Irish Betting Firm Already Calls, Pays Out on Presidential Contest

Paddy Power, Europes largest betting company, decided to pay out 400,000 to punters who wagered on President Obama before the polls even opened Tuesday, the firm announced.

The company also expressed its confidence by issuing a half-page ad in the Irish Times that would probably have drawn more critical attention if run in an American paper as the copy included the line: Sorry Romney, you're not black or cool. We're paying out early on an Obama victory.

Sticking with the black and cool theme, a spokesperson for the Irish bookmaker added: Romney gave it a good shot and is doing well in the popular vote, but we suspect hes had his moment in the sun and is likely to be remembered more for his legendary gaffes than presidential potential. The overall betting trend has shown one-way traffic for Obama and punters seemed to have called it 100 percent correct. Despite Romney appealing to the large evangelical and senior vote, Americas sticking with black and cool.

Not everyone is so confident.

In a roundup of pundits compiled by the Washington Times, prognosticators have offered a wide spectrum of possible outcomes tonight.

Dick Morris, FoxNews: Romney 325, Obama 213. It will be the biggest surprise in recent American political history, Morris said. It will rekindle the whole question on why the media played this race as a nailbiter where in fact Romneys going to win by quite a bit.

Jim Cramer, CNBC: Obama 440, Romney 98. Heres a tweet from Cramer: No one is going to recall the guy who picks Obama by 10 electorals if it turns out to be 150 margin. Believe me.

Read more pundit picks here.