Suspicious Polymarket Bets Fuel Conspiracies Around Logan Paul’s $16.5 Million Pokémon Card Auction
Kotaku
by John WalkerFebruary 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A recent surge in high-stakes betting on Polymarket regarding Logan Paul's $16.5 million Pokémon card auction has sparked widespread curiosity and conspiracy theories. The platform, known for allowing users to trade binary outcomes as assets, saw significant investments predicting the sale would exceed $15 million. This activity has led some to speculate about insider knowledge or prearranged deals.
Polymarket operates by letting individuals buy and sell shares representing the outcome of future events. In this case, shares were tied to whether the auction would surpass $15 million. The volume of these trades, particularly large ones placed just before the sale closed, has raised eyebrows. Some theorists suggest possible collusion between bidders or even Paul himself, though no concrete evidence supports such claims.
The auction itself was historic, with the rare "Mewtwo" card selling for a record-breaking $16.5 million. The timing and scale of the bets have fueled speculation about how bettors could predict the outcome with such accuracy. While some attribute it to market analysis or coincidence, others propose more nefarious explanations, like inside information or manipulation.
For gaming enthusiasts and collectors, this situation highlights concerns about transparency in high-stakes auctions and digital marketplaces. It also underscores the murky potential for insider trading in emerging platforms like Polymarket. As the dust settles, questions remain about how such large bets were executed and whether they influenced the auction's outcome. This story resonates with gaming audiences as it touches on trust, transparency, and the intersection of gaming culture with financial markets.
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Originally published on Kotaku on 2/23/2026