Kalshi has finally settled its market on Brad Pitt attending the World Cup final. Yet many are not happy. Reports of Pitt being at the game are limited, and no photos have emerged showing he was in attendance.
The market took some time to resolve after the final on July 19. During this time, the chances of Pitt attending fluctuated wildly, going from 11% to 75% and then to 50%, as users could not judge how the operator would ultimately settle.
Eventually, Kalshi settled the market as yes, he did attend.
Broadcaster Mistakes Matt Damon for Brad Pitt
There are plenty of reports on Pitt being mistaken for Matt Damon, who did attend. These stem from a Fox Sports announcer’s error during the live broadcast. Commentator John Strong stated, “Brad Pitt also among the fans here.”
The mistake, however, was immediately corrected by Strong’s co-commentator Stu Holden. Strong then also corrected himself and apologized to both actors.
Some Reports State Pitt Attended
NBC Sports, whether it picked up on the error or not, reported that Pitt attended the match.
Kalshi’s market rules state, “Attendance is confirmed if the person is reported present at the event by any Source Agency, including social media posts by the person themselves.”
USA Today is also listed as a source and published an article focusing on the Damon mix-up, while stating, “Brad Pitt was likely not in attendance Sunday.”
In a post on X, NPR reporter Bobby Allyn quoted Kalshi spokesperson Elisabeth Diana as saying “the market didn’t resolve because of the error made during the live broadcast, but because of the subsequent mistaken reporting.”
Kalshi did not respond when contacted about the market. Polymarket US also had a market on whether Pitt would attend and settled it as “no.”
Kalshi Users Voice Frustration
Kalshi users who wagered that Pitt would not attend have been left frustrated. In total, around $300,000 was wagered on whether he was at the match. A website has even been launched alleging corruption.
One user said he switched positions. The user NateMeininger, who is marked as being in the top 1% of all Kalshi traders, stated, “Be very willing to change your mind and accept you’re wrong. I initially was on No on Brad Pitt. The NBC Sports piece instantly changed everything for me so I sold and bought Yeses.”
“I’m not here to brag or rub anything in anybody’s face, but the best traders are able to change their mind fluidly. You can complain about how Kalshi scammed you all day, but the reality is that you could’ve realistically ascertained that the evidence overwhelmingly suggested Brad Pitt was there and Kalshi was going to resolve it as such.”
Another user responded, “There are no real articles claiming Brad Pitt was there; therefore, this settlement is completely fraudulent and corrupt. And you know that, but the difference is, you’re someone who throws ridiculous amounts of money in Kalshi, and therefore Kalshi makes tons of money off you with fees. They’re incentivized to keep you happy.”
There was also controversy over Kalshi’s Super Bowl attendance market, with Jeff Bezos’ son accused of manipulating it. Critics argue these sorts of markets are ripe for insider trading and manipulation.
