US Election 2024: Trump 5/6 to be Republican nominee after court appearance

• Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 charges yesterday

• Ex-president is 5/6 to be Rep nominee in 2024

• 11/4 to win and regain White House

Donald Trump is 5/6 favourite to be the Republican nominee at next year's US presidential election after he pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges on Tuesday.

He is the first former-US president to face criminal charges but, so far at least, the odds indicate that this will do little harm to his chances of being the Republican nominee for a third successive US election.

The former-president appeared in court after a grand jury indicted him for his role in paying hush money to an adult film star.

Trump says America "going to hell"

Trump cut a disconsolate figure in court before flying back to Florida where he went on the offensive in an address to family and supporters.

At his Mar-a-Lago resort, he criticised the judge in the case and said America was "going to hell".

The hush money charges are far from the only ones that Trump could face.

Investigations into his involvement in several matters, including the 6 January 2021 storming of the US Capitol and alleged attempts to overturn the election result in Georigan, are ongoing.

He is due back in court on 4 December. A little over a month later, the campaign for the November 2024 election will get into full swing ahead of primary season in America.

Punters back Trump despite charges

Betfair punters don't think yesterday's events will damage Trump's chances of running for president again and even winning.

Trump is 11/4 to win next year's election with only the current president, Joe Biden, a shorter price at 15/8.

When Biden won in 2020, it was predicted by many commentators that the president, who will turn 81 this year, would not seek a second term due to his age.

But the president appears to be determined to run and he is 1/3 to win the Democratic Party nomination.

Vice president Kamala Harris, the next most likley candidate, is 10/1.

Will it really be Biden v Trump again?

If the markets are correct then next year's election will be a rerun of the bitterly-fought 2020 contest when Biden defeated Trump.

Trump leads most polls for the Republican nomination and some of his supporters believe that the grand jury's decision to indicte him will help his chances of winning.

Bettors agree although Trump's main rival, the Florida governor Ron DeSantis, is not out of the reckoning at 11/8.

Whether that turns out to be true will be fascinating to watch as candidates and parties prepare for what is likely to be a close fought presidential election next year.

Keep up with the latest political betting stories on both sides of the Atlantic with Paul Krishnamurty, who has followed Trump closely for several years, on our Live Blog.