LeBron James has hinted at a partnership with prediction marketplace Polymarket, highlighting the growing popularity of prediction markets as they expand into a multi-billion-dollar global industry.
The NBA superstar posted a video on X and Instagram on Saturday alongside the message: “Welcome to Polymarket HQ. Coming soon,” James wrote on X. “In partnership with Polymarket,” the famous basketball player added.
The video shows James entering an elevator, where the buttons are labelled not with floor numbers but with subjects including “politics,” “crypto,” “sports,” “economy” and “culture”. The NBA legend, who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, selects “sports” before entering a busy office-style room.
Polymarket responded to the post from its official X account, writing “thanks for swinging by our HQ” alongside a goat emoji. At the time of writing, James’ post had received 3,900 likes and 2,400 re-posts.
The proposed partnership comes as Polymarket and rival prediction market Kalshi have grown rapidly over the past two years. The sector has expanded well beyond election-related markets, with users now placing wagers on a wide range of topics and events.
Both Polymarket and Kalshi have developed into billion-dollar firms rather than remaining start-up businesses. James’ video comes as prediction markets continue to attract significant attention, particularly through sports.
According to Dune Analytics data, a group of nine prediction markets recorded $49.9bn in notional volume in June, driven by World Cup matches. Kalshi and Polymarket accounted for the majority of that activity. The same group reached $56.4bn in notional volume in July, while August produced a further $50.7bn across the sector, according to Dune Analytics metrics.
Although the World Cup had ended by August, sports betting remained a major source of demand for prediction marketplaces.
James is already a familiar name in the prediction market industry. After he left the L.A. Lakers, millions of dollars were wagered on which team he would join next. When Bitcoin.com News reported on the activity, more than $80m in total volume had been recorded on markets concerning James’ next team.
The 40-year-old’s links with the cryptocurrency sector also pre-date the Polymarket speculation. In 2022, James and the LeBron James Family Foundation agreed a multi-year partnership with Crypto.com.
When that deal was announced four years ago, James said: “blockchain technology is revolutionizing our economy, sports and entertainment, the art world, and how we engage with one another.”
His apparent involvement with Polymarket suggests he may see similar potential in prediction markets and the technology supporting them.
However, the reaction to the proposed partnership was not universally positive. Some critical posts on X attracted more engagement than James’ original message, with users expressing opposition to his association with the platform.
“Don’t do this Bron,” one X user said. The post received 11,000 likes.
Another user criticised the wider growth of gambling and other online activities, writing: “Man, this country is fuuuu-uuuued. Gambling, porn, and all kinds of unproductive addictions.”
Elsewhere, Robinhood Chain traders have found a new use for tokenized U.S. stocks: making investors acquire them before they can buy…
Robinhood Chain traders have found a new use for tokenized U.S. stocks: making investors acquire them before they can buy…
Robinhood Chain traders have found a new use for tokenized U.S. stocks: making investors acquire them before they can buy…
