{
  "id": 1537461,
  "title": "US midterm election betting races past 2024 congressional total, data shows",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/us-midterm-election-betting-races-past-2024-congressional-total-data-1537461",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T18:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20260818/us-midterm-election-betting-races-past-2024-congressional-total-data-shows"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Betting activity on the upcoming U.S. midterm elections has surpassed the total wagers made during the 2024 congressional election cycle, according to data from the Anti-Corruption Data Collective (ACDC). As of Monday, over $133 million has been wagered on the November elections, exceeding the $92.4 million spent in the 2024 race.\n\nThe non-profit research and advocacy group projects that wagers on the 2026 midterms could reach an astonishing $1.6 billion if betting activity continues at the same pace as it did in 2024. This data highlights the rapid expansion of prediction markets, driven by the increasing adoption of retail and institutional users. Platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi have become popular destinations for individuals looking to bet on real-world outcomes, encompassing politics, economics, and popular culture.\n\nThe explosive growth of prediction markets has attracted regulatory attention, with critics arguing that these platforms function as gambling sites. However, companies offering prediction markets and the Trump administration maintain that they are financial markets rather than gambling platforms. They assert that their contracts enable users to hedge against risks or trade based on their views of future events. ACDC examined 7,466 markets related to the 2026 U.S. House and Senate races.",
  "summary": "Betting on November's U.S. midterm elections has already hit $133 million, surpassing the $92.4 million wagered during the 2024 congressional election cycle, the Anti-Corruption Data Collective said on Monday. The non-profit research and advocacy group forecast that total wagers on the 2026 midterms could reach $1.6 billion if betting activity accelerates at the same pace as it did in 2024. The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "US midterm election betting races past 2024 congressional total, data shows",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/us-midterm-election-betting-races-past-2024-congressional-total-data-1535538",
        "published": "2026-08-17T18:37:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}