As Gambling911.com disclosed on Wednesday, online bookies were working feverishly trying to get their customers on the Ron Paul bandwagon.  The Texas Congressman who is running as a 2008 US Presidential candidate has raised close to $20 million this quarter alone and - best of all for the online gambling industry, including online poker - Ron Paul is one of the few candidates who is pro Internet gambling.

A thread first begun in May on the popular poker forum Two Plus Two has developed into an impressive 198 page behemoth with no signs of closing down any time soon.

One of the more intriguing topics of discussion: Why polls may not reflect what appears to be reality.  Wrote one poster, who gave us the permission to use his real name - Mike Van de Water:

"I went to the Portland Tea Party last weekend (A few pages back), and got to conversation with about 15 people total. A grand total of ONE of them had EVER voted Republican before. The people who I talk to at work (Own my own buisness and have Ron Paul stuff up and on the counter) who are going to vote for him also either haven't voted or voted Dem in the past.

"This is one of many reasons that the polls don't convey his support, and why the Old Media is so far behind the times. They'll figure it out after Iowa/NH, when the losers drop out. They'll have no choice when he's one of the last 3 or 4 candidates in the field."

Don't discount the poker world.  Millions play, millions have been adversely affected by recent legislation banning the activity and millions are likely to start spreading the message Paul supporters have been preaching all along. 

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Payton O'Brien, Gambling911.com Senior Editor POBrien@CostiganMedia.com

Originally published December 20, 2007 12:28 am EST