Suspicious bets returning £149,000 for predicting Ballon d’Or under investigation

France Football, organisers of the Ballon d'Or, are investigating a series of suspicious bets placed on 12 Polymarket cryptocurrency accounts that correctly predicted the exact top-five finishing order of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, generating nearly $200,000 (£149,000) in winnings from over $264,000 wagered. The accounts accurately predicted that Harry Kane would win, followed by Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Lionel Messi — the precise order revealed at Monday's ceremony at the London Palladium. France Football has contacted police amid serious concerns that confidential results were leaked before the announcement, with the case first exposed by French outlet Upside.