US midterm election betting surges past $1.4 billion as Democrats score major wins

Betting on the 2026 US midterm elections has crossed $1.4 billion, putting prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket to a major test. Strong Democratic gains have triggered sharp movements in election-related contracts, drawing attention to the platforms' growing influence. However, concerns over manipulation, insider trading and forecasting accuracy continue to challenge their credibility as political forecasting tools.