US Politics / Mike Robb / 04 February 2008 / Leave a comment

Barack Obama has overtaken Hillary Clinton in the California Primary market for the first time on Betfair...

Obama is now the [1.79] favourite to win the vital state as he has taken the lead in some local polls. The state is vital for the Democratic nomination with so many delegates at stake, and could be the turning point in tomorrow's battle.

Obama really needs a win here to be in with a chance of winning the nomination, and so this build-up of momentum on the eve of the contest is welcome news to the Illinois Senator's camp. Many in the media were unsure how Obama was going to usurp Clinton's national lead, but with the big day approaching Clinton's lead nationwide is now very much within opinion polling's 'margin of error'.

All eyes will be on the early states tomorrow to see if there is any impact on Californian exit polls, but as it stand the youth vote - which Obama has so aggressively pursued and so successfully captured - could be the tipping point in the most populous state in the nation.

Visit the new Betfair Politics Zone launched for Super Tuesday: http://politics.betfair.com

Tags: Barack Obama, California Primary, Hillary Clinton, politics betting, presidential primaries