Polymarket paid social-media creators to produce deceptive videos showing staged bets and wins to generate viral buzz [1].

The practice undermines the perceived transparency of cryptocurrency prediction markets and raises questions about the authenticity of user-generated growth in the sector.

An investigation by the Wall Street Journal found that the company hired creators to film themselves placing bets and celebrating victories that never occurred [2]. To make these videos appear authentic, creators used near-identical copies of the Polymarket website to display fake trades [1].

Neil Mehta of the Wall Street Journal said, "We identified over 1,100 deceptive clips and talked to creators who confirmed the company paid them to create the videos" [5].

Researchers analyzed 1,105 videos to uncover the scheme [3]. The investigation identified over 1,100 deceptive clips [1]. These staged videos collectively showcased wager amounts totaling $1.9 million [3]. In one specific instance, a video featured a staged win valued at $100,000 [3].

Polymarket aimed to attract new users by showcasing large, seemingly real wins that were actually fabricated [1]. The creators posted these clips across various social-media platforms to create an illusion of massive success on the platform [2].

“Polymarket paid social-media creators to produce deceptive videos showing staged bets and wins”

This revelation suggests a systemic effort by Polymarket to manipulate social proof, a critical driver of trust in decentralized finance. By using replica websites to simulate financial success, the platform moved beyond traditional marketing into the realm of coordinated deception, potentially exposing it to regulatory scrutiny regarding consumer protection and deceptive advertising practices.