**French Trader's $45 Million Bet Alters Trump's Odds on Crypto Prediction Platform**

A French trader has significantly influenced the betting market on a well-known crypto-based prediction platform by placing massive wagers totaling $45 million on Donald Trump winning the US presidential election. These bets have notably altered the odds, skewing them in the former president's favor.

The transactions, executed through various accounts on the platform Polymarket, pushed Trump's odds from 50% at the beginning of October to 61%. This change diverges from most polling data, which had been more evenly distributed. It's worth noting that Polymarket prohibits US-based users, adding an additional layer of complexity to this development.

The rise in popularity of prediction platforms has characterized this election season, with many arguing that these platforms are more responsive to unfolding events than traditional polls. However, this incident has sparked a debate among election observers. Kyle Chayka from The New Yorker highlighted concerns that such large bets could be more about manipulating market perception than genuine prediction, potentially creating an artificial momentum for Trump.

As the election progresses, the role and reliability of prediction markets remain under scrutiny, with this event illustrating their susceptibility to significant individual influence.