Prediction markets are emerging as a new layer of real-time engagement in professional sports, with former NBA champion Tristan Thompson describing them as an inevitable part of future broadcasts.
Key Takeaways
- Prediction markets are beginning to integrate into major sports broadcasts through partnerships involving UFC, the NHL, and retail platforms.
- Tristan Thompson expects real-time prediction data to become a routine part of game coverage and is developing Basketball.fun to support this model.
- Thompson's work with Basketball.fun and TracyAI reflects a broader push toward fan-driven data platforms.
Thompson said the technology will allow fan sentiment and live odds to appear on-screen throughout games, updating from possession to possession rather than over extended periods like political prediction markets.
Early adoption is already underway across major properties. UFC parent TKO Group Holdings signed a multiyear agreement with Polymarket to integrate a running fan prediction scoreboard into UFC broadcasts. The feature presents global forecasts during live events, expanding the league's data-driven presentation.
The NHL also entered the space last month, becoming the first major professional league to form multi-year partnerships with both Polymarket and Kalshi.
Thompson said prediction markets can raise viewership by allowing participants to exit positions before results are finalized, a structure that encourages continuous engagement rather than a single wager. His current work centers on Basketball.fun, a platform designed to merge fan insights, player data, and market mechanics.
Forbes reported that the site enables users to back their opinions on players and games with real stakes, building a live marketplace around performance expectations. Thompson was also named Chief Content Officer and Lead Advisor of TracyAI, an artificial intelligence basketball agent he developed with Virtuals Protocol.
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Leagues weigh regulatory risks as prediction markets expand
As adoption continues to accelerate, a more thorough assessment is being considered regarding whether prediction markets align with their regulatory standards and values, particularly in terms of integrity and regulation.
The NFL has taken a more measured approach to date, indicating no involvement until a more favorable regulatory landscape emerges.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated that the league will monitor current developments before considering any level of involvement.
This parallels the NFL's cautious introduction to sports betting following the repeal of PASPA and, more recently, with their moves to limit types of betting, as evidenced by a memo regarding restrictions on prop bets.
This warning is echoed elsewhere in professional sports. Near the end of the 2025 season, a memorandum with the subject "Re: Baseball Related Prediction Markets" was sent out to all players in MLB, warning that engaging in any baseball-related prediction markets would be a violation of current policies regarding gambling.
This directive, distributed along with a notice from baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and the players' union, explicitly banned players' involvement with event contracts on prediction markets. This directive aligns with MLB's focus on competitive integrity and categorizing prediction markets alongside other forms of gambling.
