During the summer murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, bettors wagered more than $100,000 on the verdict. Since a deadlocked jury forced a mistrial in early September, more than $500,000 in additional bets have been placed on whether the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her children will eventually be convicted.
In Utah, a trial date hasn’t been set yet for Tyler Robinson, who stands accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at a university event last year. But even before Robinson formally entered a not guilty plea last month, more than $300,000 had been wagered on the outcome.
In both cases, the bets were available on an offshore platform run by Polymarket. The site also has hosted bets on the federal prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs and the government’s current case against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Prediction markets are raising novel ethical concerns and insider-trading risks on everything from corporate auditing to U.S. military operations. Those headaches are now at the courthouse door, presenting particularly unusual challenges for the justice system.
“When the public treats a courtroom like a casino, due process is susceptible to corruption,” said C. Melissa Owen, president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Prediction markets are raising insider-trading concerns about jury cases https://t.co/YF4hIoWmlc via @WSJ
— Peter Dugas (@regintel2000) October 12, 2026
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