Crowds once flocked to see ambling athletes pull of amazing feats of stamina. Edward Payson Weston was chief among themMore than $1.4bn has been staked on prediction markets for this week’s US midterm elections, according to CNN.Though a lot of people are about to win – or lose – a lot of money, it’s hard to imagine any wagers as consequential as the election bet that birthed a sporting craze spearheaded by a chancer who walked and talked his way into becoming one of the greatest athletic stars of the 19th century. Continue reading...
Champagne, cocaine and some very long walks: when pedestrianism ruled the sporting world
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The Guardian - UKBy Tom Dart
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Crowds once flocked to see ambling athletes pull of amazing feats of stamina. Edward Payson Weston was chief among them More than $1.4bn has been staked on prediction markets for this week’s US midterm elections, according to CNN. Though a lot of people are about to win – or lose – a lot of money, it’s hard to imagine any wagers as consequential as the election bet that birthed a sporting craze spearheaded by a chancer who walked and talked his way into becoming one of the greatest athletic star
Key Takeaways
- Champagne, cocaine and some very long walks: when pedestrianism ruled the sporting world.
- Crowds once flocked to see ambling athletes pull of amazing feats of stamina.
- Edward Payson Weston was chief among them More than $1.4bn has been staked on prediction markets for this week’s US midterm elections, according to CNN.
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Published originally on The Guardian - UK
