Can Donald Trump dominate the headlines for long enough to be named the most Googled person for the fourth year running? Kalshi traders think his time could be up, because there’s a new favorite on this board: our Super Bowl star of 2026 Bad Bunny.
Key Takeaways:
- Bad Bunny takes the lead: The Puerto Rican superstar currently sits at the top of the board, following momentum from his Super Bowl performance and ongoing music releases.
- Erling Haaland’s World Cup surge: The Norwegian striker made an unprecedented leap into first place after leading Norway on a historic World Cup run and shattering social media records, but his price has since dropped.
- Donald Trump remains great value: The POTUS has topped the chart for the past three years, making his current price look very tempting indeed.
- Savannah Guthrie eases back: After a massive initial spike following developments in her mother's high-profile abduction case, search traffic has cooled.
There are other contenders in the mix now, too. A recent surge in interest for one of the World Cup’s most entertaining characters, Erling Haaland, put him at the top of the board for a brief spell, during which he also gained an incredible 32.1 million new Instagram followers. He's now tied with Lionel Messi at 10%.
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Most Googled Person of 2026: Latest Odds
This market is moving fast, and no one quite knows what’s around the corner. But that’s never put us off before. Let’s take a look at the current players as we attempt to predict what’s next.
Don't forget, the most googled person of 2026 market resolves based on the official People section of Google's annual report (not to be confused with the trending chart!).
Breakdown: Who Will be the Most Searched Person in 2026?
| Candidate |  |
Buy 'Yes' | Buy 'No' |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Bunny | 17% | 17¢ | 85¢ |
| Donald Trump | 10% | 10¢ | 91¢ |
| Lionel Messi | 10% | 10¢ | 92¢ |
| Erling Haaland | 10% | 10¢ | 92¢ |
| Luigi Mangione | 7% | 7¢ | 96¢ |
| Savannah Guthrie | 6% | 6¢ | 95¢ |
| Taylor Swift | 6% | 6¢ | 95¢ |
| Elon Musk | 4% | 4¢ | 97¢ |
| Zohran Mamdani | 3% | 3¢ | 99¢ |
| Timothée Chalamet | 2% | 2¢ | 99¢ |
| Billie Eilish | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
| Joe Biden | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
| Kamala Harris | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
| Sam Altman | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
| Vladimir Putin | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
| Volodymyr Zelenskyy | 1% | 1¢ | -- |
Bad Bunny | 'Yes' 17¢ | Chance 17%
As a global music icon and star of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, Bad Bunny is a great pick for this year’s title.
Recent tour announcements and fresh new music have kept us searching his name, and that’s why he’s now the most likely to end Trump’s multi-year streak, according to Kalshi traders.
Donald Trump | 'Yes' 10¢ | Chance 10%
President Trump is, of course, never far from the headlines. That 13¢ price shows that traders are still confident in his ability to dominate the news cycle, because let’s face it, he’s been doing it all year (and for several years before that).
Trump’s World Cup appearance generated yet more interest in the President, and the way things are going with Iran and the midterms, we can’t see searches for him dropping anytime soon. At the current price, Trump is great value.
Erling Haaland | 'Yes' 10¢ | Chance 7%
The biggest story on the board right now is Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland. He was no where to be seen on this market earlier this year, but in July he became the new favorite at 22% probability.
It was all down to his World Cup performance, of course, as well as several viral memes and a phenomenon we’re now calling Haaland Mania. Searches for the player spiked over 900% year-over-year during the tournament, and while Haaland has since dropped back into third place it does show just how quickly a board like this can be turned on its head.
Taylor Swift | 'Yes' 6¢ | Chance 5%
If there’s one artist who can break the internet at a moment's notice, it’s Txaylor Swift. Priced at 11¢, interest remains steady following that Madison Square Garden wedding to Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Search traffic also jumped following the release of Swift’s original song I Knew It, I Knew You for what could be one of the year’s highest grossing movies: Toy Story 5.
Savannah Guthrie | 'Yes' 6¢ | Chance 6%
NBC's Today show co-anchor leapt onto the board at a massive 33% probability following news surrounding the kidnapping of her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
This is a case that’s attracted worldwide attention, and it’s still unsolved. So, with media outlets still releasing the details of ransom notes and new investigation updates coming all the time, search traffic has remained high. Guthrie’s price has now fallen to 6¢, but any further breakthroughs on the case could still spark another surge in interest.
Elon Musk | 'Yes' 4¢ | Chance 3%
Another character who appears in the headlines almost every day is of course Elon Musk. We saw massive interest in the tech mogul earlier this year when he became the world’s first trillionaire, but his price has now fallen to 5¢.
That’s lower than earlier in the year, but Musk’s volatility is his greatest asset. Any major product announcement, X controversy, or high-profile legal battle has the potential to send his search traffic skyrocketing.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy | 'Yes' 1¢ | Chance 1%
Zelenskyy remains at the forefront of international news due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but search volume has dropped as other conflicts have begun to dominate the news cycle. His search volume is highly reactive to geopolitical developments, keeping him in the conversation for the most searched individuals globally.
Billie Eilish | 'Yes' 1¢ | Chance 1%
Eilish’s search traffic follows a cyclical pattern, with spikes appearing whenever the possible Coachella 2027 headliner releases new music or appears on the red carpet. At 1¢, she is a longshot candidate whose chances depend on a viral moment that gets the whole world talking. Highly unlikely, but not impossible.
Sam Altman | 'Yes' 1¢ | Chance 1%
As the face of the AI revolution, Altman’s relevance has been growing as public interest in OpenAI increases. But even though Altman has found fame in recent years, search traffic about the man himself remains slow when compared to pop stars and major politicians. We’d need to see a major AI breakthrough or a serious controversy to see his ranking climb.
Timothée Chalamet | 'Yes' 2¢ | Chance 2%
Timothée Chalamet was one of the most talked about stars in the world during the 2026 awards season, and he continued to dominate headlines even after missing out on the Oscar, following some controversial takes on opera and ballet.
We’ve also seen plenty of coverage surrounding Chalamet’s relationship with Kylie Jenner. If there’s news of an engagement or a secret wedding we can certainly expect an uptick in traffic for the actor. He’s a steady contender, but it’ll take some big news stories for Chalamet to top the chart.
Vladimir Putin | 'Yes' 1¢ | Chance 1%
As a figure of intense global scrutiny, Putin’s search volume is tied to major international events. His low price reflects the market's view that while he is highly searched, he may not surpass the raw volume of domestic celebrities or political figures.
What can we learn from the most searched people of 2025?
Last year, the top spot of course went to none other than President Donald Trump, closely followed by Elon Musk. The only other celebrity that featured in last year's top 10 and is also on this year's board is Taylor Swift.
Google also reveals its top trending figures every year, and these two give us a glimpse into the topics and people users are most interested in.
Trending people are those who saw the most significant surge in interest relative to 2024. In 2025, the list included d4vd, Kendrick Lamar, Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Robinson and Pope Leo XIV.
Top 10 Trending People (2025 Global Year in Search)
This list reflects the spikes, so it’s the people who saw the most significant surge in interest compared to 2024.
| Rank | Person | Category | Reason for Spike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | d4vd | Musician | Viral TikTok hits and a high-profile news investigation. |
| 2 | Kendrick Lamar | Musician | Global "Pop Out" show and Super Bowl halftime news. |
| 3 | Jimmy Kimmel | TV Host | Fourth Academy Awards hosting and late-night virality. |
| 4 | Tyler Robinson | Public Figure | Accused in a major high-profile assassination event. |
| 5 | Pope Leo XIV | Religious Leader | Election of the first American-born Pope in history. |
| 6 | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | Athlete | Youngest-ever centurion in men's T20 cricket (IPL). |
| 7 | Shedeur Sanders | Athlete | NFL Draft experience and joining the Cleveland Browns. |
| 8 | Bianca Censori | Architect | Continued viral fashion and lifestyle scrutiny. |
| 9 | Zohran Mamdani | Politician | Historic upset victory as New York City Mayor. |
| 10 | Greta Thunberg | Activist | Renewed global protests and "The Greta Effect." |
More 2026 Google Search Prediction Markets
How to Use Prediction Markets
Prediction markets work very differently to sportsbooks. With a prediction market, you’re trading the probability of a specific outcome, and you’re trading against other people rather than the house. Here’s a brief introduction to prediction markets and how they work for markets like this one.
1. Choosing a Position and Understanding the Contract
On platforms like Kalshi, every market is binary, meaning it has a 'Yes' side and a 'No' side. Every contract is worth exactly $1.00 if the outcome occurs and $0.00 if it does not.
The price of a contract (e.g. 23¢) represents the market's belief in the likelihood of that event. A price of 23¢ means the market currently assigns a 23% chance to that person being the most searched.
2. The Two Ways to Profit
There are two primary strategies for making money in these markets. Firstly, you don't have to wait for the final results in December.
If you buy a ‘Yes’ for Elon Musk at 8¢ and a week later he makes a major acquisition, the price might jump to 20¢. You then have the option to sell your shares to another trader and take the profit immediately without waiting for the result.
If you are confident in your research and think you’ve backed the winner, you can hold until the very end.
For example, if you buy a ‘Yes’ for Donald Trump at 23¢ and he is confirmed as the most searched person, your shares convert to $1.00 each. That means a profit of 77¢ per share for you.
3. Analyzing the Order Book
Before placing a trade, look at the bid (what buyers are willing to pay) and the ask (what sellers are willing to accept).
Market orders execute instantly at the best available current price. You can use this if you need to enter a position quickly before news spreads.
There are also limit orders. With these, you set a specific price you are willing to pay (e.g., "I will only buy Taylor Swift 'Yes' if the price drops to 5¢"). This allows for more precision but leaves you open to the possibility of missing out entirely if the price moves in the other direction.
4. Managing Risk with 'No' Contracts
One of the most powerful tools in #1 searched person on Google prediction markets is the ability to trade the 'No' side.
If you are certain a specific celebrity will not be the most searched, you can buy 'No' shares instead. While 'No' shares for a person like Sam Altman might be expensive (99¢), they represent a very high-probability trade.
As an advanced trader, you can buy 'Yes' on two or three likely candidates while buying 'No' on several long shots. That allows you to balance your portfolio and protect yourself against unexpected market swings.
5. Research and Information Lag
The key to success on prediction markets is identifying information before it is priced in. In the most searched person of 2026 market, this involves monitoring data, including:
- Upcoming releases from musicians and movie stars
- Google Trends data
- External catalysts, such as political debates, awards, or controversies
Most Googled Person Prediction Market FAQs
Most markets have specific dead heat rules or use specific data providers (like Google Trends) to determine a winner down to the decimal point.
Because only one person can be the most searched, it is statistically much more likely that any given individual will not win, which is why there are much higher prices for 'No' contracts.
Yes. Prediction markets allow you to sell your 'Yes' or 'No' shares at the current market price before the final result is determined. Sometimes it’s possible to make a profit by doing so before the winner is revealed.
This market does not resolve based on daily Google Trends charts or third-party news reports. It officially resolves using the “People” section of the Google Year in Search 2026 Global list. This report is typically released by Google in early to mid-December.
If a person who isn't currently listed on the board (e.g., a new breakout star or a sudden news figure) takes the #1 spot, the market typically resolves to "Other." If you believe the current frontrunners will all be eclipsed by an unknown event, buying "Other" (if available) or the ‘No’ side of the favorites is the strategic play.
