Was the Ballon d’Or rigged? Suspicions arise after ₦241 million in betting profit

Questions have emerged over the integrity of the Ballon d’Or voting process after several betting accounts reportedly predicted the exact top-five order before Harry Kane was announced as the winner.

France Football has reportedly handed information about the suspicious wagers to French police after the accounts generated an estimated $200,000 (₦241 million) in profit.

According to research by Upside, 12 accounts on betting platform Polymarket placed approximately $264,000 in wagers related to the award. Seven of the accounts reportedly had no previous activity in other betting markets, while six were created just minutes before they began trading.

What raised further suspicion was the accuracy of their predictions. The accounts correctly identified the final order, with Kane finishing first ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Lionel Messi.

Their successful predictions reportedly generated profits of around $200,000, equivalent to approximately ₦241.7 million.

One particular account attracted attention after initially backing Kane to win the award. Having sold its contracts when their value increased, the account reportedly used part of the proceeds to place more specific wagers on the final positions of the leading candidates.

The betting activity has raised questions about whether confidential information surrounding the award was leaked before the ceremony.

The controversy follows an earlier incident in which three names — Kane, Mbappé and Yamal — reportedly appeared as winners in separate items published on the official Ballon d’Or website hours before the gala.

France Football maintains strict confidentiality around the results before the ceremony, making the accuracy of the betting predictions particularly noteworthy. However, there is currently no evidence that the accounts received insider information or had any direct connection to France Football.

The investigation will now seek to establish how the bettors obtained their information and whether an actual leak occurred.

For now, the possibility of insider knowledge remains unproven, with investigators also expected to consider whether the predictions resulted from information gathered through other channels or an extraordinary coincidence.