Place Your Bets: Palin Won't Make It To Nov. 4

The big story not long ago was the introduction of college fantasy football. The new leagues offer cash prizes, camaraderie and maybe even a few ethical dilemmas.
 

But, speaking of ethical dilemmas, the real excitement isn’t in football predictions but rather in political predictions. And there’s even the promise of a cash prize!
 

Intrade, an online prediction market, has been taking bets on the likelihood that Sarah Palin will drop out as McCain’s running mate what with all the, ahem, ethical dilemmas she’s been facing (that’s a nice way to put it, right?). While the odds opened at a probability of only 3%, they have since reached 12%. And why shouldn’t the good people of America capitalize on someone else’s teen pregnancy and general personal scandal?
 

Fortune reports on the betting frenzy:

The pool has been open for less than twelve hours, but has already attracted more than 950 trades. Intrade estimates that about $2300 has been traded on the Palin withdrawal contract.

Unfortunately, history is not in the trader’s favor. No presidential hopeful has withdrawn his VP selection since George McGovern kicked Thomas Eagleton to the curb in 1972.
 

But for the sake of the gamblers, here’s to hoping for a Palin DUI, some tax evasion and maybe an abortion, just for good measure.