About this episode
The episode explores the implications of prediction markets and their impact on culture and society.
When you can bet on anything, everything changes. Unlike sports betting, prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi give users the freedom to bet on anything that comes to mind. Will Lady Gaga sing at the Super Bowl? What words will Trump say in his next speech? Or worse… the assassination of a world leader. Those bets - which are illegal - is what has prediction markets in hot water and lawmakers hustling to put guardrails on the industry. It’s also what today’s guest predicted in our 2026 predictions episode at the top of the year. NPR’s Bobby Allyn returns to the show to unpack the wild west of prediction markets and what the unfettered access to this market could do to us as a culture. Want more? Check out these IBAM episodes: 2026 Predictions: Beyoncé retires, AI busts, Democrats lift weights Get rich or die trying: how sports betting is changing our love of the game Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus. Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast…
People in this episode
Host: Brittany Luse
Guest: Bobby Allyn
Topics covered
- prediction markets
- betting
- culture
- law
- sports betting
Keywords
- prediction markets
- betting
- Lady Gaga
- Trump
- NPR
- Bobby Allyn
- culture
- sports betting
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NPR
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