Ballon d’Or 2026: Amaury Group files complaint after suspicious Polymarket bets

Twelve accounts opened in early October, $264,000 staked on the exact Ballon d’Or top five, around $200,000 in winnings: the Amaury Group, owner of France Football, announced on Saturday that it had filed a complaint. The bets under scrutiny were placed from 1 October on Polymarket, a platform banned in France, on the first five in order: Kane, Mbappé, Yamal, Rodri, Messi. The business outlet Upside had spotted them as early as 23 October, three days before the ceremony that crowned Harry Kane in London.

“We take allegations of leaked results and potentially fraudulent betting very seriously,” the group wrote in a statement, which recalls that the trophy is awarded “following an independent vote” and announces “investigations under way to verify the facts and determine any responsibilities”. According to The Guardian, Foot Mercato reports that France Football is running its own inquiry and has contacted the police.

Fresh accounts, a public trail

Three details stand out. Seven of the twelve accounts had never placed a bet before October. Six staked their money within fifteen minutes of opening the account. And Upside followed part of the trail on the blockchain to one of the funding accounts, without revealing the identity. The leak would date from the close of voting in late September, according to Foot Mercato: the bets started on 1 October.

What it means for bettors

A result known in advance turns a market upside down: the price means nothing and the value has already been taken by whoever knows. The vote itself was tight: Mbappé topped 23 of the 100 ballots, Kane 40, and the full detail published on Friday showed some startling choices, like the Greek journalist who put Kvaratskhelia at the very top. Faced with a hesitant vote, the bet did not hesitate: the exact order of the first five, staked in one block. If the leak is confirmed, the law calls it insider trading, and betting on a platform banned in France has never protected anyone. 18+. Only bet what you can afford to lose.

The complaint has been filed and the investigations continue. Established so far: the stakes, the winnings, the timeline. Not established: whether the leak actually happened, who funded the accounts, who the bettors are.