Lynnae Williams Journalist
Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioThe latest Consumer Trends report from Coefficient Capital, in partnership with The New Consumer, shows a sizable number of Americans believe that prediction markets are set to play an increasingly important role in how we track the world.
According to the survey, 31% of U.S. adults think that using prediction markets to bet on everyday life will become a “bigger and more important” part of culture. The results suggest that prediction markets are moving from the fringes of the betting and finance world into mainstream cultural awareness.
More than 3,000 adults in the United States were surveyed as part of the study, which found an increasing number of Americans say “betting on everything” from economic indicators to pop culture, is no longer outlier behavior. Among those surveyed, 34% said they expect the cultural importance of sports betting to grow, while an almost identical number, 31%, said the same about prediction markets.
Prediction Markets Gain Momentum After 2024 Election
Prediction markets became household names in the lead-up to the 2024 election as people looked to these crowd-sourced forecasts as a supplement to traditional polling to gauge which candidate has the best chance of winning based on those who’d staked money on the outcome. Data from the survey shows that search volume for brands like Polymarket and Kalshi reached a peak in November 2024.
After the election, interest in these prediction markets began to cool; however, a new wave of interest in these platforms emerged in early 2026. The data suggests that these platforms are successfully transitioning from “election-only” tools to general-interest platforms that people check every day.
While much of the focus has been on the sports event contracts that prediction markets offer, because that’s where they make the most money, their real strength could be their versatility. Unlike traditional sportsbooks tied to seasonal athletic calendars, prediction markets offer users 24/7 engagement across a variety of topics, including economics, pop culture, and global news.
Generational Divide: Younger Consumers Embrace Prediction Markets
The survey shows a clear demographic split in brand awareness between prediction markets and traditional sportsbooks. While brand recognition of established sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel is higher overall, that awareness skews significantly toward older groups (Gen X and above). In contrast, prediction markets have found their biggest audience among Gen Z and Millennials.
| Brand | Gen Z & Millennial Awareness | Gen X & Older Awareness |
| DraftKings | 46% | 59% |
| FanDuel | 43% | 55% |
| Polymarket | 17% | 4% |
| Kalshi | 13% | 5% |
According to the data, only 4% to 5% of older Americans have heard of the top prediction market platforms, while awareness among the younger generation is nearly 3 to 4 times that.
While prediction markets don’t have the same name recognition as sportsbooks, their audience skews younger, which could allow them to position themselves as complementary alternatives to traditional wagering models rather than direct replacements.
Online Betting Finds Its Place in U.S. Culture
The survey findings make it clear that many Americans view the online betting industry as an important part of U.S. culture. When asked whether gambling on sports or everyday life would become more or less important, only a small percentage (8% to 9%) of respondents believed these activities would become less important in the future.
A majority of those surveyed say they think the betting sector is here to stay, whether that be in the form of traditional sportsbooks or prediction markets.
- Bigger and more important: 34% (Sports) vs. 31% (Prediction Markets)
- About the same as now: 39% (Sports) vs. 38% (Prediction Markets)
- Smaller and less important: 8% (Sports) vs. 9% (Prediction Markets)
The small gap between sports betting and “everyday life” suggests that prediction markets and sportsbooks may be converging for many Americans. With sportsbooks like Fanatics, FanDuel, and DraftKings all launching prediction markets over the last few months, it’s understandable why they’d feel that way.
