The leading prediction markets in the world are joining forces with Genius Sports to incorporate official league data and settlement solutions into their trading platforms, while Polymarket will also introduce live sports streaming functionality.
As the prediction markets dive deeper into live sports, the industry’s two major players have collaborated with Genius Sports to elevate the trader experience through live streaming and real-time data sourced directly from the leagues.
Genius Sports stands out as a global frontrunner in real-time sports data, collaborating with over 1,000 sports organizations, including major leagues such as the NFL, the English Premier League, and the NCAA.
“Prediction markets are becoming an essential avenue for fans to engage with live sports,” stated Sean Conroy, EVP of Rights and Partnerships at Genius Sports.
According to Genius, implementing real-time official league data will streamline the settlement procedures for sports event contracts on prediction markets, leading to improved transparency and reduced reliance on unofficial or outdated data sources.
Enhancing Integrity in Sports Trading
Kalshi and Polymarket emphasized that their partnership with Genius Sports aims to bolster the integrity of sports contract trading. The prediction markets labeled the data and live streaming offerings as “integrity services,” highlighting how Genius’s contributions will better safeguard traders.
“Dependability, clarity, and innovation are crucial for the sustained growth of sports prediction markets,” remarked Ari Borod, President of Sports Business Development at Polymarket. “The combination of live streaming, official data, and integrity infrastructure is vital for creating a reliable product that customers can trust.”
“As the prediction market landscape evolves rapidly, the integration of official data and integrity services has never been more critical,” noted Adam Barrick, Head of Sports Partnerships at Kalshi.
“We are delighted to partner with Genius Sports, given their established reputation for delivering top-notch sports data and assisting leagues in ensuring the transparency of sports events,” Barrick added.
In an effort to mitigate sports fixing, Polymarket and Kalshi will provide Genius Sports with insights into their trading activities related to sports markets. This collaboration will offer leagues and regulatory bodies enhanced understanding of real-time trading behaviors.
This alliance will help in identifying suspicious trading patterns that may suggest match-fixing or unauthorized sharing of confidential game or player information.
Understanding Sports Prediction Markets
Unlike conventional sports betting, where a bettor stakes against a bookmaker, prediction markets enable traders to buy and sell shares based on sports outcomes among one another.
For example, if a trader is willing to pay 40 cents per share on the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the 2026 World Series, another trader might take the opposite view for 60 cents. Should the Dodgers clinch victory, the “yes” position pays out at $1 per share.
However, critics of sports prediction markets argue that claims of peer-to-peer trading may not fully reflect reality, as individual traders often contend with large financial institutions, known as market makers, which provide liquidity by taking on the opposite side of trades.