New York Mets Become First MLB Team to Partner with a Prediction Market

The relationship between professional sports and prediction markets continues to evolve, and Major League Baseball has taken another significant step. The New York Mets have become the first MLB franchise to sign an official partnership with a prediction market company, announcing a multi-year agreement with New York-based Novig.

The deal marks another milestone for the rapidly growing prediction market industry, which has expanded its presence across professional sports over the last two years.

Under the agreement, Novig will become the Mets’ official prediction market partner, with branding appearing throughout Citi Field, on team broadcasts, digital platforms, and fan activations. Team officials said the partnership reflects the organization’s commitment to innovation and creating new ways for fans to engage with baseball.

The partnership comes shortly after Novig received approval to operate nationally as a federally regulated prediction market under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Unlike traditional sportsbooks that act as the house, Novig operates a peer-to-peer marketplace where users trade contracts against one another, with prices determined by market demand rather than bookmaker odds.

The Mets are the first individual MLB club to sign such a sponsorship, although the league itself has already begun embracing the space through an agreement with Polymarket.

Prediction Markets Continue to Expand Across Sports

The Mets’ agreement reflects a broader trend as prediction market operators seek partnerships with sports leagues, media companies, and franchises.

Over the last year, prediction markets have become increasingly visible through partnerships that extend beyond baseball. Some of the most notable agreements include:

• CNN – Kalshi became CNN’s official prediction market partner, integrating live event-contract probabilities into election and economic coverage.
• CNBC – CNBC signed an exclusive partnership with Kalshi to incorporate prediction market data into financial programming and business news coverage.
• Robinhood – The brokerage launched its Prediction Markets Hub using Kalshi’s regulated exchange infrastructure, helping bring event contracts to a wider retail investing audience.

While some organizations have embraced the emerging industry, others remain cautious.

Not Every League Has Taken the Same Approach

Prediction markets continue to generate debate throughout professional sports. The NFL has repeatedly urged federal regulators to adopt stricter oversight for sports-related event contracts, arguing that enhanced integrity protections are necessary as the industry grows.

League officials have proposed stronger safeguards, certification requirements, and additional monitoring of sports contracts traded on federally regulated exchanges.

At the same time, several state gaming regulators continue challenging whether sports prediction markets should be regulated under commodities law or traditional gaming statutes. Those legal questions remain unresolved in multiple jurisdictions and are expected to continue shaping the industry’s future.

A New Category of Sports Sponsorship

For the Mets, the Novig partnership represents more than another sponsorship agreement. It introduces an entirely new commercial category to professional sports.

Prediction markets differ from traditional sportsbooks by allowing users to buy and sell contracts whose prices reflect the market’s estimate of an event’s likelihood. Advocates argue the model provides transparent, market-based pricing, while critics contend it raises many of the same regulatory and integrity questions associated with sports betting.

Regardless of where that debate ultimately lands, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: prediction market companies are moving from the financial sector into mainstream sports.

As leagues, teams, and media companies continue exploring partnerships, the Mets’ agreement with Novig may prove to be the first of many similar deals across professional sports.