Victor Munoz, the £40 million Liverpool signing, scored the goal that won Spain the 2026 World Cup on Sunday. The moment capped a tournament that also saw crypto prediction markets like Polymarket log their heaviest engagement of the year.
Polymarket sees a tournament-long spike
Polymarket, the leading decentralized prediction platform, reported sustained activity throughout the month-long World Cup. Bettors placed wagers on match outcomes, goal scorers, and even the exact minute of the winning goal. The Munoz market alone saw over $12 million in volume before the final whistle.
The exchange didn't disclose total user numbers, but on-chain data shows daily active wallets on Polymarket more than doubled during the knockout rounds compared to the group stage. The platform handled settlement of thousands of contracts within minutes of the final result.
A £40M bet that paid off
Munoz joined Liverpool from Real Sociedad last summer for £40 million, a club record for the Reds. He struggled with injury early in the season but found form just in time for the World Cup. His winning goal in the 83rd minute of the final against Brazil sent Spanish fans into delirium — and triggered a wave of winning bets on Polymarket.
Prediction markets had listed Munoz as a +800 longshot to score the tournament-winning goal before the knockout stage. Those odds shortened sharply after his semifinal brace against Germany.
Why prediction markets are gaining traction
The World Cup isn't the first major event to drive traffic to crypto-based prediction platforms. Polymarket saw similar spikes during the 2024 U.S. presidential election and the 2025 Super Bowl. But the tournament's global reach and the sheer number of discrete betting markets — over 500 for the final alone — made it the platform's biggest event to date.
Unlike traditional sportsbooks, Polymarket settles bets via smart contracts, cutting out intermediaries and allowing instant payouts. That speed was on full display Sunday evening as winning bettors claimed their USDC within seconds of the final whistle.
The platform did face some criticism for a brief lag in updating odds during the final's chaotic final minutes, but the issue was resolved before settlement.
With the World Cup wrapped, Polymarket and its competitors are already turning to the next major sporting calendar: the 2026-27 European club season and the 2027 Cricket World Cup. The question is whether the engagement spike will hold or fade as casual bettors drift away between mega-events.
