Fred Thompson Opens at 20 to 1 Odds

Poker Players Alliance Chairman Alfonse D'Amato Likes Fred Thompson-Rudy Giuliani Ticket

Believing that Fred Thompson will officially announce his run for the 2008 US Presidency race, Sportsbook.com has opened odds on the former Republican Senator from Tennessee at 20 to 1 odds.

This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Gambling911.com and we have been waiting for the folks at Sportsbook.com to post odds on Thompson. They did this week. (See: Place Bets on Fred Thompson Here)

And great news for the online poker community, as Poker Players Alliance chairman Alfonse D'Amato has come out welcoming a Fred Thompson-Rudy Giuliani ticket.

"America deserves a leader who has the courage to lead our country through challenging times," said New York's Alfonse D'Amato in a statement announcing his endorsement of his fellow former senator, Fred Thompson of Tennessee, for president.

The D'Amato endorsement, unveiled Tuesday night during an appearance on the NY1 all-news New York City cable station, came as polls showed Thompson surging nationally in the race for the GOP presidential nomination even though he has yet to formally enter the race.

For months, those polls have shown Giuliani leading Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Thompson, appealing to GOP conservatives unhappy with the others, is now challenging McCain for second spot.

"In the Republican Party, people are not very happy with the candidates. It doesn't mean they're not good people - John McCain is a great war hero; Rudy Giuliani is the hero of 9/11 - but I am going to be urging Fred Thompson, Senator Fred Thompson, to get into the race ... and I intend to support him," D'Amato told NY1.

D'Amato and Giuliani's relationship has been cool over past years, but D'Amato did manage to get a good word in for the former New York City mayor, albeit he lowered him down a notch from current expectations.

"Perhaps he (Giuliani) could be a vice president," the former senator suggested.

"He might make a great addition to the ticket" headed by Thompson, D'Amato told The Associated Press.

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Political Betting Odds
Giuliani Causes Lightning to Strike During Republican Debate?
Ron Paul Supporters: Where's Giuliani?
Rudy Giuliani Closes in on Hillary Clinton
No Odds on Fred Thompson Yet

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Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com

Originally published June 17, 2007 4:59 pm ET