Netanyahu implicated in election betting on Polymarket - report

An investigation by Haaretz has revealed that a Polymarket user under the nickname 25xp, allegedly linked to the government, is placing large bets on Netanyahu's victory in the elections, controlling about a quarter of the prediction market. The bets appear at times when the prime minister's ratings drop, which may be an attempt to artificially boost his chances.

An investigation by Haaretz has uncovered suspicious activity on the Polymarket prediction platform linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A user under the nickname 25xp, who previously correctly predicted the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran and earned about $200,000, has recently placed bets totaling around $40,000 on Netanyahu's election victory. This user controls approximately a quarter of the prediction market on this topic. Large bets appear precisely when the prime minister's poll ratings decline or his chances on Polymarket fall. The investigators suggest that this may be an attempt to artificially boost his position on the platform and create the impression that his electoral prospects are better than indicated by other data. Another user, OnlyBibi2026, has also been noted placing large bets in favor of Netanyahu. Earlier, Kursor reported that according to a poll, Gadi Eisenkot enjoys greater support as a candidate for prime minister than Netanyahu.