Sports Rule Prediction Markets
Research posted in September by Datawallet shows that prediction markets rank among 2026’s fastest-growing financial sectors.
Kalshi and Polymarket, which posted combined revenue of $5 billion in September 2025, catapulted to more than $50 billion by July 2026, before slipping to $45.33 billion in August. By contrast, the total amount of money wagered through legal U.S. sportsbooks last year was around $14 billion per month.
Meanwhile, Kalshi has overtaken Polymarket as the market leader, accounting for about 82 percent of monthly turnover, mostly driven by sports contracts. The Pew Research Center reports that since mid-2024, sports has been responsible for 80 percent of Kalshi’s volume and 39 percent of Polymarket’s.
Global sports mania was especially evident during this summer’s FIFA World Cup, when the tournament-winner market alone drew more than $3 billion in volume.
