NYC Mayoral Race Odds Improve for Andrew Cuomo Following Eric Adams’ Withdrawal

Posted on: September 29, 2025, 11:01h. 

Last updated on: September 29, 2025, 12:18h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Eric Adams is no longer seeking reelection as mayor of New York City
  • Adams’s exit has slightly improved Andrew Cuomo’s chances
  • Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani remains the betting favorite

The NYC mayoral odds have tipped slightly in Andrew Cuomo’s favor with New York City Mayor Eric Adams exiting the race.

Eric Adams New York City mayor election odds
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has dropped out of the 2025 New York City mayoral election. Adams was facing long odds of winning a second term. (Image: Shutterstock)

On Sunday, Adams, the unpopular NYC mayor who had little chance of winning a second four-year term come November, formally bowed out of the race. Betting markets had given the Democrat, who decided to run as an independent after losing his party’s June primary, a less than 1% chance of winning the November 4 contest.

It has been an honor to be your mayor,” Adams said in a video, which he used to highlight his claimed achievements, including crime reduction, housing affordability, and economic recovery. “Despite all that we have achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign.”

Adams struggled to raise money in recent weeks, as polls and betting lines showed he likely would not upset frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who is currently a state lawmaker representing Queens.

While betting on politics isn’t permitted at any legal US sportsbook, so-called prediction markets saw Cuomo benefit from Adams’ exit. The former New York governor’s implied odds improved by about 5%-10% on the various online wagering exchanges.

Mamdani remains the heavy betting favorite, with his implied odds of winning in November above 80%.

Trump Ties

Last week, Casino.org reported on alleged deepening ties between Adams and the White House.

Real estate developer Steve Witkoff, who once owned the shuttered building on the Las Vegas Strip that would go on to become the Fontainebleau, is serving as a consultant to Bally’s Corp.’s New York casino bid for the Bronx. In late July, Adams singlehandedly rescued the Bally’s Bronx plan by vetoing a critical land-use zoning decision by the City Council that would have prohibited Ferry Point Park from housing a casino.

Adams’ veto was rumored to be tied to the mayor’s efforts to secure a spot in the Trump administration — possibly a US ambassadorship — after leaving Gracie Mansion. Along with consulting on the Bally’s bid, Witkoff serves President Donald Trump as a special envoy to the Middle East and Peace Missions.

Mamdani said Adams’ departure from the NYC mayoral race was to satisfy Trump’s demands in hopes of giving Cuomo a better shot.

“Donald Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions, but they will not dictate the results of this election,” Mamdani declared.

Adams’ Downfals 

Adams was the Brooklyn Borough president from 2013 until winning the mayor’s office in 2021. His tenure as mayor was clouded in controversy nearly from the start when he sought a Conflicts of Interest exemption to hire his brother as his head of security for $210K annually.

Adams’ first 100 days saw an uptick in crime, including the shooting deaths of two NYPD officers. In early 2022, an old video was leaked showing Adams, then still the Brooklyn Borough president, saying he would be a better cop than his “cracker” colleagues.

In 2023, Adams was indicted by the federal government under President Joe Biden for being influenced by Turkish authorities. He was charged with bribery, conspiracy, fraud, and two counts of soliciting foreign campaign donations, though the case was dismissed once Trump took office.