Last weekend, more than $5.6 billion was wagered on the World Cup final through Polymarket and Kalshi, representing just a sliver of the overall action on prediction markets — a legal but controversial way to gamble on the outcome of almost anything.
On July 26, the latest installment of Instadocs examines the phenomenon, exploring how tens of millions of people are diving into these markets — placing bets on anything from the World Cup and Taylor Swift’s wedding to elections, weather, and armed conflict — with all sorts of consequences.
Here’s everything to know about Instadocs: The Prediction Games.
Instadocs: The Prediction Games drops viewers into the red-hot center of betting fever, where millions are wagering they can predict the future and win big — fast. The installment features interviews with those who own the game, including Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan and Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour, as well as regulator Michael Selig, head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Prediction markets are a deceptively sophisticated idea, with roots far back in American history. But the allure of easy money can carry real risk: when bettors harass war reporters to publish fake news and hackers manufacture Spotify streams to win millions, has reality itself become a target for manipulation? Has the wisdom of crowds turned into mob rule?
Instadocs: The Prediction Games premieres on July 26.
Instadocs is Netflix’s quick-turn documentary series that moves at the speed of the story and arrives at the height of the conversation. The Prediction Games is the second installment in the series; the first, Instadocs: Alex Murdaugh, Unconvicted, is available to stream now. Learn more about the series here.
Instadocs: The Prediction Games is produced by Words + Pictures. Steve Yaccino serves as showrunner. Executive producers are Josh Tyrangiel, Connor Schell, Steve Yaccino, Libby Geist, Aaron Cohen, and Alexa Conway, with supervising producers Amel Guettatfi and Rakhee Jethwa.
