Suspicious bets returning £149,000 for predicting Ballon d’Or under investigation
Bets predicted exact top-five men’s finishing order Organiser France Football has contacted police A series of suspicious bets that correctly predicted the exact top-five finishing order of this year’s Ballon d’Or and generated almost $200,000 (£149,000) in winnings is being investigated by the event’s organisers, France Football, who have also contacted the police. It has been alleged that 12…
A series of suspicious bets accurately predicted the exact top-five finishing order of this year's Ballon d'Or, resulting in nearly $200,000 in winnings, according to France Football. Organisers of the event have contacted the police in response to the findings. An investigation is underway into 12 Polymarket accounts located on the American cryptocurrency-based prediction market, which placed the bets.
The accounts generated a total wager of over $264,000 before the ceremony in London. Investigators identified the accounts due to their similar patterns of activity, with seven accounts showing no other betting history and six placing their first bets within 15 minutes of creation. One of the accounts was traced back to a French platform, which confirmed the individual behind one account involved in the suspicious bets.
The identities of the individuals behind the other accounts remain undisclosed. The bets followed a specific scenario: Kane winning, followed by Mbappé, Yamal, Rodri, and Messi. The precision of the predictions has raised concerns about possible leaks of confidential information before the official announcement, and the investigation aims to uncover the circumstances behind the bets and their connection to the award ceremony.
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