World Cup Betting Swings Millions on Polymarket and Kalshi; One Trader Nets $9.24M

Prediction market traders are winning and losing millions on the 2026 World Cup, including a Polymarket bettor who made $9.24 million in a single day after correctly calling four match outcomes. According to BeInCrypto, World Cup activity has surged on Polymarket and Kalshi, with Polymarket’s outright winner market drawing more than $2.5 billion in volume. Lookonchain said one trader staked $7.03 million on Iran not beating New Zealand; a 2-2 draw returned $7.34 million. Losses included a roughly $1.2 million bet on Argentina not to beat Algeria, which failed after a 3-0 win featuring a Lionel Messi hat-trick. France leads title odds on both platforms.