Polymarket partners with UFC…U.S. sports prediction market set to expand in earnest

UFC parent company TKO has signed a multi-year partnership with prediction market platform Polymarket. Polymarket, which is preparing to enter the United States, is expected to use this as an opportunity to broaden its influence within the sports industry.

On the 13th (local time), ESPN reported that UFC plans to insert Polymarket's real-time prediction market indicators into live broadcast screens and operate a 'fan prediction scoreboard' that reflects market prices changing during bouts. TKO CEO Ari Emanuel said, "The collaboration with Polymarket will provide fans with a new way to interact with fights in real time," adding, "It will open a new dimension of fan experience."

Shane Coplurn, founder and CEO of Polymarket, said, "What makes our approach interesting is that you can buy and sell like stocks while a match is in progress," emphasizing, "New user behaviors of repeated buying and selling will emerge according to the flow of the fight and shifts in momentum."

Prediction market platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi have a structure where users bet on the outcome of a specific event in a 'yes/no' format. Unlike sportsbooks such as FanDuel or DraftKings, prediction markets can operate across the United States, including regions where sports betting is prohibited, such as California and Texas. Polymarket currently provides global services and plans to officially enter the U.S. market within the next few months.