LeBron James announced his new partnership with Polymarket over Labor Day Weekend, signaling a significant moment for the prediction market operator. On the same day that Ohio State University kicked off its college football season, James shared a video on X, highlighting his collaboration with Polymarket. Ohio State fans enjoying the team’s decisive 56-3 victory over Miami (Ohio) were left speculating about which athletes might join the campaign alongside “King James.”
By Tuesday, those speculations became clearer as Polymarket launched a flashy ad campaign, which garnered over 15.5 million views from James’ followers. Following the Labor Day holiday, the company debuted a colorful 90-second advertisement directed by Peter Berg, known for the television series Friday Night Lights. Featuring celebrated personalities like Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, Richard Sherman, John Leguizamo, and Spike Lee, the ad coincides with the launch of Squads, a new social feature in the Polymarket app designed to facilitate market discussions among users.
“People are constantly debating what’s going to happen next with their friends and sharing predictions in group chats,” explained Travis VanderZanden, Polymarket's chief growth officer. “With Squads, we’re bringing the conversation and trading together so friends can follow the events they care about and make their predictions in one place.”
The ad takes a humorous approach, reminiscent of classic Nike commercials, filled with slapstick moments to resonate with sports fans. Manning is shown leaping to catch a pass from a jugs machine before being tackled by a defender. James greets him with, “Good morning, Eli,” before Manning tosses him the football. Following this, James exchanges a handshake with Jeter, who played a pivotal role in the New York Yankees’ five World Series titles. Notably, the Yankees recently became the first Major League Baseball team to partner directly with Polymarket.
Although Polymarket has not disclosed the ad's cost, industry speculation suggests it was likely in the millions, considering the expenses associated with hiring a noted filmmaker like Berg and the broad production costs involved. Earlier in August, Polymarket announced it was pursuing a $21 billion valuation in a funding round led by Donald Trump Jr.'s 1789 Capital.
The impact of the ad on Polymarket's user engagement appears significant, with the platform recently climbing to the top of the App Store for downloads among free finance apps, surpassing competitors like Kalshi, Capital One Mobile, and payment giants PayPal and Venmo.
In response to the campaign, several participating athletes shared their views via social media. Leguizamo highlighted the dynamic nature of prediction markets, stating, “It’s live trading, you gotta stay on your toes.” Manning humorously quipped about returning to the field, prompting Sherman to challenge, “Now let’s try this on the field.”
As the 2026 NFL season approaches, competition among sportsbooks and prediction markets heats up, especially in light of the recent PASPA decision. This year, traditional sportsbooks such as DraftKings are gearing up to provide sports-event contracts in the major states of California, Texas, and Florida. While regulated sportsbooks restrict participation for individuals under 21, prediction markets like Polymarket allow ages ranging from 18 to 21 to engage, raising concerns among some experts.
Craig Carton, a sports talk radio host and former compulsive gambler, criticized the endorsements by athletes for a platform he labeled unregulated. He argued that these markets lead to detrimental outcomes for vulnerable individuals, questioning how athletes justify participating in such promotions.
Support for regulatory action is growing, with a recent study from Bank of America highlighting that households engaged in online betting tend to have significantly higher median account balances than those who do not. The lines between entertainment and investment are becoming increasingly blurred as both prediction markets and traditional sports gambling expand.
Regulatory tensions persist as voices advocating for states’ rights clash with proponents of federal oversight in sports trading. Carton underscored that trading in sports-event contracts constitutes unregulated gambling, while prediction markets operate under the jurisdiction of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
As the Polymarket advertisement campaign rolled out just before the NFL regular-season opener, excitement builds for the opening matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. The game will pit last season’s Super Bowl participants against one another, with the Seahawks looking to build on their previous victory.
As of 6 PM ET, Polymarket traders gave the Seahawks a 62% probability of winning against the Patriots, who were assigned a 39% chance. This translates to a $247.35 payout for a $100 contract if the Patriots secure an upset win. Earlier this summer, James ended his multi-year affiliation with DraftKings, marking a shift in his partnerships within the sports betting landscape.
