MLB Makes Polymarket Its Official Prediction Market Partner

• Polymarket is the new official prediction market partner of the MLB

• The league agreed to work with the CFTC on integrity monitoring

• Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers are currently facing gambling charges

The MLB has become the next major pro sports league to team up with the prediction market industry.

The league announced a new deal that makes Polymarket its official prediction market exchange partner. The operator will gain the rights to use MLB logos and the league’s official data to help resolve markets. Polymarket will be the league’s first-ever prediction partner. 

In addition to the deal, the MLB also agreed to share confidential information with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The goal is to help the federal regulator improve its integrity monitoring to win back fans' trust after a massive betting scandal was uncovered last year.

"I hope that it goes without saying that our primary concern, always first in our minds, is protecting the integrity of the game," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said of the deal. "I think in today's world, it is really important not to be chasing developments but try to be involved and in front of those developments because our world is so fast-moving."

The pair of agreements comes just before the kickoff of the 2026 MLB season, which is set to begin on Wednesday, March 25.

Deal is a Double-Edged Sword for MLB

Despite Manfred’s assurances, there remain serious concerns over the ability of the CFTC and prediction operators to detect insider trading involving sports markets. That means the Polymarket deal will generate plenty of negative attention and risk causing fans to further lose faith in the product they are watching. 

While rejecting additional gambling sponsors may seem like an easy decision, the MLB has found itself in a precarious financial position. Attendance is down, and the league has been unable to secure local TV partners in several markets nationwide. 

The MLB is also facing concerns over a potential lockout as negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement remain sour. The league and teams can’t afford the revenue lost from missed games, making the future look bleaker by the day. 

The prediction partnership deal will bring a badly-needed injection of cash to help the league through these turbulent times. 

Polymarket and the prediction industry could also score a massive win through the MLB deal. If they can prove their integrity monitoring is at a higher level than that of online sportsbooks, it could change the way the public views prediction markets, helping ensure their future.