From Spectator to Participant: How Prediction Markets Are Transforming the Way Fans Interact with Sports

Prediction markets are set to transform how fans interact with sports, with NBA player Tristan Thompson foreseeing their adoption in broadcasts as a catalyst for increased audience numbers. "This is going to happen," Thompson stated to

, comparing this shift to the earlier integration of social media statistics into sports programming. His comments come as leading leagues and companies such as FanDuel and Polymarket ramp up their involvement in prediction markets, merging financial wagering with immediate fan participation.

FanDuel, collaborating with

, is preparing to launch that will provide event contracts tied to sports results and economic data. The app, set to launch in December, will allow users to engage in sports prediction in states where betting is not yet permitted, while focusing on financial indices in regulated areas. , highlighted the app’s safety features, such as deposit caps and educational content, to promote responsible use. Flutter Entertainment, FanDuel’s parent company, noted that the app could utilize existing marketing resources to reach markets like California, where sports betting remains illegal.

At the same time,

in the industry, signing a multi-year partnership with UFC’s parent company to bring live prediction markets to broadcasts. This collaboration introduces a "Fan Prediction Scoreboard," which displays global fan sentiment during matches, turning viewers from passive spectators into active participants. as "a new layer of fan engagement," while that the platform enables fans to "trade like stocks as the fight unfolds." The partnership will also extend to Zuffa Boxing, with a launch planned for 2026, and will feature social media content predicting future matchups .

The NHL has also joined the movement, becoming the first major sports league to collaborate with both Polymarket and competitor Kalshi. This development follows

of prediction market company Railbird, although Railbird continues to focus on finance and entertainment. The trend has gained further legitimacy as Google and Yahoo Finance have started featuring Polymarket’s probability data, signaling a wider acceptance of prediction markets as financial instruments.

Nonetheless, regulatory hurdles remain. Unlike traditional sports betting, prediction markets allow participants to exit early, but

how these platforms fit within state gambling regulations. Despite these uncertainties, sports broadcasting, with live odds updating on-screen to reflect real-time events—such as a sudden UFC knockout or a dramatic shift in an NBA player's performance. The that sports betting reached $99 billion in wagers in the first eight months of 2025, marking a 12% rise from the previous year and highlighting the industry’s rapid expansion.

As FanDuel and Polymarket continue to grow, they are now competing with established names like Robinhood and

, both of which have entered the prediction market arena. Still, the unique combination of financial speculation and real-time sports interaction positions prediction markets as a disruptive innovation. Thompson’s support and the swift pace of new partnerships indicate that this transformation is not only inevitable but already in progress.