Las Vegas, NV Forget the polls. I spent most of this evening with folks who move literally hundreds of thousands a dollar per week on the sports betting market. This is all about deep market analysis and always getting the right price. Betting on elections is illegal in Las Vegas. But there are plenty of places offshore that'll take your wager. And these folks I'm talking about have bet a bundle on Tuesday's outcome. I'll spare you the finer details and cut right to the point. Obama is seen not as a runaway favorite but as close as you can get to a slam dunk. Rounding off the numbers they look something like this. If you want to make $100 on Obama's win, you'll have to put up about $1000. One of these guys crunching the numbers, indeed, told me that it's sort of irrational that you can get any action on this bet. "It's only because those taking McCain as the winner don't understand this election with any logic and are just making an absurd wager." It's so bad for McCain that if you can find some one willing to take the wager you only get less than a low 2.5 to 1 if you bet Obama will win ARIZONA! A moth ago this must have been a 10 to 1 shot. So, my friends, stop wringing your hands. Below take a look at a quick and dirty slide show I threw together from Obama's big rally here. And then below the pics, check out a first hand report on canvassing from one of our frequent commenters, Rob Grocholski. Sunday, I'll be "on the doors" all afternoon.

Here's what reader/commenter Rob Grocholski wrote in our comments section yesterday. I'm promoting to the front page for your enjoyment:

Made the drive from L.A. Friday night to Vegas. Here til Wednesday morning. Comrade Cooper, if I bump into you, please accept a round on me. The Henderson Rally was awesome. When my girlfriend & I came upon the High School football field, Obama staffers approached us and asked if we’d like to be in the bleachers behind Obama as he spoke. How could we say no? Got to shake hands with Jesus, I mean Sen. Obama, as he thanked everyone for coming. Did the whole volunteer canvass thingy. Have to say, the Obama staffers are incredible. These Nevada folks are really good. The ability to multi-task and answer endless questions from volunteers and get people focused on doable tasks (cat herding) while keeping a smile on one’s face and not go crazy from lack of sleep, lack of clean clothes, lack of decent food when it’s ‘all hands on deck time’ makes for a huge asset for Obama. Couple of the staffers I talked to had been on site for the Henderson rally since 5 a.m. The actual canvassing was fairly easy. Voters were psyched to talk up Obama’s candidacy. Great response for Obama. Very few seemed proud enough to voice support for McCain. But overall, seeing some of the neighborhoods close up, it was very depressing. Nevada is the foreclosure capital of the US and it showed. Way too many people are ‘upside down’ on their mortgages. The one sign in the neighborhood I was in that outnumbered the Obama signs were ones by the realtors and banks. I went up and down street after street seeking out voters. Constant patches of burnt lawns, faded paint, cobwebs, vehicles on cement blocks, gathering dust, and U-Haul trailers in driveways… A lot of people are hurting in Nevada.

Here's video of Obama's rally in the suburbs of Vegas Saturday morning.

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