[Saba Sports News] In a previous World Cup Round of 32 knockout fixture, Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 to secure a spot in the last 16. Notably, according to a post shared by US prediction trading platform Polymarket on its social media channels, a well-known large cryptocurrency whale staked as much as $2,487,974 on a prediction contract betting that Norway would not defeat Ivory Coast in this Round of 32 tie. Per the contract terms, the trader would have earned a massive payout of $4,499,048.82 if Ivory Coast won or held Norway to a draw at the end of regular time. However, the match unfolded contrary to his expectations; Norway claimed a 2-1 victory, rendering this multi-million-dollar prediction contract completely worthless. This episode, though, is merely a microcosm of the trading frenzy surrounding the World Cup on Polymarket. To date, the total trading volume for 2026 World Cup-related markets on Polymarket has far exceeded $3.3 billion.
The editor believes that massive financial losses are nothing out of the ordinary for whale traders on Polymarket and other prediction markets. Multiple incidents of wild capital swings have unfolded throughout the 2026 World Cup, including a $1 million wager that went south after Spain failed to beat Cape Verde.