Friendly political wager

A friendly political wager is a largely symbolic form of sports betting made between politicians representing two cities or areas on the outcome of an important sports contest between teams representing those same two cities or areas. These wagers are most commonly made in the United States and Canada on the results of playoffs in the National Hockey League, National Football League and Major League Baseball as well as, on occasion, the Olympic Games. Although they are technically a form of gambling, friendly political wagers are generally tolerated by the sports leagues and regulatory authorities as harmless publicity stunts and gestures of regional pride. rdf:langString