Australians flock to pubs as votes counted for US presidential election

Aussies have flocked to pubs to follow the US presidential election, with one man so confident of Donald Trump winning that he placed a $10,000 bet.

Americans living Down Under have flocked to pubs to follow coverage of the hotly contested US election.

Among an impassioned crowd at Sydney’s Three Wise Monkeys was Kristina Stefanova from Washington DC, who was hoping for Joe Biden to win.

“It’s not over yet but it’s not looking good – the world is a dark place at the moment and another four years under Donald Trump would be hard to even contemplate,” she said.

“The last few weeks it didn't look like it would go Trump’s way, but he seems to be in a good position. It’s hard to understand how he is that electable.”

Ms Stefanova who is married to an Australian and has been living in Sydney for the past 12 years said she had voted for Biden, despite her mother being a Trump supporter.

“Even if Trump did lose, it’s a hard recovery after the mess he’s created over the past four years,” she said.

“We’ve got a lot to fix with the voting nation here if Trump wins.

“This election is so critical – it’s not just about America, it’s about the world and it not becoming a darker and darker place with Trump in charge for the next four years.”

Matthew Dunn and American citizen living in Australia Kristina Stefanova are hoping for Joe Biden to snatch victory. Picture: Gaye Gerard/NCA NewsWire

Matthew Dunn – who has served five years collectively with the US Military – said relations between Australia and the US depended heavily on the outcome of the election.

“Even the role of the US post-election in the Indo Asian Pacific region … American has always provided stability here, but the past four years there’s been none of that because of Trump,” he said.

“The world is going to change and be better or worse after this election – and if it’s Trump that wins, watch out.”

Lucas Di Cicco and American Lance Conway join the US election watch party at the Cheers bar in Sydney. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/NCA NewsWire

Aussie Luke Smith placed an extraordinary $10,000 bet on Trump winning the election.

He was quick to venture down to Cheers Bar and follow the action.

“There’s big dollars riding on this,” he said.

“Anyone that’s got a brain will know that Trump will win and it’s what America needs.

“He’s kept the US out of the war, lowered tax rates and kept the gun laws in place.”

Dozens of states have been called in the US election, but the final outcome remains up in the air.

Follow live coverage of the 2020 US election here.

Originally published as Australians flock to pubs as votes counted for US presidential election