Bellingcat researcher Miguel Ramalho documented that the 2026 FIFA World Cup generated historic trading volumes on unregulated prediction markets including Polymarket and Kalshi, with fans betting billions on outcomes. The markets operated with minimal regulatory oversight.
No BS check run yet — press ⚖ to extract this story's claims and verify them against independent sources.
It's like gambling, but without regulation - Will Ronaldo Cry? World Cup Fans Bet Billions Through Prediction Markets www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/07... Users traded on almost 60,000 outcomes, betting on everything from the sponsor of the Golden Boot winner to whether Cristiano Ronaldo would shed a tear during a Portugal match.
The FIFA World Cup was predicted to be the biggest betting event in history. Bellingcat researcher Miguel Ramalho looked into the data on prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi - and found that fans wagered more than US $14 billion through the two sites https://www. bellingcat.com/news/2026/07/30 /will-ronaldo-cry-world-cup-fans-bet-billions-through-prediction-markets/?utm_source=mastodon