Nov 03, 2026

WSJ Wednesday: Data Crunch - Have Prediction Markets Become More Popular Over Time?

In early 2024, Kalshi’s monthly trading volume barely registered on a chart. By the start of 2026, the prediction market was handling close to $4 billion in trades in a single month. On Election Day, students may see these platforms’ ads and the odds they posted on the races.

In the Data Crunch, Have Prediction Markets Become More Popular Over Time?, students will compare the monthly trading volume of Polymarket and Kalshi from 2024 to 2026 and answer questions about the events behind the biggest spikes and the risks that come with this kind of growth.

 

Bar chart titled "Monthly trading volume of Polymarket and competitor Kalshi," showing monthly data from early 2024 through early 2026. The y-axis is measured in billions of dollars (up to $4 billion). Two bars appear side-by-side each month — teal for Polymarket and gray for Kalshi. Four key events are annotated:  June 27, 2024 — Trump-Biden debate: Both platforms show near-zero volume through mid-2024. Nov. 5, 2024 — Presidential election: Polymarket spikes to approximately $1.1 billion; Kalshi reaches approximately $0.5 billion. Both drop sharply the following month. Oct. 7, 2025 — NYSE owner announces Polymarket investment. Dec. 3, 2025 — U.S. app launches.  Monthly approximate values through 2025 (Polymarket / Kalshi):  Jan 2025: $0.6B / $0.05B Feb–May 2025: $0.3–0.4B / $0.05–0.1B Jun 2025: $0.35B / $0.2B Jul 2025: $0.4B / $0.25B Aug 2025: $0.4B / $0.35B Sep 2025: $1.2B / $1.35B Oct 2025: $1.5B / $1.9B Nov 2025: $2.1B / $2.5B Dec 2025–Jan 2026: $2.8B / $4B+  Note: Figures are based on the price of each contract traded, not the notional value of $1 per contract. Volumes from Polymarket's new U.S. platform are excluded.

 

Click these links to access the article source, data crunch, and answer key

Full Wall Street Journal Source Article | NGPF Data Crunch + Answer Key

This data crunch pairs well with NGPF’s Gambling and Sports Betting Unit.


This resource was created through NGPF’s partnership with Dow Jones, bringing high quality financial journalism into personal finance classrooms across the country for free.

Every WSJ Wednesday, NGPF will highlight a classroom-ready article, video, or data crunch resource from the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, or Barron’s, including a student guide, discussion questions, and an answer key.

About the Author

Yonathan Tadesse

Yonathan is a Dallas-based Curriculum Designer at NGPF with 12 years of experience as a high school math, college transition, and financial literacy teacher. An award-winning educator, he has a track record of launching innovative programs at the high school level that expand access and opportunity for students. He is a graduate of Emory University and is passionate about advancing financial education for all students. Outside of work, Yonathan loves spending time with his wife and two kids, working out, playing chess and poker, and learning new things.

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