Polymarket has partnered with Genius Sports in a deal combining official league data, live sports streaming and integrity services with prediction markets for US users.
This agreement gives Polymarket access to verified data from competitions including Serie A, alongside live streaming for selected events. Genius Sports’ official data will be used to determine outcomes and settle covered sports contracts.
Furthermore, the partnership arrives as football interest grows in the US after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It also links event contracts with live content on a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated platform.
Conversely, Genius Sports is creating another outlet for its data, integrity technology and media assets, while polymarket improves its infrastructure in the expanding prediction market sector.
Deal gives Genius Sports another boost after Legend acquisition concerns
Genius Sports shares rose more than 14% after the partnership was announced, reaching $8.08, their highest level since the stock fell sharply in February due to the proposed $1.2bn Legend acquisition.
The deal was completed in May and Legend will support the Polymarket partnership through its media properties to extend reach among eligible US sports fans. Genius shares had fallen as low as $3.92 after the acquisition announcement, compared with around $11 at the start of 2026.
Its market capitalisation also dropped below the $1.2bn value of the Legend deal in April before recovering above $2.1bn. Investor concerns centred on whether the strategic fit between Genius and Legend was clear enough to justify the price.
However, Genius reported Q1 revenue growth of 30.5%, from $143.9m to $187.9m, while EBITDA increased 21.3%.
Polymarket expands official sports relationships while competing with Kalshi
The Genius agreement strengthens Polymarket’s position as it expands beyond political and financial contracts into mainstream sport. Its sports footprint includes official relationships with MLB, Liga MX, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, MLS, NHL and UFC.
“Trust, transparency and innovation are fundamental to the long-term development of sports prediction markets,” said Ari Borod, President of Sports Business Development at Polymarket.
“Live streaming, official data and integrity infrastructure play an important role in establishing an engaging product that customers can depend on.
“Our partnership with Genius Sports gives professional leagues direct visibility into prediction market activity around their competitions and reflects the standard we hold across every official league relationship we build.”
The partnership also adds another competitive layer to Polymarket’s rivalry with Kalshi. Both platforms are seeking higher sports participation while positioning prediction contracts as federally regulated financial products.
Integrity safeguards become more important as regulatory pressure increases
Polymarket will participate in Genius Sports’ integrity information-sharing processes, giving leagues and governing bodies more visibility into prediction market activity linked to their competitions.
The companies said the arrangement will support real-time coordination around irregular trading patterns and complement Polymarket’s existing surveillance and compliance systems.
This comes as prediction markets face increased scrutiny in the US and Europe. Kalshi is fighting a legal challenge in New York, where the state argues its products amount to illegal gambling presented as financial trading.
Polymarket has also faced criticism over controversial markets and has been restricted in multiple European jurisdictions, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Regulatory issues have also emerged in Asian markets including South Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar and Singapore.
Gibraltar has offered a different direction by creating a dedicated regulatory framework for prediction markets, providing one possible route for future European expansion. Sean Conroy, EVP of Rights and Partnerships at Genius Sports, added: “Prediction markets are emerging as an important new way for fans to engage with live sports.
“As the category continues to grow, robust integrity safeguards are not simply optional; they are foundational.
“By bringing together official data, live streaming, league IP, integrity services and the reach of our Legend media network, we are helping Polymarket deliver a differentiated and trusted experience for sports fans across the US.”
Polymarket is combining official data and prediction contracts through its Genius Sports collaboration to make their product feel more like a complete sports experience. The main challenge will be proving that stronger integrity tools can keep up with the rapidly growing industry.
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