Polymarket draws $500K anti-USA bet, Betr's $1.8M hedge and Paul's longshot
An unidentified trader wagered more than $500,000 on Polymarket that the United States will lose to Paraguay in a 2026 World Cup match, according to posts from the platform on June 12, 2026. Separately, betting company Betr disclosed a $1.776 million Polymarket position on Team USA to win the tournament, hedging a promotion of 10 million free spins and the same payout. That position is the largest single trade on Team USA to win the World Cup on the platform. Boxer and influencer Jake Paul also placed a longshot bet on the U.S. to win the World Cup with a potential $1.776 million payout, according to TMZ. Polymarket bettors have wagered $98 million across 1,532 World Cup 2026 markets.
Viral individual wagers from Paul and Betr generate headlines but do little to deepen order books. Polymarket still needs block-size flow from the DRW, Wintermute and IMC desks to keep institutional liquidity competitive with Kalshi and Rothera.
Jake Paul and Betr to the roster of high-profile World Cup bettors on Polymarket, joining the $9.5 million DR Congo longshot as viral single-bet headlines that the platform must convert into repeatable block-size volume.