Obama and McCain delight the bookies

Internet betting websites and prediction markets are registering huge interest in the US presidential election, with trade already far exceeding the total for 2004 in some cases.

  volume is 600% up this presidential cycle, 2008 to date, versus 2004," said John Delaney, chief executive of Dublin-based political futures market Intrade.

The "gargantuan" struggle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination had helped to fuel interest, he said, and now the sharp contrast between Mr Obama and John McCain was having the same effect.