Polymarket announced on June 23 that it has secured an exclusive prediction market partnership with Bundesliga in the U.S., marking another major sports property addition to its growing commercial portfolio. According to company materials, official event contracts tied to Bundesliga and its clubs are now available exclusively on Polymarket's platform, with the company describing the agreement as an exclusive partnership for the U.S. market. This latest deal extends Polymarket's soccer partnerships to include Spain's LALIGA, Italy's Serie A, and Mexico's Liga MX, which have also signed regional arrangements that integrate prediction markets into fan engagement initiatives and broadcasts.
Prediction market open interest reached a historic $1.48 billion in the week ending June 15, representing a sixfold increase over the past year. According to reports from a16z crypto, this marks the second consecutive weekly peak, with Kalshi and Polymarket accounting for most of the figure. Smaller venues including Opinion, Limitless, and Myriad trail significantly behind the major platforms. The surge indicates that participants are seeing prediction markets as a more permanent component of trade, keeping their bets open longer across politics, economics, culture, and crypto markets.
Sports-related contracts emerged as the primary catalyst for the record-breaking performance. As reported by a16z crypto, total notional volume across prediction markets hit a record $12.2 billion during the week, with sports-related markets accounting for $5.8 billion, nearly half of the total. The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup has been instrumental in attracting new participants to these platforms, with betting activity intensifying significantly. Some users have placed seven-figure wagers on individual matches, while one trader reportedly generated $9.24 million in profits in a single day. Currently, sports betting makes up about 39% of Polymarket's trading volume, crypto accounts for 20%, and politics represents 32%, adding up to 91% in just three areas, leaving 9% for everything else.
Despite achieving record performance, Polymarket faces scrutiny from the Wall Street Journal over alleged marketing practices. According to WSJ reports, the company allegedly bribed social media artists to publish fictitious trading and profit videos to promote its services. The investigation reveals that Polymarket constructed almost identical versions of its own website and instructed developers to place fictitious wagers on phony pages while concealing compensation. The Journal reported that it reviewed 1,105 videos published between December 2025 and mid-May and found that roughly 70% contained bets that were not available in live markets. The company reportedly paid influencers $2,000 to $3,000 monthly and engaged Virality marketing company to oversee the initiative, with creators displaying approximately $1.9 million in simulated wagers.
Polymarket's commercial growth extends beyond sports, with the company securing partnerships across entertainment and technology sectors. The company has obtained a multi-year agreement with TKO Group Holdings, naming it as the official and exclusive prediction market partner of UFC and Zuffa Boxing, with prediction market data from Polymarket appearing during pay-per-view programming. Outside sports, the Golden Globes selected Polymarket as its exclusive prediction market partner, incorporating live market data into viewing experiences tied to the annual awards ceremony. Technology and data partnerships have accompanied this expansion, with Polymarket obtaining access to esports data through an agreement with GRID Esports and launching an integrity monitoring platform called Vergence AI with support from Palantir and TWG AI. The company has also integrated its markets into sports-focused platforms including Betr Super App and Splash Sports.
