Bets on Ballon d'Or top five earn €180,000 before ceremony, France Football investigates suspected leak

Huge profits from bets on the Ballon d'Or result have raised suspicion that the result was leaked in advance. Several accounts made an estimated €180,000 in profit from bets placed before the ceremony on the final ranking of the top five footballers.

The Ballon d'Or organiser France Football has launched an investigation into the suspected leak. The French magazine has contacted the police about the matter.

British outlet The Guardian reported that the bets were placed from 12 accounts on the US-based online platform Polymarket. Before last Monday's awards ceremony, more than $264,000, about €236,000, was wagered on the exact final positions of the top five. The profit from those bets is estimated at about €180,000.

At the ceremony held at the Palladium in London, Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or. Kylian Mbappe was second, Lamine Yamal third, Rodri fourth and Lionel Messi fifth. Remarkably, the suspect Polymarket accounts had predicted exactly that same ranking in advance. The exact match with the correct top-five ranking has raised questions about whether the result had been kept secret.

The accounts came to light through an investigation by French outlet Upside. According to its co-founder Raphael Putard, their team identified 12 accounts created between 1 and 20 October. The accounts showed significant similarities in how they placed bets. That has raised suspicion that they may be controlled by the same person or a single group.

Upside has submitted its findings to France Football. The magazine has organised the Ballon d'Or since 1956.