Gambling site seeks ‘Head of Trump betting’ – CNET – CNET

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Would the president consider suggesting to one of his own staff that they should apply?

"Ability to detect fake news."

That's just one of the necessary characteristics for a job opportunity that will surely entice thousands of applicants.

Posted by Irish gambling site Paddy Power, the job title is one that would spawn one of the world's great business cards: Head of Trump betting.

Please imagine how that would go down at networking events.

The job description on the Paddy Power Betfair job board (Paddy Power and Betfair merged in 2016) is written with marvelous sleight of hand and tongue in cheek.

For example: "We are looking for a Head of Trump Betting to manage our newly launched 'hub' of specials around the president. We're looking for a marriage of more convenience than Donald's to Melania."

Which is swiftly followed by: "With more than 100 special bets online, the successful candidate will monitor and manage existing Trump markets while devising new specials to launch. They will also need to build a wall around the hub to ensure foreign bets don't get in."

You might think this job sounds easy. Please consider some of the Trump bets that are already on the site.

Currently, Trump is a 3-1 shot to be impeached this year. North Korea stands as the 9-1 favorite for its citizens to be banned. Ireland is merely a 100-1 shot.

Already existing as a Trump Special is: "The UN to relocate their headquarters outside of the US during Trump's presidency." That's a 9-1 shot. Also at 9-1 is "Trump to have a US Navy ship named after him."

Perhaps, then, the imagination required in this job will only give some candidates a sinking feeling.

You might think this job rather frivolous, a mere PR exercise. In some sense, that might be true. But as Paddy Power explains in the job description, this requires technical acuity, as well as personal strength.

Here's one accountability point: "Being able to harness high volumes of data using real-time trading applications in a high-pressure environment when timing will always be of the essence. Or, failing that, an ability to make something up on the spot and stand by it resolutely, shouting down anyone that disagrees."

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

There must be some temptation, however, for those on the inside who already leak a little, to take advantage of some of these bets, given their insider knowledge.

Here are three more current bets that might sway insiders.

"Trump to convert to Scientology" is at 25-1. "Trump to re-open Alcatraz as a working prison" stands at 14-1.

For the more daring, at 100-1 is: "Joe Biden meets Trump at an event and punches him right in the face."

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Gambling site seeks 'Head of Trump betting' - CNET - CNET