A Vegas Crapshoot for the White House

Libertarians like their chances this year. The party nominated Las Vegas oddsmaker Wayne Allyn Root as its No. 2 on a ticket led by ex-Republican Rep. Bob Barr. So, just what are their odds of winning the White House? Ladbrokes in London, one of the world's biggest sports oddsmakers, gave Whispers its take. It puts Sen. Barack Obama as a 10:11 favorite; Sen. John McCain is at 5:4, and Sen. Hillary Clinton is 8:1. The Barr/Root ticket comes in at 25:1—not too bad when you consider the country's history with third parties. "In times of difficulty in the United States," says Patrick Jay, sports director for Ladbrokes, "somebody who isn't attached to one of the main parties has a chance." Root calls those odds "fair and realistic." He adds, "I don't think we're favorites to win. I'm not delusional."