November 5: French police are investigating alleged insider trading after bookies at Polymarket correctly predicted the exact order of the top five in last month’s men’s Ballon d’Or.
According to French law enforcement sources, the bets came from 12 accounts that named Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Lionel Messi in order, first to fifth. One source said the way punters managed their positions also pointed to possible insider trading.
French channel Upside first reported the case, later verified by The Athletic. Around €250,000 was bet between the accounts, generating profits of almost €200,000.
France Football, which organizes the prize, was warned about the bets before the result was confirmed. He has since opened his own investigation and contacted the SCCJ, the police unit responsible for the game.
“The integrity of the Ballon d’Or is an absolute priority for France Football,” a spokesman said. “We would like to reiterate that the winner is selected by independent voting. Please be assured that we take these allegations of leaked results and potentially fraudulent bets very seriously. Investigations are underway to establish the facts and determine any potential liability.”
The organizers are filing a complaint with the police. Polymarket and the SCCJ have been contacted for comment.
The investigation adds to an already difficult night for the organizers. Hours before the ceremony at the London Palladium, the Ballon d’Or website published an article naming Kane as the winner, along with similar articles for other nominees, which organizers said were “inadvertently” published. Traffic delays, rowdy crowds and fans breaking through security barriers followed.
The case also raises broader questions about prediction markets, which operate with far less regulation than traditional sports betting. Several US states have taken legal action against their sports offerings, in cases expected to reach the Supreme Court. Awards votes, decided by a known group of people before the result is made public, are particularly vulnerable to leaks.
Contact the writer of the story, Nick Webster, a (email protected)