# Well, I just bet my mom... **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 2, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702 "2012-11-02T19:59:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/21 "2012-11-03T00:47:30Z")
Yeah, 1 AM Eastern Time on election day is before any of the polls even open… so I hope your mom isn’t a rules-lawyer and assumes you meant the day after election. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/22 "2012-11-03T01:09:15Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Don’t be pedantic, Mace. A clear winner with 270 electoral votes, regardless of other happenstances. I’m counting on the 70+ in the west to be in the bag as soon as polls close there. I’d be astonished if they weren’t. So Obama needs to be at 200 or so by 8PM Pacific or so. Are you kidding me??? After what we went through in 2000, you think it’s obvious that there will be a “clear winner” the night of the election? I’m trying to help you out, since your bet may very well hang on what we “know”. But since you’re not interested, I’ll just say shame on you for betting against your own mother. What bets do you have with your grandmother? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/23 "2012-11-03T01:35:45Z")
_assumes haughty air_ My grandmother is not a betting woman. She’s a Roosevelt democrat from Chicago and believe sublimely that all democrats everywhere will win. Therefore there is no need to bet. Mom, on the other hand, is the type of crazed Wyoming libertarian whose luck is so fine at a Rockies game last month a foul ball flew into her purse. No foolin’. It’s on with mom. It’s on. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/24 "2012-11-03T02:12:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Are you kidding me??? After what we went through in 2000, you think it’s obvious that there will be a “clear winner” the night of the election? And this had slipped my mind, but in 2004 the race wasn’t called until Wednesday afternoon. I don’t think it will take that long this year. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/25 "2012-11-05T16:11:21Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > …$50 that one way or the other we’ll know the winner of the presidential election by 1AM Eastern Time. > > What do you think? Crazy or what? Now that the US has switched back off of daylight saving time, that will be 1pm Wednesday over here, as we’re a straight 12 hours ahead now. I’ve been hoping it would be about that early. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/26 "2012-11-05T21:00:18Z")
I think it will be just like in 2008 - it will be called when the polls close in California (and a number of other states) at 11 PM Eastern. Whether we know who “won the popular vote” by 1 AM Eastern is another story; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we never “really” know, as it may be very close overall but not close enough in any particular state that they would ask for a recount. Besides, anything short of a recount in every state in this case probably would be meaningless, and we have better things to do with the money it would take. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/27 "2012-11-05T22:35:41Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree it would be really tough for Romney to win without Ohio. > > Obama, on the other hand, could lose Ohio and Virginia and still squeak in with 272 electoral votes if he wins Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, and New Hampshire. > > These are all assuming Romney wins Florida. But who are you awarding NC? Romney, I guess? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/28 "2012-11-05T22:45:14Z")
I don’t think we’ll know come Nov-8th quite frankly. I have this ominous feeling that this election will be going to the SCOTUS. (Thanks to Sandy) I hope I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/29 "2012-11-06T03:31:47Z")
I just want to know when Ohio is called. If it’s for Obama, then I think I can go about my business confident of his eventual reelection. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/30 "2012-11-06T03:37:08Z")
Not quite. But shortly thereafter. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/31 "2012-11-07T15:09:09Z")
Enjoy your $50! Even though this election was significantly closer than 2008 in popular vote terms, the race was only called about 15 or 20 minutes later. Romney finished his concession speech just before 1 a.m. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/32 "2012-11-07T15:21:41Z")
NBC called it at about 11:15pm ET. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/33 "2012-11-08T02:15:47Z")
I called mom at 11:16PM Eastern Time. Since she’s in Wyoming that wasn’t too late. She says the check is on its way already. Nice to take her for a few. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/34 "2012-11-08T02:33:53Z")
Nicely done Jonathan! ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702/35 "2012-11-08T02:44:58Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I bet my mom that Obama would win. > > If he loses, I have to give my mom to some other guy. Your Mom says hi. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-just-bet-my-mom/639702.md?page=1)