Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnVictoria VesovskiWed, June 24, 2026 at 7:05 PM GMT+2 6 min readPrediction markets have exploded in popularity, with social media flooded by videos of traders seemingly turning small bets into massive paydays.College student George Makihara appeared to be one of them. In January, he posted a video showing himself winning $100,000 on a bet that President Donald Trump would say "McDonald's" publicly that month. Other creators touted similar success stories, describing prediction market trades as "free money."Must ReadRobert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this 'explosion'Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — here are 5 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being oneMillionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks.