Major League Baseball is increasingly opening its doors to the burgeoning prediction market sector, a trend underscored by the New York Mets’ recent multi-year agreement with Novig. This collaboration positions Novig as the team’s exclusive prediction market partner, marking a significant first for an MLB franchise. The deal, announced on Thursday, integrates Novig’s branding throughout the Mets’ operations, from Citi Field signage to game broadcasts and digital content. Fans can expect special contests and promotions designed specifically around this new partnership.
Novig, which commenced operations in January 2024, enters a competitive landscape already populated by established players like Polymarket, Kalshi, and Robinhood. Backed by Pantera Capital, the platform aims to distinguish itself through its operational model. Unlike traditional sportsbooks where the house directly profits from customer losses, Novig functions as a trading exchange. This means it matches fans against one another, with market dynamics determining prices. A spokesperson for Novig emphasized that their revenue stems from facilitating trades rather than betting against users, suggesting a system designed to be fairer.
The league itself has not yet indicated whether it plans to establish a singular, league-wide prediction market designation or if it will continue to allow individual teams to forge their own agreements. This approach stands in contrast to the MLB’s earlier move in March, when it named Polymarket as its official prediction market exchange, granting it exclusive rights to utilize MLB team names and logos within its products. That earlier announcement also coincided with a memorandum of understanding between the MLB and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, outlining protocols for information sharing on potential integrity issues within baseball-linked prediction markets.
While the specific financial terms and precise length of the Mets-Novig contract remain undisclosed, the broader implications for sports betting integrity are clear. Novig has been designated an MLB Authorized Prediction Market, compelling its participation in the league’s integrity program. This framework imposes guardrails, prohibiting Novig from listing certain high-risk markets. For instance, wagers on individual pitches, umpire calls, or singular managerial decisions are off-limits. Novig explains these particular markets are deemed sensitive due to the potential for a single individual to influence an outcome without necessarily affecting the final score, thereby creating opportunities for abuse that are difficult to detect.
The league’s cautious approach to this evolving market is understandable, given its past encounters with gambling-related issues. Incidents such as federal charges against two Cleveland Guardians pitchers in 2025 for allegedly rigged prop bets and leaked inside information, along with the lifetime ban of Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano in 2024, both stemming from traditional sports betting platforms, highlight the vulnerabilities that can arise. These events underscore the importance of robust integrity measures as new forms of sports-related financial markets emerge.
The partnership between the Mets and Novig is part of a larger trend seeing prediction market platforms increasingly integrate with sports organizations. Over the past two years, similar deals have materialized across various U.S. leagues, individual teams, and even international bodies like FIFA. Ahead of this year’s World Cup, ADI PredictStreet secured a multi-year agreement to become the tournament’s first official prediction market partner. Domestically, leagues including the NHL, MLS, and UFC had already established their own prediction market agreements prior to the MLB’s latest ventures, signaling a broader acceptance and integration of these platforms across the professional sports landscape.
