After six weeks of delays, dozens of lawsuits, a handful of recounts, and one lame-duck president who’s yet to admit he lost, Panama-based BetOnline became the last major sportsbook to settle the 2020 Election on Tuesday morning.
The announcement came via tweet, ending more than a month of radio silence from the sportsbook. BetOnline’s statement was direct and flavorless, though it did thank bettors for their patience — something they’d been short on over the last few weeks on Twitter.
In the wake of President-elect Biden’s certification, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), for the first time, acknowledged Joe Biden’s victory and referred to him as President-elect.
“The electoral college has spoken,†McConnell said in remarks from the Senate floor in the US Capitol. “Today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden.â€
Kremlin Beats McConnell to the Punch
McConnell’s comments came five hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Biden on his victory.
“Vladimir Putin wished the President-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the United States, which bear special responsibility for global security and stability, despite their differences, can truly contribute to solving many problems and challenges that the world is currently facing,†a Kremlin readout said on Tuesday.
The final tallies weren’t close. Biden won the election by 74 electoral votes and 7.1 million popular votes. Trump and his team’s claims of election fraud have been rejected by at least 86 judges in more than 50 court cases.
Ever in denial, Trump Monday said he will not concede, and the majority of Senate Republicans had yet to recognize Biden’s victory following the Electoral College’s certification of the President-elect’s win.
Some who wagered heavily on Trump took to Twitter to protest Monday evening and, in the wake of London-based Betfair’s settlement, the markets turned their attention to the Jan. 5 Georgia runoff, which will determine control of the Senate.