Key Insights:
- WSJ found that many Polymarket prediction market win videos showed profits that never existed.
- Paid creators allegedly used test markets to simulate winning bets.
- Polymarket faces fresh scrutiny amid a separate insider betting case.
Polymarket is on the spotlight after a WSJ reported that the prediction market platform financed creators to upload videos showing false betting profits.
The report reviewed hundreds of social media posts that were seen as featuring profitable bets and large payouts. This also raises questions about how marketing content of the prediction market is related to the platform on which it was created and distributed.
According to the WSJ, the team looked at 1,105 videos posted by 10 creators between December 2025 and mid-May 2026. Out of those videos, 778 were built on betting activity tied to Polymarket.
The investigation found that several videos did not match actual market outcomes. In one example, a creator appeared to profit from a wager on whether President Donald Trump would say the word McDonald’s.
However, the footage used in the video reportedly came from two months before the bet was allegedly placed.
The report stated that more than half of the videos portraying winning bets would have resulted in losses on the real platform. Public market data reviewed by the publication showed that more than 50 accounts placed the same Trump-related wager and lost money.
The WSJ also reported that some creators used a testing environment known as Poiymarket rather than the live platform. The site reportedly mirrors the appearance of the prediction market and serves as an official testing environment.
Across 118 videos, creators celebrated approximately $900,000 in claimed winnings. According to the investigation, those same bets would have produced losses exceeding $166,000.
WSJ Details Creator Payments and Promotion Network
The investigation reported that creators received between $2,000 and $3,000 per month for producing content. Several creators interviewed by the publication said they submitted videos to Polymarket for review before posting them online.
According to those accounts, creators were sometimes asked to reshoot videos if the content appeared unconvincing or insufficiently engaging. Some creators also claimed they were instructed not to disclose that they received payments connected to the content.
The WSJ further reported that marketing contractors hired by the prediction market helped distribute the videos across social media platforms. The publication stated that the content generated more than 140 million views after being amplified through a network of accounts.
Polymarket told the newspaper that it remains committed to maintaining an accurate, fair, and transparent marketplace. The company also said it plans to conduct a comprehensive audit of its promotional content.
The report noted that regulations in both the United States and Japan require advertising content to disclose commercial relationships. However, questions remain regarding how existing rules apply to some forms of online promotional activity.
Separate Polymarket Insider Betting Case Draws Attention
The allegations surfaced months after authorities charged a Google employee over betting activity on Polymarket. Federal prosecutors in New York accused Google engineer Michele Spagnuolo of using internal company information to place profitable wagers.
Authorities said Spagnuolo used confidential marketing information obtained through his work at Google. Prosecutors alleged that he placed approximately $2.7 million in bets related to Google between October and December 2025.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, those wagers generated more than $1 million in profits. Investigators linked cryptocurrency accounts used for the bets to Spagnuolo through identification records.
Google said it was cooperating with law enforcement and placed the employee on leave. Polymarket also stated that it worked closely with authorities during the investigation.
The company noted that blockchain transactions remain transparent and traceable, allowing investigators to follow activity connected to suspicious accounts.
