Irish presidential election 2025 odds: Who’s in the running for the Áras?

Ireland’s presidential race has entered its final stretch, with just one day to go before voters head to the polls on Friday, October 24th to elect the country’s 10th president.

Independent frontrunner Catherine Connolly remains firmly ahead according to the latest opinion polls and bookmaker odds, while Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys is making her final push across Dublin and the commuter belt this morning.

Below, we break down the latest odds, polls, and betting insights ahead of election day.

⭐ Irish Presidential Election best odds

The best betting sites in Ireland have adjusted their markets accordingly:

Candidate	bet365	BetVictor	888Sport
Catherine Connolly	9/1	10/1

Odds are subject to change.

🎰 Check out the best online casinos in Ireland here 👈

Where to bet on the Irish presidential election

🔔 Final day of campaigning

Independent TD for Galway West and former Mayor of Galway, Catherine Connolly, remains the clear favourite to win Ireland’s presidency. Her campaign focuses on care, equality, and social justice, with strong grassroots energy and union support across the country.

Connolly, 68, is a former psychologist and barrister, known for her independent streak and advocacy on housing, healthcare, and women’s rights. She has also embraced Ireland’s cultural heritage, hosting community music sessions and promoting civic participation.

Polls and odds both suggest she could win on the first count.

Who are the contenders for the 2025 Irish presidential election?

Let’s take a more detailed look at the names expected to be vying for the Presidency in November and see how Irish bookmakers are expecting things to pan out. 

Heather Humphreys

The Fine Gael candidate, Heather Humphreys, is battling to close the gap in the final hours. Despite high-profile backing, including support from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, her campaign has been overshadowed by controversy, including a defamation suit from TD Paul Murphy and questions over her attendance at a charity event under Garda investigation.

Humphreys’ platform focuses on unity, inclusion, and opportunity, with a strong emphasis on rural development and Ireland’s European identity. She presents herself as the experienced, pro-business, centre-ground choice.

➡️ Pick Heather Humphreys at 4/1 with BetVictor

Catherine Connolly

Independent TD for Galway West and former Mayor of Galway, Catherine Connolly remains the clear favourite to win Ireland’s presidency. Her campaign focuses on care, equality, and social justice, with strong grassroots energy and union support across the country.

Connolly, 68, is a former psychologist and barrister, known for her independent streak and advocacy on housing, healthcare, and women’s rights. She has also embraced Ireland’s cultural heritage, hosting community music sessions and promoting civic participation.

Polls and odds both suggest she could win on the first count.

➡️ Bet on Catherine Connolly at 1/25 with bet365

How do Irish presidential elections work?

The Irish Presidential election system uses a thorough voting process to ensure the best candidate is elected to the role. To run for presidency, candidates must be nominated by either 20 members of the Oireachtas (parliament) or by at least four local authorities. 

Once the candidates have been confirmed, nationwide voting occurs using the Single Transferable Vote system. The public votes using a ranking system, selecting their candidates in order of preference. 

To win the election, a candidate must secure over 50% of the vote. If no candidate achieves this during a round, then the lowest-scoring candidate is removed.

Their votes are then distributed to their voters’ second choices. This process then continues until a candidate secures more than 50% of the overall vote and is confirmed as the winner. 

Ireland uses Single Transferable Vote (STV) for the presidency:

1. Rank candidates — Mark “1” for your top choice, “2” for your next, and so on.
2. First preferences counted — Spoiled ballots (unclear/multiple first preferences, identifying marks, or missing stamp) are removed.
3. Quota calculated — Quota = half of valid votes (rounded down) + 1.
4. Eliminate & transfer — If no one meets the quota, the lowest candidate is eliminated and their ballots transfer to next available preferences.
5. Repeat — Continues until a candidate reaches the quota or is the only remaining candidate.

🧾 Key details: There are 3,612,957 registered presidential electors. Polling stations open Friday at 7am and close at 10pm.

Keeping on top of the Irish presidential race

Check back for live coverage, early counts, transfer updates, and the official declaration from the Returning Officer once counting begins. We’ll keep you up to speed with the latest polls, debates, odds, and results.

✅ Quick summary for tomorrow:

• Date: Friday, October 24th, 2025
• Frontrunner: Catherine Connolly (Independent)
• Main challenger: Heather Humphreys (Fine Gael)
• Polling lead: 19–20 points ahead
• Favourite odds: 1/20 (Connolly) vs 10/1 (Humphreys)
• Likely outcome: Connolly victory on the first count

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