What is a Prediction Market?

A prediction market is a type of market that allows individuals to buy and sell contracts that pay out based on the outcome of a specific event. The event can be anything from a sports game to an election, and the contracts pay out based on the accuracy of the predictions made about the event's outcome.

Prediction markets operate by allowing individuals to buy and sell contracts that represent their beliefs about the outcome of a particular event. For example, if a prediction market is set up for an election, individuals could buy contracts that pay out if a certain candidate wins, or sell contracts if they believe that a different candidate will win. The prices of these contracts reflect the collective beliefs of all participants in the market about the likelihood of each outcome.

The key advantage of prediction markets is that they allow individuals to pool their knowledge and expertise to make more accurate predictions about the outcome of events. By aggregating the beliefs of many individuals, prediction markets can provide a more accurate picture of the likelihood of different outcomes, compared to the predictions of a single expert or group of experts.

In addition to being used to make predictions about specific events, prediction markets can also be used as a tool for making decisions in businesses and other organizations. For example, a company might use a prediction market to gather information about the potential success of a new product, or to make decisions about resource allocation.

Simplified Example

A prediction market can be compared to a betting game you play with your friends to see who can guess the outcome of a certain event correctly. Just like how you might bet with your friends on the winner of a sports game, in a prediction market, people make bets on the outcome of events, like elections, the weather, or the stock market.

Imagine you and your friends are playing a guessing game to see who can correctly guess how many candies are in a jar. You each make a guess, and whoever gets closest to the right answer wins a prize. This is similar to what happens in a prediction market. People make predictions about the outcome of an event, like the stock market, and whoever's prediction is closest to the right answer wins a prize.

So, just like how you make guesses to win a prize in a guessing game, in a prediction market, you make predictions to win a prize. And, just like how the prize in the guessing game goes to whoever guesses correctly, the prize in a prediction market goes to whoever's prediction is closest to the right answer.

History of the Term Prediction Market

The concept of prediction markets traces back to the early 20th century, evolving through various forms before its digital adaptation. The roots of prediction markets can be found in the Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM) established in the late 1980s, pioneering the idea of using real money to predict election outcomes. In 1995, the Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX) emerged as an online platform where users traded virtual stocks based on the success of movies. The term gained momentum in the financial world in the early 2000s with the establishment of various prediction market platforms. In the realm of cryptocurrency, the concept of prediction markets expanded as blockchain technology matured, leading to the development of decentralized prediction market platforms. Augur, launched in 2015, was one of the pioneering decentralized prediction market platforms on Ethereum's blockchain, enabling users to forecast outcomes across various categories using cryptocurrency. These markets continue to evolve, providing insights into the collective wisdom and predictive abilities of participants.

Examples

Political Election Prediction Market: A political election prediction market is a platform that allows individuals to place bets on the outcome of a political election. Users can buy and sell contracts that represent the probability of a particular candidate winning the election. The price of these contracts reflects the collective prediction of the market participants, and the contract that is most highly valued is considered to be the most likely outcome of the election. For example, a contract that represents a 50% chance of a particular candidate winning the election would be worth more than a contract that represents a 30% chance of the same candidate winning the election. At the end of the election, the contract that accurately predicts the winner would be settled at its full value, while the other contracts would be settled at zero.

Sports Outcome Prediction Market: A sports outcome prediction market is a platform that allows individuals to place bets on the outcome of sporting events. Users can buy and sell contracts that represent the probability of a particular team or player winning a particular game or competition. The price of these contracts reflects the collective prediction of the market participants, and the contract that is most highly valued is considered to be the most likely outcome of the event. For example, a contract that represents a 50% chance of a particular team winning a particular game would be worth more than a contract that represents a 30% chance of the same team winning the same game. At the end of the event, the contract that accurately predicts the winner would be settled at its full value, while the other contracts would be settled at zero.

Stock Price Prediction Market: A stock price prediction market is a platform that allows individuals to place bets on the future price of a particular stock. Users can buy and sell contracts that represent the probability of a particular stock price being above or below a certain level at a specified time in the future. The price of these contracts reflects the collective prediction of the market participants, and the contract that is most highly valued is considered to be the most likely outcome for the stock price. For example, a contract that represents a 50% chance of a particular stock being above $100 at the end of the year would be worth more than a contract that represents a 30% chance of the same stock being above $100 at the end of the year. At the end of the specified time, the contract that accurately predicts the stock price would be settled at its full value, while the other contracts would be settled at zero.

Related terms

• Derivatives Market: A derivatives market is a financial market where derivative instruments are traded. Derivative instruments are financial contracts whose value is derived from the price of an underlying asset, such as stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, or indices.

• Options Market: The options market is a market where individuals and institutional investors trade options contracts. An options contract is a financial agreement between two parties that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a predetermined price within a specified period of time.