Prediction Markets Are Taking Hold Among Sports Bettors

Prediction markets are no longer just an emerging idea on the edges of sports betting. Our Fall 2026 study shows they already have a meaningful foothold among active bettors in Canada and the United States, even though adoption remains much more limited across the general population.  

Earlier this year, our Sports Betting & Fan Engagement Study found that regular AI bettors were much more likely than non-AI bettors to say they planned to use prediction markets around major sporting events. The Fall results reinforce that earlier signal, while adding an important nuance: prediction markets are taking hold largely among people who are already deeply engaged in sports betting and other forms of wagering.  

• 42% of Canadian sports bettors and 53% of U.S. sports bettors say they have used a prediction market at least once. Among sports bettors, 19% in Canada and 37% in the U.S. used one in the past year.  

• 86% of current Canadian prediction market users and 92% of current U.S. users bet on sports in the past year. In addition, 76% and 89%, respectively, used at least one other wagering format.  

• 44% of Canadians and 62% of Americans are aware of prediction markets, while 5% and 11%, respectively, used one in the past year. 

• 15% of aware Canadian non-users and 17% of aware U.S. non-users would consider using prediction markets, compared with 63% of current Canadian users and 81% of current U.S. users. 

• Past-year sports betting in Canada rose significantly from 19% in 2025 to 24% in 2026. U.S. participation remained comparatively stable, moving from 26% to 27%. See our Fall 2025 sports betting study for the previous wave.  

One of the clearest patterns in the data is the overlap between prediction markets and other forms of wagering. People currently using prediction markets tend to move across several types of bets rather than stick to a single format.

In Canada, live or in-play betting, meaning wagers placed after a game has started, is the most common other format among current prediction market users. In the U.S., participation is spread across traditional sportsbook bets, bets tied to individual player performance, and live betting.

That overlap suggests prediction markets are joining an established wagering routine rather than developing as a completely separate category of consumer behaviour.

The people currently using them also resemble some of the audiences already most active in sports betting. Use is higher among men and younger adults in both countries, while adults living in households with children also stand out. In the U.S., current use also extends strongly among adults aged 35 to 54, suggesting prediction markets are not limited to the youngest early adopters.

Prediction markets have already captured attention, particularly in the United States. Turning that awareness into participation is another matter.  

Among people who know about prediction markets but have never used them, interest in trying them remains limited. The picture changes considerably once people have experience with the category, with future consideration rising to clear majorities among those who have already used a prediction market.  

That pattern suggests awareness alone may not be enough to broaden adoption. First-time trial appears to be the more important dividing line between consumers who know prediction markets exist and those who can see themselves using them.  

This builds on what we saw in the spring, when AI bettors stood out as particularly open to prediction markets. What we see now is that current prediction market users are also deeply engaged across sports betting and other wagering formats, reinforcing the idea that these platforms are taking hold within an already active betting audience.  

Prediction market users may be highly engaged, but that does not mean they are comfortable with every aspect of the wider betting environment. 

Majorities in both countries support responsible gambling requirements for prediction markets and say they should be regulated similarly to traditional sportsbooks. Concern about people using insider information to gain an unfair advantage is also widespread.  

What stands out is that these concerns also appear among people closest to wagering. Among the relatively small subgroup of current Canadian prediction market users, 86% say sports betting has become too integrated into watching sports, meaning they feel betting has become too embedded in the experience of watching a game.  

Participation and concern are not opposites: prediction markets are becoming part of the routine for highly engaged users, even as those same audiences question how deeply betting is woven into sports. 

Nearly half of Canadians (46%) and 38% of Americans say there are too many sports betting ads. In the U.S., that share rose significantly from 32% last fall, while Canada remained relatively stable.  

Interestingly, ad fatigue is not highest among the most active betting audiences. Among people who are aware of prediction markets but have never used them, 58% of Canadians and 49% of Americans say there are too many sports betting ads, compared with 40% of Canadian sports bettors and 32% of U.S. sports bettors.  

Ad fatigue is especially pronounced in Alberta (55%) and Ontario (53%), while Manitoba/Saskatchewan recorded the only statistically significant regional increase, climbing from 33% last fall to 46% this year. 

Explore the full report for more findings on sports betting participation, prediction market adoption, advertising, regulation and attitudes toward the role of wagering in sports. 

This study was conducted through an online survey among adults aged 18 and older in Canada and the United States from August 28 to 31, 2026. The Canadian sample included 1,552 respondents and the U.S. sample included 1,008 respondents. Data were weighted to census data to ensure the samples were representative of the respective general populations on key demographic characteristics.