The New York Mets have become the first Major League Baseball team to partner with a prediction-market platform, signing an exclusive multiyear deal with Novig. Unlike other well-known platforms such as Kalshi or Polymarket, the Mets chose Novig due to its sports-focused approach and responsible trading ethos. The partnership, starting this season, includes prominent Novig branding at Citi Field, digital signage, and presence during Mets broadcasts. Novig also gained MLB authorized prediction market status, allowing it to utilize official league data under a new "integrity framework" co-developed by MLB and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Novig founder Jacob Fortinsky, a lifelong Mets fan who launched the company in 2021, views the deal as a breakthrough not only for Novig but for the sports industry at large, signaling growing mainstream acceptance of prediction markets in major sports organizations. Fortinsky's connection to the Mets that led to the deal came via Josh Cohen, son of Mets owner Steve Cohen, whom Fortinsky met at a UFC event. Novig has raised over $100 million to date and is positioning itself as a niche alternative to the broader-focused prediction platforms by concentrating solely on sports markets and maintaining a strict 21-year-old user age minimum—a policy aligned with pro leagues' calls for regulatory safety.

The Mets’ decision hinged on Novig’s New York roots and its tailored approach for sports fans, according to Mets SVP Zach Feldman, who praised the company’s innovative and fan-first mindset. This deal follows MLB’s initial entry into prediction markets with an earlier exclusive agreement with Polymarket, showing the league’s increased openness to integrating this emerging category. Novig also recently partnered with LIV Golf during the Masters, demonstrating its growing footprint in sports prediction markets nationally following federal approval to operate across all 50 states.

While competitors like Kalshi and Polymarket have first-mover advantage, Novig is emphasizing longevity by focusing on responsible wagering and limiting its offerings to sports events, which Fortinsky believes sets it apart. The Mets’ agreement marks the first for an MLB franchise but follows similar moves in other sports, such as the NHL and its teams partnering with prediction markets earlier. As the Mets work with Novig, the platform aims to capture the passionate local fan base and leverage the underdog mentality shared by both the team and the company as they establish themselves in a competitive market.