• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechAmazon

How Amazon’s HQ2 Finalist List Shook Up the Crowd’s Views of the Eventual Winner

By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 19, 2018, 11:35 AM ET

Amazon released a list of the 20 city finalists for the location of its future second headquarters, known as HQ2, this week. And though the winnowing had few surprises, it has shaken up the views of bettors wagering on the eventual winner.

Detroit didn’t make the cut and Indianapolis did, but the list was largely as expected and included almost all of the prior favorites, including Atlanta, Austin, and Boston. In fact, all but one of the top 10 cities favored by bettors back in November on the Irish betting web site Paddy Power made the final cut. (Only eighth-ranked San Jose failed to reach the finals.)

But since Amazon (AMZN) disclosed the final 20, the wisdom of crowds has shifted on the favorites. Boston, which had been in third place with odds of 6-to-1, moved into first place this week with odds of 3-to-1. Austin, which had been second at 3-to-1 in November, held its position but its odds slipped slightly to 7-to-2. And former top dog Atlanta, listed at 2-to-1 odds, moved into a tie for second, also at 7-to-2.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Among the long shots, Paddy Power listed a tie at 20-to-1 odds for almost half the field, comprised of Columbus, Los Angeles, Nashville, Indianapolis, Raleigh, Dallas, Northern Virginia, and Miami.

The much longer shots bettors considered back in November were Halifax, at 100-to-1, and Ottawa, at 80-to-1.

Amazon says it plans to spend $5 billion to build its second headquarters somewhere in North America with an eventual planned workforce of 50,000. The e-commerce giant solicited bids from cities with populations of at least 1 million and ready access to an international airport and got 238 applications. The company says it will name a winner sometime this year.

Boston’s odds may have been bolstered by reports earlier this month that Amazon was already seeking to rent up to 1 million square feet of office space in Boston. According to its HQ2 plans, the company wants to lease about that much space in a first phase of building HQ2 in 2019 up to an eventual size of 8 million square feet by 2027.

Betting on the HQ2 site could soon be joined by betting for where Apple (AAPL) plans to locate a second major U.S. campus. The iPhone maker said this week that it plans to open a second campus that will focus, at least initially, on customer tech support.

About the Author
By Aaron Pressman
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Arts & EntertainmentMovies
‘Project Hail Mary’ becomes Amazon’s highest-grossing film debut
By Thomas Buckley and BloombergMarch 22, 2026
1 hour ago
AIElon Musk
Musk says Tesla, SpaceX, xAI chip project to kick off in Texas
By Kara Carlson, Loren Grush and BloombergMarch 22, 2026
1 hour ago
Arts & Entertainmentart
Banksy may have been identified, but his mystery has long been part of his art’s value, and a fan says it’s like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real
By Laurie Kellman and The Associated PressMarch 22, 2026
8 hours ago
Startups & VentureDefense
A turning point at the Pentagon: Anduril’s new mega‑deal rewrites the rules for Silicon Valley—and raises new risks
By Jessica MathewsMarch 22, 2026
11 hours ago
gen z
CommentaryGen Z
Gen Z is using ChatGPT to practice salary negotiations and tough conversations before they happen
By Phillip MillerMarch 22, 2026
12 hours ago
AIthe future of work
AI may be helping more people start their own businesses, but without many employees
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMarch 22, 2026
14 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.