On Thursday, 3 November the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians to clinch the 2016 MLB World Series for the first time in more than 100 years.

On Saturday, 5 November Ireland beat the dominant New Zealand All Blacks in an international rugby match in Chicago.

New Zealand have been emphatic winners in every game this year and most pundits expected them to comfortably extend their 18-match unbeaten run, a world record, particularly as Ireland have never previously beaten the All Blacks.

Gamblers betting on Ireland to win would have got odds of around 10:1, so confident were the bookkeepers of an All-Black win.

Most polls show that Hillary Clinton, for all her flaws, will be elected tonight as the next President of the United States. Yet, as this week’s sports results show, sometimes long odds pay off.

Donald Trump could win. So, if you are a US citizen ignore the polls and get out and vote.