The 2024 US Presidential Election is still months away, but that hasn't stopped enterprising sportsbooks from offering odds on nearly every facet of the race, including who will accompany presumptive Republican favorite Donald Trump on the card.
Party nominees typically choose a running mate to balance the ticket. That means picking a VP candidate who can win over key geographic or demographic groups that the nominees themselves might not have much influence over, such as swing-state voters, women, or African Americans.
Take a look at the latest Republican vice presidential nominee odds below and check back often as they fluctuate in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
2024 Republican vice presidential nominee odds
| Candidate | Odds at  |
|---|---|
| Kristi Noem | +450 |
| Tim Scott | +450 |
| Tulsi Gabbard | +750 |
| Elsie Stefanik | +900 |
| Nikki Haley | +1,100 |
| Ben Carson | +1,100 |
| Vivek Ramaswamy | +1,200 |
| J.D. Vance | +1,200 |
| Mike Pompeo | +1,400 |
| Marco Rubio | +1,600 |
Odds as of March 26, 2024.
Who are the favorites to be chosen as Republican VP candidate?
Kristi Noem and Tim Scott are currently the favorites to be the next Republican VP candidate at +450 with Tulsi Gabbard close behind at +750.
With Donald Trump leading his GOP primary rivals by a massive margin in the latest polls, it looks like the former president will become the next party candidate. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the VP favorites are those that would appeal the most to Trump both on a demographic and personal level.
Vivek Ramaswamy (+1,200) and Nikki Haley (+1,100) and are also high on the VP odds board despite still running against Trump for the party nomination.
Kristi Noem's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
Kristi Noem has the shortest odds at +450, which might be a bargain considering the mutual respect that exists between her and Trump. Noem was elected as South Dakota's first female governor in 2018 and has staunchly been on the MAGA side of culture war issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic response, anti-abortion, gun rights, and same-sex marriage.
She has also been campaigning on behalf of Trump and has said that she would be his running mate "in a heartbeat." For his part, Trump has stated that he "likes the concept" of picking a woman as his running mate and said he would consider Noem, describing her as "fantastic."
Noem's gender and relative youth (she recently turned 51) would bring balance to the ticket, although not representing a swing state might work against her.
Tim Scott's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
With current president Joe Biden losing support among black voters in the latest polls, Trump has a great opportunity to leverage votes from a demographic Republicans have often missed out on. Picking Scott, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, would likely help in that area.
Scott has a strong track record with fundraising and has generally been on good terms with Trump in the past and was one of the few Republican presidential candidates that Trump chose not to criticize last year.
It's also worth mentioning that Scott was appointed to the Senate by Nikki Haley in 2012, so not only would he be a good fit as Trump's potential running mate, but he might also be a strong VP candidate if Haley pulls off the upset and wins the Republican nomination.
However, after Scott suspended his presidential campaign in November, he didn't endorse another candidate and said "Being vice president has never been on my to-do list for this campaign and it’s certainly not there now.”
Vivek Ramaswamy odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
Once seen as one of Trump's greatest challengers, Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his campaign on January 15 after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses. The biotech billionaire admitted he saw no path to victory "absent things we don't want to see happen in this country."
Unlike some of the other GOP presidential candidates, Ramaswamy remained extremely supportive of Trump throughout his campaign and his age and anti-woke populism could make him a perfect running mate - and eventual heir - to the aging real estate tycoon.
Elsie Stefanik's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
Stefanik is behind Gabbard on the VP odds board at +900, and at just 39 years of age, represents an even younger option. While Stefanik doesn't have as high of a profile as others on this list, she gained national attention last month when she blasted university presidents over allegations of antisemitism.
Stefanik is a rising star in the GOP and has climbed up the ranks to sit as the chair of the House Republican Conference — making her the fourth-ranking House Republican. Her fierce loyalty to Trump is also a point in her favor since she served on his impeachment defense team and filed an ethics complaint against the judge who oversaw his civil fraud trial in New York.
Ben Carson's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
It's hard to imagine two men from more different backgrounds than Trump and Ben Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon widely lauded for his strong values and integrity. However, the pair have a history of working well together, dating back to Trump's presidency when Carson served with distinction as his Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Unlike many of the candidates on this list, Carson has repeatedly gone out of his way to avoid criticizing Trump and appears to have earned his trust during their time together in office. His potential popularity with African American voters is also another in a long line of advantages working in Carson's favor.
Nikki Haley's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
The former Governor of South Carolina and the 29th US ambassador to the United Nations, Haley ticks many boxes due to her gender, age, ethnicity, and political experience. She also might be able to bring the Never Trumpers to vote for the GOP in 2024 — which would be a massive boon for the party with Trump often alienating moderates.
However, while Haley might make strategic sense, there are plenty of reasons to think that she's a poor fit for Trump's ticket. Not only was she Trump's top GOP challenger (albeit far behind on Super Tuesday), but she has been vocally critical of him during the primary debates.
While she still describes herself as an ally of of Trump, he likely doesn't see it that way anymore as he has slammed her as a "birdbrain" who "doesn't have the talent or temperament to do the job." Trump has made it clear that he values loyalty, and former advisor Steven Bannon, who has predicted that Trump will choose a woman as his VP, has warned against picking Haley.
Tucker Carlson's odds of becoming the Republican VP candidate
Tucker Carlson has a massive following and is arguably the most influential conservative political pundit in the country. A strong supporter of the MAGA movement, Carlson had previously expressed harsh criticism of Trump in private messages but continues to champion the former president publicly.
When Trump skipped the first GOP debates in August, he instead chose to be interviewed by Carlson and he reportedly also took advice from Carlson when tensions with Iran were heating up. In November, Trump said he would consider Carlson for VP, and reports from Axios claimed that Melania Trump wants the former Fox News host as her husband's running mate.
However, Carlson launched his streaming news service "Tucker Carlson Network" just three weeks ago and has stated that he doesn't see himself as "suited" for the position. With no experience working in politics and not bringing any balance to Trump's ticket, it would be an uphill battle for Carlson here.
When will the vice presidential candidate be chosen?
It's very likely Donald Trump and other GOP presidential candidates will name their running mate before the Republican National Convention begins on July 15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
How to bet on political odds
While the most popular bet is who will become the next US president, plenty of other odds are offered as well. Before the Democratic and Republican candidates are announced, you can bet on 2024 Republican nominee odds, 2024 Democratic nominee odds. You can also wager on which party will win the election, which presidential candidate will win the popular vote, and even who will win in different states.
Keep up with current events
Follow current events and what is going on in the political world. That said, don't put too much stock in small events. An embarrassing mistake or salacious scandal might look bad at first light but in the grand scheme of things might not amount to much.
You can however take advantage of such over-reactions if your timing is right. For example, if your preferred candidate takes a hit in public perception their odds to win will likely go down as well. If you don't think the incident will have a long-term impact then you can grab your candidate at a better number than before.
Also keep in mind that articles about politics, especially editorial stories, tend to be partisan so try to read about events from as many different perspectives as possible in order to get the big picture.
Debates and changes in political alliances can occasionally turn the tide as well, and sportsbooks can take a bit of time to adjust political odds after those events.
Follow the latest polls
Now this one is obviously far from foolproof as anyone who thought Hillary Clinton was a shoo-in during the 2016 election can attest. National polls are a flawed tool but they can serve as a solid indication of which way certain demographics are leaning or gauge changes in popularity for a particular candidate.
The Gallup polls on presidential job approval are one factor to consider while Real Clear Politics provides information from dozens of polls including the general election. Another useful website is 270 to Win, which has a consensus electoral map based on current ratings from Sabato's Crystal Ball, The Cook Political Report, and Inside Elections.
Be realistic
This is another one that comes with a bit of a caveat. After all, Trump himself was one heck of a long shot before he took the Oval Office. But in general, when betting on politics stay away from those that are clearly on the outside looking in. After all, this is still a democracy and there are procedures.
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