Investigation launched into betting accounts that accurately predicted Ballon d'Or top five

France Football is investigating suspicious betting accounts that correctly predicted the exact top-five Ballon d'Or finishers and profited €180,000; police have been notified.

France Football, the organiser of the Ballon d'Or, is investigating a series of bets placed on Polymarket, a US-based cryptocurrency prediction market, that correctly predicted the exact order of the award's top five finishers this year and generated approximately €180,000 in profits.

Twelve Polymarket accounts placed bets totalling over $264,000 (€236,000) on the result before Monday's ceremony at London Palladium. The bets accurately predicted the final order: Harry Kane, Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Messi. The extraordinary precision has raised serious concerns about a possible leak of confidential results.

Analysis firm Upside identified the 12 accounts, which were created between 1 and 20 October and showed remarkably similar activity patterns, suggesting they may be linked to the same person or group. Upside reported its findings to France Football, which confirmed the opening of an investigation on Friday afternoon and notified French police.