Gamblers and critics erupted Wednesday after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt abruptly ended a White House briefing just seconds before the 65-minute mark — a razor-thin cutoff that torpedoed near-certain bets and handed massive payouts to a lucky few. Leavitt breezed through health guidelines, Venezuela oil deals, and even bragged about a White House website mocking Jan. 6 before suddenly scooping up her papers and bolting, leaving bettors stunned. Prediction gambling on the length of the events has become popular, with Wednesday's briefing having a 98% chance to run past 65 minutes. Instead, she exited with 30 seconds to spare. The suspiciously timed exit ignited outrage online, with traders and political observers alike calling the episode absurd, corrosive, and yet another sign the prediction-market craze has veered into farce.
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