A recent investigation by the Wall Street Journal has revealed that Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, allegedly engaged in deceptive marketing practices. According to the report, Polymarket paid social media influencers to promote fabricated bets and winnings using replica versions of its website. The investigation analyzed over 1,100 videos posted by ten creators between December 2025 and May, finding that roughly 70% of the wagers shown were not real. These videos purportedly displayed about $1.9 million in nonexistent bets, generating more than 140 million views across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
One notable example involved a college student, George Makihara, who posted a video in January showing an apparent $100,000 profit from a wager on President Donald Trump saying the word “McDonald’s.” However, the clip used footage of Trump speaking the word two months before the bet’s resolution, leading to losses for over 50 real Polymarket users who placed the same bet. The report also stated that Polymarket created imitation sites, such as one hosted at “poiymarket.com,” designed to mimic the official website. In 118 videos reviewed, creators celebrated nearly $900,000 in winnings that did not actually exist, which would have resulted in over $166,000 in losses if placed in real markets.
Creators were reportedly paid between $2,000 and $3,000 per month and were instructed not to disclose the arrangement. Some later added “@polymarket partner” to their social media bios after the Journal reached out for comment. The marketing effort was managed by Virality, a contractor, which required at least 60% of the audience to be from the U.S. This targeted American users despite restrictions barring Polymarket from offering its main platform to U.S. residents since a 2022 settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Americans can still access the platform via VPNs.
In response, Polymarket stated it is “committed to maintaining accurate, fair, and transparent markets” and plans to conduct a comprehensive review of its promotional content. This controversy follows a Politico report in June that Polymarket’s Chief Marketing Officer, Matthew Modabber, used a personal PayPal account to pay creators over $350,000 without proper disclosure. Additionally, streamer Adin Ross has a multi-million-dollar partnership with Polymarket, and the company paid creators to promote videos discussing how to profit from insider information, a practice it says is prohibited.
As Polymarket seeks to expand and regain U.S. access, it faces growing regulatory pressure. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman filed lawsuits against Polymarket and Kalshi in June, alleging unlicensed sports betting. Furthermore, on-chain data showed three wallets earning $24.25 million from World Cup predictions, later transferring funds to the same Binance address, suggesting potential insider trading. Polymarket and Binance have not confirmed these claims.