Wunderfest

How to play Wunderfest

A Detroit business owner will soon face city scrutiny after permitting crypto-based prediction market platform Polymarket to paint an advertisement on a water tower located on his industrial property.

The Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday (Sept. 16) that a water tower located northeast of the downtown city was recently painted and branded with Polymarket’s likeness. The water tower is located just off Interstate 94 at Mount Elliott Street, Exit 217.

The water tower is specifically located at the business of Mount Elliott Crushing, a recycler of concrete products. While the water tower is on private land, the City of Detroit requires that permits be secured for advertisements on such structures.

About Wunderfest

Representatives from Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos and Juventus met last week at the São Paulo Football Federation to discuss measures in response to the ban on betting advertisements in the city.

One of the proposals could be voted on next week by the city council and would directly affect the city’s clubs.

The meeting brought together 40 professionals from the clubs’ legal, communications and marketing departments, as well as executives from companies in the betting sector. Club officials are concerned about the financial impact of the measures, which could impact sponsorship contracts signed with betting companies.

What is Wunderfest?

Given the rise of prediction markets, this week arguably represents the most frenzied campaign since the historic PASPA decision in 2018. Buttressed by massive capital injection from substantial funding rounds, operators have spent handsomely on celebrity endorsements. Over the last week, ads featuring LeBron James, Sydney Sweeney, Marshawn Lynch and Jeremy Piven have showered the airwaves. Even Pete Sampras, who disappeared from the public spotlight for the better part of two decades, resurfaced in a US Open spot for Kalshi.

While Polymarket pulled off a coup with the signings of James, Eli Manning and Derek Jeter, a Novig ad featuring Sweeney arguably received as much fanfare. Sweeney, an Emmy Award-nominated actress known for her role in HBO’s Euphoria series, stars in the spot titled “Just Sports.” As of Friday afternoon, the Novig post on social media platform X received at least nine million views.

Throughout the ad, Novig throws shade on its rivals for offering niche markets on events such as the timeframe for when traders believe that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will be removed from office. Unlike operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket, Novig has opted to limit its offerings to purely sports. “No betting on wars, or deaths…or politics,” Sweeney mused.