Ballon d’Or owner prepares complaint over Polymarket bets

Groupe Amaury, the owner of France Football, is preparing a complaint following allegations that Ballon d’Or results leaked before the ceremony and were used to place potentially fraudulent bets on Polymarket, according to AFP.

In coverage published on 2 November, AFP quoted the group saying a complaint was in preparation and that investigations were underway to establish the facts and determine any responsibility. That account does not establish that prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation.

The scrutiny follows reporting by French financial outlet Upside on accounts that backed the finishing order before the 26 October 2026 ceremony, when Harry Kane won the men’s award.

What the wallet analysis found

Upside’s 29 October analysis identified 12 Polymarket accounts created between 1 and 20 October, after jury voting closed on 28 September. It reported approximately $264,000 wagered and nearly $200,000 in gains.

The accounts did not all place the same set of trades. Upside said only one backed all five exact finishing positions. Its transfer analysis divided the accounts into three groups and found no transfers connecting those groups, so common ownership across all 12 was not established.

Upside also noted that the eventual rankings were already the market’s favoured scenario on ceremony day. Correct predictions alone do not prove a leak.

Complaint status remains unconfirmed

The available AFP account describes a complaint being prepared, rather than a court finding of fraud. Prediction Frontier has not independently reproduced Upside’s wallet calculations or established who controlled the accounts.

The blockchain activity described concerns Polymarket’s international platform. The reporting does not establish involvement by the separately regulated Polymarket US exchange.