the Republican nomination improved after he did well in the Iowa caucuses, faces longer odds after his middle of the pack finish in New Hampshire. According to Ladbrokes, Rubio's odds are now 8/1, giving him an 11 percent chance at becoming president. After Iowa, Rubio's odds at becoming president had been 11/4, giving him a 26 percent chance. Ohio Governor John Kasich, who surged to a surprising second place finish in the New Hampshire's Republican primary, still faces relatively long odds of 33/1, giving him a 3 percent chance at winning the presidency. The candidates have embarked on what can be a months-long state-by-state battle to win party support. The parties formally announce their presidential nominees at summer conventions. Interest in Kasich on social media surged - he received 30,500 mentions on Twitter on Tuesday, more than four times what he got during the Iowa caucuses, according to Brandwatch. (Reporting by Anjali Athavaley; Editing by Frances Kerry)