Horserace Politics (HRP) offers a pioneering platform that enables users to predict the outcomes of political events in a competitive, gamified environment. HRP is led by WISERD academics Drs Matthew Wall and Louis Bromfield (both at Swansea University’s Department of Politics, Philosophy and International Relations) in collaboration with Focus Games Ltd. – a commercial partner specialised in game-based learning.
At its heart, HRP invites participants to test their political acumen by making predictions on critical political questions, such as which party will triumph in the next election, anticipated voter turnout, or the likelihood of a referendum being called.
By transforming political speculation into an active and measurable process, HRP ensures that every prediction contributes to a dynamically updated score. Early and accurate forecasts are particularly rewarded, fostering a competitive edge that encourages informed and strategic engagement.
Horse Race Politics podcast
The project also encompasses a podcast series profiling and sharing forecasting trends on major elections – with the 2024 US Presidential election being our most recent focus.
The platform’s design extends beyond simple prediction. It features leaderboards where participants can gauge their ranking against others, personalised profiles that showcase achievements, and a rewards system offering titles and visual enhancements to profiles. These features collectively contribute to a sense of accomplishment and progression, ensuring sustained engagement.
Users can participate in interactive quizzes to sharpen their political knowledge, engage in discussions on the HRP feed to share insights and perspectives, and earn points through active participation that unlock additional features. We warmly invite you to check out the platform (and podcasts) yourself at the Horse Race Politics website.
Dr Matt Wall and Dr Louis Bromfield with the Focus Games team
The development of HRP has been made possible through the support of WISERD. Their funding and collaboration enabled the project’s founders, Louis and Matt, to present their early concept at a WISERD Away Day, integrate Focus Games as a development partner, and co-create the HRP website at Focus Games Studio in Glasgow.
These efforts culminated in preparing the platform for its launch ahead of the 2024 United States Presidential Election. Dissemination activities have further elevated the project, including a presentation by Matt at Bournemouth University’s Department of Media and Communication.
Looking ahead, the project seeks to expand its scope. Plans include exploring partnerships with educational institutions to engage younger audiences and leveraging the 2026 Welsh election as a key opportunity to bring these elements together.