.png)
1 week ago
5
A trader with a new account and no prior betting history placed a $70,000 bet on Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado winning the prize.
Oct 11, 2025, 2:27 p.m.
Norwegian officials are investigating a potential leak after large bets were placed on the Nobel Peace Prize outcome on Polymarket just hours before it became public.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in the fight for democracy, saw a spike in bets on her victory on the prediction markets hours before the official announcement, Bloomberg reported.
The spike was so notable that Polymarket’s official account posted on social media about it.
A trader using the handle “dirtycup” placed a near $70,000 bet on Machado and walked away with about $30,000 in profit, without adding any other type of exposure. The account had been opened only weeks earlier and had no prior betting history, according to Polymarket data.
Two other accounts also focused solely on Machado and earned a combined $90,000, local Norwegian outlet Finansavisen reported.
“We take this very seriously,” said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute. “It seems we have been prey to a criminal actor who wants to earn money on our information.”
While the Nobel Peace Prize selection process is known for its secrecy, the committee had reportedly made its decision days earlier. The committee is now reviewing the situation.
Polymarket allows users to bet on real-world events, from elections to celebrity gossip. Its founder, Shayne Coplan, became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire after the firm saw $2 billion investment from the owner of the New York Stock Exchange.
More For You
Total Crypto Trading Volume Hits Yearly High of $9.72T
Combined spot and derivatives trading on centralized exchanges surged 7.58% to $9.72 trillion in August, marking the highest monthly volume of 2025
What to know:
- Combined spot and derivatives trading on centralized exchanges surged 7.58% to $9.72 trillion in August, marking the highest monthly volume of 2025
- Gate exchange emerged as major player with 98.9% volume surge to $746 billion, overtaking Bitget to become fourth-largest platform
- Open interest across centralized derivatives exchanges rose 4.92% to $187 billion
More For You
DOGE Suffers 50% Flash Crash Before Stabilizing Near $0.19
The move wiped out billions in nominal value, triggered cascading liquidations.
What to know:
- Dogecoin experienced a 50% flash crash, dropping from $0.22 to $0.11 before recovering to the $0.19–$0.20 range.
- The crash was triggered by the Trump administration's tariff announcement, leading to a broader selloff in cryptocurrencies.
- Institutional demand and ETF flows helped stabilize Dogecoin, with whales re-accumulating and exchange outflows reaching $23 million.
