By Anjali Athavaley
NEW YORK, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Republican presidentialcandidate Donald Trump's odds at winning the White Houseimproved significantly after his decisive victory in Tuesday'sprimary in New Hampshire, online betting site Ladbrokes PLC said on Wednesday.
Trump's odds for winning the presidency in the Novemberelection are now 9/2, compared to 7/1 following the Iowacaucuses last week. Iowa kicked off the parties' process ofnominating their presidential candidates and in the Republicanrace, the real estate tycoon placed second.
His chances of victory in November are now 18 percent, upfrom 13 percent, putting him second to Democrat Hillary Clinton,whose odds of winning the presidency were even, or 50/50, onWednesday.
Clinton was roundly beaten by Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senatorfrom Vermont, in New Hampshire. Her odds of winning thepresidency slipped from 4/5, or a 56 percent chance at the WhiteHouse, seen immediately after the Iowa caucuses.
Clinton, a former secretary of state, has for long been thefront-runner to win the Democratic nomination but has beenchallenged by a surge of support for Sanders.
"New Hampshire couldn't have worked out much better forTrump," said Matthew Shaddick, head of political odds atLadbrokes. "This might be bad news for the Republican Party, butit's not much better for us bookmakers, who are facing some hugepayouts on the one-time 100/1 no-hoper."
He was referring to Trump's 100/1 odds, giving him a 1percent chance, when he declared his candidacy last June.
Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida whose chances forthe Republican nomination improved after he did well in the Iowacaucuses, faces longer odds after his middle of the pack finishin New Hampshire. According to Ladbrokes, Rubio's odds are now8/1, giving him an 11 percent chance at becoming president.
After Iowa, Rubio's odds at becoming president had been 11/4, giving him a 26 percent chance.
Ohio Governor John Kasich, who surged to a surprising secondplace finish in the New Hampshire's Republican primary, stillfaces relatively long odds of 33/1, giving him a 3 percentchance at winning the presidency.
The candidates have embarked on what can be a months-longstate-by-state battle to win party support. The parties formallyannounce their presidential nominees at summer conventions.
Interest in Kasich on social media surged - he received30,500 mentions on Twitter on Tuesday, more than four times whathe got during the Iowa caucuses, according to Brandwatch.
(Reporting by Anjali Athavaley; Editing by Frances Kerry)