Paul Finebaum Odds: Will ESPN Commentator Run For Alabama U.S. Senate Seat?
Paul Finebaum is in the news, and this time it has nothing to do with college football or college football betting.
The ESPN media personality is in the headlines after telling Outkick’s Clay Travis last week that he’s considering a run for next year’s U.S. Senate race in Alabama. In the wake of that report, Travis posted on his X account that ESPN barred Finebaum from making appearances on that network’s shows.
An ESPN spokesperson denied the allegation. Finebaum made an appearance on two network shows Tuesday after not appearing Sunday or Monday.
Paul Finebaum 2026 U.S. Senate Odds
| Alabama Republican Senate Primary Candidate | Price at Kalshi (as of Oct. 10) |
|---|---|
| U.S. Rep. Barry Moore | Yes $0.41 / No $0.68 |
| Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall | $0.39 / $0.71 |
| Former Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl | $0.17 / $0.89 |
| Former U.S. Rep. Barry Moore | $0.05 / $0.96 |
| Business Owner Jared Hudson | $0.04 / No Price Yet |
| Business Owner Jeremy Spratling | $0.04 / No Price Yet |
| ESPN College Football Host Paul Finebaum | $0.03 / No Price Yet |
Finebaum, a Republican, has not officially made up his mind about running for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville. The former Auburn football coach is not seeking re-election and instead is opting to run in the Alabama gubernatorial election.
Should he throw his hat into the ring, he would get in what’s becoming a crowded race for the Republican nomination. U.S. Rep. Barry Moore and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall have already declared their intentions to run, and rumors have swirled around former Alabama football coach Nick Saban (who also works now for ESPN) and former Bama quarterback A.J. McCarron joining the race.
While Finebaum has made headlines regarding a Senate bid, that has not yet translated into much momentum in election futures markets. At Kalshi, shares on Finebaum winning the May GOP primary are currently available for $.03 each. That equates to odds of around +3233 as each share would pay out at a $1 should he win.
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While sports betting is not considered legal in Alabama, federally regulated exchanges like Kalshi are allowed to offer markets on a variety of events, including political elections, in all 50 states. Kalshi and other exchanges are also offering markets on sporting events, but there have been several lawsuits filed across the country seeking to block those.
Pearl Out Per Report
One person from the sports world that reportedly won’t seek the seat is former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl. While Pearl reportedly met with Republican leaders regarding a run, YellowhammerNews.com reported the hoops coach was shying away from a campaign even after stepping down from the team he guided to an SEC regular season title last season. Even with that report, Pearl has still attracted some interest at Kalshi in early trading.
National pundits expect that whoever comes away with the Republican nomination next spring will end up winning the seat with a six-year term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Bookies.com will keep an eye on this and other major 2026 political races and provide updates and analysis in the coming months.
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