A trader on prediction market platform Polymarket earned nearly 100x profit in less than a minute. He capitalized on a UFC announcer’s mistake.
During a heavyweight fight between Tyrell Fortune and Marcin Tybura, announcer Bruce Buffer initially declared Tybura the winner. At that moment, Fortune’s shares on Polymarket dropped to one cent.
A trader using the handle LlamaEnjoyer (Verrissimus on X) bought $676 worth of Fortune shares at that price. Seconds later, the announcer corrected the call. Fortune’s shares rose to $1, and the trader locked in roughly $67,000 in profit.
The trader noted he almost placed $100,000 on Tybura at 99 cents. He spotted the discrepancy in time and canceled the order.
Prediction Markets Surge in Popularity
In March 2026, trading volume on prediction markets reached a record $23.9 billion. That represents an 11-fold increase from the same period last year. Transaction counts exceeded 191 to 192 million, while active users grew to 865,000.
The majority of volume comes from contracts tied to geopolitics, US politics, and macroeconomic events. Crypto-related topics have moved to the background.
Polymarket and Kalshi continue to lead the space, though both face growing regulatory pressure and allegations of insider trading.
Regulatory Risks and Outlook
Several platforms announced additional safeguards against manipulation in March. At the same time, members of Congress introduced bills aimed at restricting or banning certain types of contracts.
The sector’s further growth will depend on how platforms address market integrity and manipulation prevention.
