- Reports say creators showcased fake Polymarket wins that often would have lost money.
- Videos on a Polymarket test site displayed about $900K in claimed betting profits.
- Paid creators and repost networks reportedly helped clips surpass 140 million views.
A growing controversy has emerged around prediction market platform Polymarket after an investigation alleged that the company funded creators to produce videos showing fake betting successes.
The report examined hundreds of social media posts that appeared to show users earning large profits through wagers on real-world events, raising questions about the authenticity of the content and the promotional methods used to attract new users.
Investigation Examines Hundreds of Promotional Videos
According to the Wall Street Journal, researchers reviewed 1,105 videos published by 10 creators between December 2025 and mid-May 2026. Of those, 778 were identified as content related to betting activity on Polymarket.
The videos featured creators celebrating winning wagers and claiming high profits. However, the investigation found that many of the scenarios depicted in the clips did not align with actual market outcomes. In several cases, events presented as winning bets would have resulted in losses if the wagers had been placed on the live platform.
One example cited involved a market predicting whether President Donald Trump would say the word McDonald’s. A creator appeared to celebrate after footage showed Trump making the statement, but the publication reported that the video clip used as evidence was recorded months before the wager was allegedly placed. Based on the timing, the reported bet would not have succeeded.
Dummy Platforms and Fabricated Profits
The investigation also found that some creators used a testing website called Poiymarket rather than the live Polymarket platform. The site reportedly mirrors the appearance of the actual service and was described by the WSJ as an official testing environment connected to Polymarket.
Across 118 reviewed videos, creators were shown celebrating approximately $900,000 in claimed winnings. According to the report, those same positions would have resulted in more than $166,000 in losses if executed in the real market.
Marketing Network Allegedly Expanded Reach
The WSJ further reported that creators received monthly payments ranging from approximately $2,000 to $3,000. Several creators interviewed by the publication reportedly stated that completed videos were submitted for review before publication and that revisions were sometimes requested to improve engagement or realism.
The report also alleged that creators were instructed not to disclose compensation connected to the content. In addition, marketing contractors hired by Polymarket were said to have redistributed the videos across social media platforms, helping the content accumulate more than 140 million views.
Related: How Traders Track Polymarket Whales With On-Chain Data
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